House
Rock
Along the East Fork of the White River in Shoals,
you can see many massive rock formations, well worth the
drive. One of these is a formation known locally as House
Rock. A massive rock formation, placed
as if it were set by hand, that creates a shelter, or a rock house.
Indians and the first settlers used these ‘rock houses’
as meeting places.
The ‘House Rock’ on
West River Road at Shoals was just such a meeting place. It was
formed by two several hundred-ton sandstone blocks slipping on the
underlying foundation and lodging upon each other.
As you stand in front of the
large entrance, it almost appears to be a cave. As you step
inside you will be amazed at the vastness of the enclosed
room. You can look upward and see light, through the angles
created by the edges of the stones that have shifted over
time. These stones now rest on each other at the tops.
Inside you are protected from the harsh elements of nature.
It is easy to see why these were excellent meeting places.
The floor of the formation appears similar to a river
bed.
On the outside of the stones,
you can see honeycomb formations on the sandstone. One
explanation of this phenomenon is due to salt water resting on the
stone, and evaporating, leaving crystals that pry apart the porous
sandstone and leave holes.
The posted coordinates are
for the actual formation. I am also posting parking
coordinates, as there is not an area to pull off at the
formation. You can observe the formation from the road.
You will have a better view during fall or winter, due to leaves
being down. You will know you are at the right spot when you
see the short path from the road to the formation. From all
information that I have gathered, this rock formation is located on
private property. Although it is well traveled, you can answer all
questions from the road, without going onto private
property.
To fulfill the requirements
of this earthcache please answer the following
questions:
1. What type of rock do
you believe formed this structure?
2. How tall are the
rocks at the structure?
3. What side of the
entrance shows the most honeycomb formations?
Feel free to post a picture
of yourself at the site, but it is not a requirement.
Email your answers to the
questions to the cache owner via geocaching.com. Go ahead and
log as a find after you send the answers. If there is an
issue that requires clarification, I will notify you. I hope
you enjoy this site.
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