Sky Bridge is a large, sandstone conglomerate arch formation 23
feet high and 75 feet long. To reach the arch, follow the Sky
Bridge trail. The trail is a loop trail that leaves the Sky Bridge
parking area and extends along a narrow ridge to Sky Bridge.
Sky Bridge is a ridge top arch in the Red River Gorge Geological
Area of the Daniel Boone National Forest in Eastern Kentucky. This
area contains numerous ridge top arches and steep cliffs as can be
seen from the top of Sky Bridge.
Sky Bridge is composed of Middle Pennsylvanian aged quartz
arenite from the Corbin Sandstone Member of the Lee Formation. The
arch is bounded by joints that are visible from above and below the
arch. The sandstone is medium to coarse grained and weathers to a
grayish orange. It contains numerous cross beds which dip to the
south west and large liesegang bands. There is also a conglomerate
layer that contains liesegang bands and half inch sized quartz
pebbles. The matrix is fine grained and dark gray to black in
color. This layer is unconformable at its base and grades up into
sandstone. Heavy weathering has led to the erosion of less
resistant material and to the formation of honeycombed sandstone
below the arch. There is also a rock shelter present on the
trail.
The Red River Gorge Geological Area has over 100 natural arches,
the greatest concentration of arches east of the Rocky
Mountains.
The defining geologic strata of the Red River Gorge were formed
about 300 million years ago. Sediment, sand and pebbles eroding
from the ancient Appalachian Mountains were carried by a great
river and deposited as a delta at the edge of a shallow inland sea
that covered much of the middle part of North America at that
time.
Over millions of years, the mountains were worn down, the
sediments turned to rock and the inland sea receded. Gradually,
streams began cutting down through the relatively flat layers of
sedimentary rock. Because sandstone is a harder rock, it resisted
erosion better than the shale and siltstone layers above and
below.
Erosion and weathering over millions of years sculpted the
striking sandstone cliffs and intriguing geologic features that we
see today in the Red River Gorge. The deeply dissected landscape is
an intricate maze of narrow, winding ridges and valleys separated
by steep slopes and continuous bands of high sandstone cliffs,
making travel between the uplands and valleys very difficult.
The listed coordinates is located on a viewing area that is
handicap acessable. The trail to the picture taking area is about
20 feet away and marked with a sign. There is a trail to the Sky
Bridge from the main parking area but this spot is not handicap
accessable. I will accept picture from any of these areas as long
as one of them have the Bridge in the background.
This Earth cache has been placed with exclusive permission from
the Daniel Boone National Forest Recreation Director. Always ask
for permission before setting up a Earth Cache.
To get credit for this EC, post a photo of you with GPS and Sky
Bridge in the back ground. the picture can be from the viewing
area, on top of the Sky Bridge, or from the camera area that is
nearby the information board. Please answer the following
questions.
1. When a natural arch dies, what happens?
2. What kind of erosion forms a Arch?
3. What do Geologist's call the erosional process?
4. Estimate how long and high the bridge is.
| Cav Scout has earned GSA's highest
level |
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Logs with no photo of the actual cacher logging the find or
failure to answer questions will result in a log deletion.
Exceptions will be considered if you contact me first (I realize
sometimes we forget our cameras or the batteries die). Logs with no
photos will be deleted in seven days of posting.
I have used sources available to me by using google search to
get information for this earth cache. I am by no means a geologist.
I use books, internet, and asking questions about geology just like
99.9 percent of the geocachers who create these great Earth Caches.
I enjoy Earth Caches and want people to get out and see what I see
everytime I go and explore this great place we live in.