Ancient Waterfall EarthCache
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Ancient Waterfall
Cascade Park in Elyria is best known for its deep gorge and spectacular 40 ft. waterfall. But this is not the original waterfall in this park. Approximately 2 million years ago another waterfall was carving its way through the bedrock and creating part of the gorge that we hike through today.
Cascade Park, in the heard of Downtown Elyria, sits at the confluence of the East and West branches of the Black River. The park is dominated by Berea Sandstone which formed during the Mississippian Period approximately 320 to 340 Million years ago. The sediment that formed the sandstone was left behind by a shallow sea that covered much of Ohio during that period. Also noticeable in the park is a layer of Bedford Shale below the Sandstone. This layer of shale has a reddish-brown color and is thin and very brittle. It is most visible in the trails closest to the river. The shale comes from clay, silt, and mud that settled on the bottom of the ancient Mississippian sea.
The posted coordinates will take you to the base of the Ancient Waterfall. As you look up at the top of the cliff where the waterfall used to run, you will notice a semicircular pattern that has been carved out by the waterfall. This shows that the water used to run heavier and faster at the center causing greater erosion than at the edges. Following the wall from top to bottom you will also notice that the wall tapers inward near the base which is another erosion feature. Since the base is made up of the softer and more brittle Bedford Shale layer it erodes more quickly that the upper layer of Berea Sandstone. This type of erosion has formed a shelter cave. If you look at the ground close to the cliff wall near the cave there is a paved cement pad with small square bars visible in some spots. From 1920 through 1980 this area was the summer home for a couple of brown bears. The area is still referred to as the Bear Cave.
After examining the base follow the trail along the cliff wall and up the stairs to the top of the Ancient Waterfall. The cliff is fenced off but please use caution since the area can get slippery when it is wet. Continue to follow the trail up which will take you to the “Camel’s Back” (also called Lookout Point). This is the highest point in the park and you will notice that the terrain is completely different that what was at the base. The name “Camel’s Back” was given to this area because the color, shape, and texture of the ground resemble the humps on a camel. The area is covered with a mixed layer of rock, sand, dirt, gravel, and boulders that were left behind by the glaciers that covered this area approximately 15,000 to 25,000 years ago. As the glaciers melted any sediment that they had picked up along the way were deposited and became part of the local landscape. The rocks and boulders found in Northeast Ohio were carried here from what is now Ontario, Canada.
To log this cache you will need to do the following:
1) Post a picture of yourself with your GPS at the base of the Ancient Waterfall.
2) Send me an E-mail with the following information:
What is the common name given to the sediments left behind by the glaciers?
(Glacial _____)
3) If your GPS is equipped to measure elevation then take elevation measurements at the base of the Ancient Waterfall and the top of the “Camel’s Back” and e-mail me those readings. If your GPS does not have an elevation function then give me your best estimate at the height of the Ancient Waterfall.
Please take time to explore the rest of this beautiful park. It has so much to offer. There is a nature center, a playground, picnic areas, hiking trails, and of course the waterfall and the observation bridge.
Special thanks to Laura Patalon and the Elyria Parks and Recreation Department for giving their permission to place this Earthcache and supporting geocaching.
Additional Waypoints:
Parking
N 41.22.579
W 82.06.533
Camels Back (Lookout Point)
N 41.22.430
W 82.06.552
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)