The Early Cretaceous is an important time of transition in Earth History. During this time significant variability in the carbon cycle likely affected the trajectory of the climate system and the evolution of life. Records, especially continental, of the Early Cretaceous are still poorly constrained. Even the base of what is considered the Cretaceous System is not clearly defined. To this end multiple investigations are ongoing to improve our understanding of the timing of Early Cretaceous continental rock records and to provide more quantitative paleoclimate records during this important time. Here I summarize the results to date of efforts to improve Early Cretaceous chronostratigraphic constraint of rock records as well as climate records for this time; especially of the Western margin of the Western Interior Basin and northwestern China). Our efforts so far indicate that many of the Early Cretaceous units we investigate are only partially contemporaneous and for some locations extend deeper into the Cretaceous than previously expected. Climate parameters are consistent with the prevailing interpretations of the Cretaceous as a greenhouse climate, but variation in these records show instances of cooler than expected temperatures during some times.