A Geologic and Natural History Tour of the Potomac Gorge below Great Falls

10 AM – 2 PM, Saturday, June 7, 2014

The Potomac Gorge, a 15 mile stretch of the Potomac River from Great Falls to Roosevelt Island, flows through the transition region between the Piedmont Plateau and the Atlantic Coastal Plain. The gorge is one of the longest steepest fall zones on the Atlantic coast and is considered to be one the most significant natural areas in the Eastern United States. New age data for Potomac River bedrock has helped illuminate the nature of the geologic and flood-related processes that formed the Gorge, indicating that rates of bedrock gorge cutting can be very rapid.

Join us for a hike along the Virginia side of the Potomac Gorge below Great Falls to enjoy the breathtaking scenery and to learn about the geomorphic processes that formed the Gorge and the response of this landscape to climatic and sea level change. In addition, commentary will be provided on the cultural and natural history of the Gorge, which is home to rare invertebrates, the bald eagle, fish like the American shad, and over 200 rare plant species.

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