The park is located near the south end of Frenchtown Road. Once you pass under the railroad tracks, BREC's Parking Lot is located immediately on the left. NO PARKING at the end of the road, please only use BREC's parking lot. This park does have access to the Amite River and fishing is allowed following Louisiana State Regulations however, due to the fast current and hidden hazards, swimming in the Amite River is not advised.
Be careful, as the terrain can be slippery.
There is a short hike to the Geocache coordinates.
BREC Website
BREC’s Frenchtown Road Conservation Area has been set aside to preserve its aesthetic beauty and ecological significance. Help us accomplish this by enjoying the park while following the regulations outlined below.
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Frenchtown currently has over 3 miles of trails which wind around the north and central parts of the park including access to the Amite River's Beach, several Amite River overlooks and access to countless Cypress-Tupelo sloughs.
Please remember to "Leave No Trace", and enjoy the wildlife.
The Lesson today is in Fluvial Geomorphology.
That's two words meaning "Rivers or streams", and "Land forming or changing". The land here has been eroded by flowing water, and deposited by flowing water!
Two of the three features you can see here are Cut Banks, and Point Bars
On the outside of a bend, the bank is eroded away, forming a Cut Bank. Near the inner bank, the quietest waters accumulate. These deposit sediment in a "point bar".
More info about erosion and deposition processes is here: Introduction to Physical Geology
The cool thing about this location, however, is the third geological feature that you will see - a deposit of river sediment far above the river banks.
How did it get here?
The Amite and Comite Rivers flood occasionally. During these flood events, the River carries more sediment than at normal levels. The river's course has, during some time in the past, flowed over this land and left natural levees or sandbanks in this part of the forest. The river channel, also has been cut lower into it's present course. The sandy beach, is it "high up" in the forest, or is the river now "down there"?
To log this Earthcache, you should go to the listed co-ordinates. Follow the trail into the forest, until you find that you are walking on sand. It will be about 600 feet or so. Then, email me the answers to the following questions:
1). What are the coordinates of the sandy deposits?
2). Walk over to the nearest River bank. How far is the river from the Sandy deposits?
3). What feature of the river is closest to you at this point?
4). Estimate how high above the river you are at this point.
Photos are not required to log this Earthcache
please feel free to include photographs, but they are not required to log this Earthcache.