To see Stephens Falls, take a short walk from the parking area
located three-quarters of a mile northeast from the park entrance.
Here, you will first see a stream fed partially by a nearby spring
that emerges where the Platteville dolomite and St. Peter sandstone
meet. It then spills over a cliff of St. Peter sandstone.
A waterfall can be defined as a cascade of water in a river or
stream. It occurs when a river flows over a bed of rock that
resists erosion, in this case it is the upper layer of St. Peter
sandstone that was laid down when a shallow sea covered this area
during the Ordovician era about 450 million years ago. Older,
wind-deposited (and therefore less erosion-resistant) sandstone
downstream was worn away by the water, creating a steep, vertical
drop. Over time, continuing erosion of the sandstone caused the
waterfall to retreat upstream forming a gorge (a narrow steep-sided
valley or canyon). Hydraulic action occurs as the stream tumbles
over the waterfall to crash onto the rocks below. This leads to the
formation of a plunge pool below the waterfall as well as a
cave-like formation known as a rock shelter behind the falling
water. If you continue down the gorge trail about 1/8 of a mile,
you may be able to spot some of the large dunes created when the
wind deposited the sandstone here.
The earthcache coordinates will lead you to the base of the
waterfall where you can find the plunge pool and can see a little
bit of a rock shelter on the left hand side. However, you will
notice that most of the waterfall maintains contact with a vertical
wall of sandstone underneath. Therefore, Stephens’ Falls can be
defined as a HORSETAIL type waterfall. Horsetail waterfalls are
characterized by the constant or semi-constant contact the water
keeps with the bedrock as it falls.
History: If you walk back to the Lost Canyon Trail and turn to
the north, you will enter the area of the Stephens Homestead. Here
you will encounter the Rock Spring House, built into the hillside
in the 1850's. This cold spring water was used to cool the room
where milk and other perishables were stored, before flowing out
and going downstream to the falls.
To claim this earthcache,
you must complete two requirements:
1. Calculate the height of Stephens’ Falls. To do this, get an
elevation reading near the top of the falls (N43 01.674 W90
07.768), then repeat your reading at the bottom (N43 01.666 W90
07.748). Send me the readings and the calculated height of the
falls in an email at the same time you post your found-it
log. If your GPS is having trouble with this, send the readings
you got anyway and estimate the height as best you can.
2. BRING YOUR DIGITAL CAMERA. Take a picture of yourself or your
GPSr at the base of the falls. Post this picture with your log.
Things to know before coming here:
1. Governor Dodge State Park requests that you stay on the path
at all times while seeking this earthcache.
2. There is a “stair” leading from the top to the bottom with a
handrail. However, the steps are rocks. They are very irregular so
take care going up or down.
3. This Earthcache is in a Wisconsin State Park and will require
an annual sticker or day pass to access. Only paid campers are
allowed in the park after 11:00 pm.
4. The Geocache Notification Form has been submitted to Kathleen
Gruentzel, Park Superintendent – Governor Dodge State Park.
Geocaches placed on Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
managed lands require permission by means of a notification form.
Please print out a paper copy of the notification form, fill in all
required information, then submit it to the land manager. The DNR
Notification Form and land manager information can be obtained at:
http://www.wi-geocaching.com/hiding.
Resources:
1. Roadside Geology of Wisconsin by Robert H. Dott, Jr. and
John W. Attig
2. www.world-waterfalls.com
3. www.tiscali.co.uk
4. Great Wisconsin Walks by Wm. Chad McGrath