Godly Gardens EarthCache
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DAYLIGHT HOURS ONLY!
Located in southern Illinois in the Shawnee National Forest.
We have listed two sets of questions to obtain this cache allowing for handicapped accessibility. However, for all others you can expect a 1.5:2.
This wilderness area covers over 3,300 acres of beautiful old growth forest. 320 million years ago, southern Illinois was covered by an open shallow sea, the sediment rock in this area is over 4 miles deep. This area was thrust upward out of the water and became a small mountain range, today known as the Shawnee Hills. When the great ice sheets covered the Midwest, they extended at their largest size, just north of the Shawnee Hills. The real magic that formed the geological oddities of The Garden of the Gods came when the glaciers melted into a cacophony of raging waterfalls, rivers, rivulets, and the like that carved some interesting rock formations that represent various objects.
One of the most unique features of the forest is the diversity of plants. For plants and animals, it is a transition zone between north and south, east and west creating habitat for a wide range of species.
The Observation Trail avails some of the most spectacular geological formations in the state of Illinois, the Midwest, and the country as a whole. Large, mushroom shapes, boulders that balance and sit atop one another, weird spirals of iron inside the sandstone, magical formations and shapes that look like animals, clouds, or whatever the beholder wishes to see in them, await the geological admirer here.
A trip during the Fall will be a real treat; as the rock formations coming from the golden and brown highlights of the forested valley can be quite breath-taking.
Garden of the Gods has two main trail systems. The best known trail is the Observation Trail, which follows a 1/4 mile paved trail that leads to some spectacular overlooks of the Garden of the Gods Wilderness area and views of unusual rock formations. This is an interpretive trail that has some interesting history about the geology of this area. This system includes other paths that combine for about 5.5 miles and are interconnecting.
The second main trail is the River-to-River Trail which continues for 8 miles, entering the east end of the park from High Knob then proceeding west to the Observation Trail, south below the rock formations bearing west again to Herod.
You may want to participate in Picnicing -Hiking – Biking – Backpacking – Camping - Scenic Observation – Bird Watching
Requirements for Handicapped:
1) Post a picture of themselves and their GPS at the steps of the Handicapped Accessible parking lot sign, titled “Tendered Through the Years”.
You are to email your answers with the name of the earthcache to the owner to the following questions
2) What mountain range formed as Africa pushed against the east coast of North America?
3) What was deposited here when the rivers emptied into an ancient sea?
You may find the trail to be accessible and if so, it is highly recommended that you venture farther to view magical formations.
Requirements for Non-Handicapped:
1)Post a picture with your GPS at your favorite rock formation along the ¼ mile trail that you must travel to answer the following questions. The trail takes about 45 minutes to walk, and questions can be answered from signs along the trail.
You are to email your answers with the name of the earthcache to the owner to the following questions
2) You will happen upon a very unique flat rock formation that includes a stone walkway leading to it that nearly everyone asked would give the same name, it is called ______ Rock. Hint (since the sign is missing and the state is too broke to replace it) you might find this in your house, it has four legs and you most likely would eat on it.
3) The dark, reddish-brown swirls and rings on these rocks were caused by rust between the rock particles; give us one of the two names these are known by.
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)