A sign at the trailhead explains the name is based on the discovery of a plate of armor in the 1880's, about the time lumber companies began over-foresting the area. Until 1983 scholars mocked the idea of finding a breastplate intact after 300 years, until an intact sword from deSoto's expedition was found on the King site near Rome, Georgia. Men under Hernando deSoto are known to have been in this mountainous area in 1541.
There is a $3.00 day use fee required for this area.
The eastern Blue Ridge consists of a variety of igneous and high-grade metamorphic rocks, including numerous granite bodies. The metamorphic rocks were originally part of the Precambrian basement, as were the volcanic and sedimentary rocks laid down as the proto-Atlantic Ocean began to close during the early Paleozoic era.
The Blue Ridge is an assembly of several stacked thrust sheets, each with its distinctive rock types and structural style. A thrust sheet in the continental crust is a large slice of rock that has been pushed up and over other rocks along a break in the crust known as a thrust fault. Thrust faults form in response to compression during mountain building, and once formed, they provide the break along which thrust sheets move. Along with "fold," or the bending of rocks, the movement Mount Yonah, located in White County between Cleveland and Helen, is best known for its granite outcrops, formed by granite magma intruding the overlying stacks of metamorphic rocks about 375 million years ago.
The process of erosion, the wearing away of earth, plays an important part in the formation of waterfalls. Waterfalls themselves also contribute to erosion.
Often, waterfalls form as streams flow from soft rock to hard rock. This happens both laterally (as a stream flows across the earth) and vertically (as the stream drops in a waterfall). In both cases, the soft rock erodes, leaving a hard ledge over which the stream falls.
A fall line is the imaginary line along which parallel rivers plunge as they flow from uplands to lowlands. Many waterfalls in an area help geologists and hydrologists determine a region's fall line and underlying rock structure.
As a stream flows, it carries sediment. The sediment can be microscopic silt, pebbles, or even boulders. Sediment can erode stream beds made of soft rock, such as sandstone or limestone. Eventually, the stream's channel cuts so deep into the stream bed that only a harder rock, such as granite, remains. Waterfalls develop as these granite formations form cliffs and ledges. Water falls also collect the sediment at the base, observe what you see!
Erosion is clearly visible below the two ledges in this waterfall. Observe how the rock looks to have been washed away under them!
To claim this Earthcache you will need to go to the upper and lower falls, send your answers through my profile and do not post them on the cache page!
1) The difference in elevation from where you park to the viewing deck at the upper falls.
2) in your opinion, why does the water exit to the right of the falls instead of coming straight forward?
3) Optional, post a picture with your log at the upper falls.
4) At the base of the lower falls, large rocks can be observed. There are 3 of these similar rocks before the fenced walkway to the lower falls. What are 3 of the 4 colors you see on these rocks?