Shelter Rock ~ Mckinney Falls State Park EarthCache
Shelter Rock ~ Mckinney Falls State Park
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(other)
Related Web Page
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
This is an Earthcache so there is no container to find, instead you will learn about rock shelters. This Earthcache is located at McKinney Falls State Park in South Austin. You will need either a Texas State Parks Pass or pay the State Park Admission Fee of $6 per person, Children 12 years and younger are free.
In order to Claim a find for this cache you must answer the questions posed at the bottom of this page. All Found it logs, without the required email, will be deleted.
Once you enter the park proceed to the "Visitor's Center". From there take the "Smith Rock Shelter Trail". The round trip hike to the rock shelter is about 0.8 mile. Feel free to continue along the trail beyond the rock shelter and the trail will loop back to the visitor center parking lot (30-45 min).
The shelter abuts Onion Creek and is one of two natural rock shelters in Travis County to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places (the other is the Levi Rock Shelter). Smith Rock Shelter was added to the Register on October 1, 1974
Some Rock shelters are formed because rock stratum, such as sandstone, that is resistant to erosion & weathering, forms a "cliff" or "bluff" and that a softer stratum, more subject to erosion & weathering, lies just below the resistant stratum and therefore undercuts the cliff.
Another type of Rock Shelter formation is of karst cutting. Karst is a landscape formed by the dissolution of soluble rock, such as limestone, dolomite, or gypsum. It is characterized by sinkholes, caves, and underground drainage systems.
Rock shelters are also formed by frost weathering. Frost weathering is mainly driven by the frequency and intensity of freeze-thaw cycles and the properties of the materials subject to weathering. It is most pronounced in high altitude and latitude areas and is especially associated with alpine, periglacial, subpolar maritime and polar climates but occurs wherever freeze-thaw cycles are present.
Rock Shelter Formation Types:
Rock shelters are often important archaeologically, because rock shelters are natural shelters from the elements. Pre-historic humans often used them for living spaces, and would often leave behind debris, tools and other artifact's allowing researchers to gleen information on how that society existed.
As you walk the trail, imagine that you are journeying back in time to the days of the Indians. The Tonkawas were the last Indian tribe to inhabit McKinney Falls. They were present until the 1800’s. Tonkawas, like all Indians, were noted for respecting the land and reaping the benefits of nature.
The Requirements to log this Earthcache is to email me the Answers, to the Following Questions, thru my profile at the top of the page: (Do Not Post them with your log or it will be deleted.)
At the posted coords, you can see the rock shelter.
1) Using that handy little gadget you have in your hand you should be able to measure the approximate Depth & Length of this Shelter, what are the dimensions?
2) Referring to the above image, which type formation created this Shelter?
3) Why do you suppose this cliff has been exposed, with that particular undercutting??
4) Describe the texture of the Rock above the undercut? Is it indicative to the types of Limestone deposits found in central Texas? Describe what you see?
5) Where did this "Shelter" get it's name?
Go ahead and log this as a found and then email the answers to me thru my profile.Remember~do not put the answers in your log, it will be deleted.
A Cache Placement permit has been filed with the Parks Superintendent for this Earthcache.
Congratulations! "MaddysGang" First to Find!
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)
Treasures
You'll collect a digital Treasure from one of these collections when you find and log this geocache:
Loading Treasures