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Explore the Geologic Marvels of Northern New York

posted by Teresa Farrell at 2018-07-23 21:32:00

The northeastern Adirondacks  is home to plenty of wild, beautiful land. The backyard of the High Peaks  is crisscrossed by rivers and streams that have carved out their own stories across the canvas of rock in the region, leaving in their wake some of the most unique and interesting geologic formations anywhere in America. This geologic time capsule is on display and ready to be explored at Natural Stone Bridge and Caves in the town of Pottersville.


Natural Stone Bridge and Caves  offers visitors the opportunity to explore ancient rock formations, learn about Adirondack history  and geology, and get a hands-on experience with fossils, crystals, stones and gems. A self-guided tour begins at the site of a former sawmill, constructed the 1700s, and winds alongside Trout Brook through the various rock formations on the property.



The natural stone bridge that gives this attraction its name is a massive arch of marble, carved out by glacial runoff at the end of the last ice age. At 62 feet tall and 180 feet wide, the massive marble arch is known as the largest natural marble cave entrance in the eastern United States.


Make your way along the ¾ mile natural stone step nature trail, and the bridge is one of the top sites you’ll see; then follow on shore as the river passes through the aptly named Noisy Cave and flows into Lost Pool Cave, where it disappears before emerging at Artist’s Gorge. Waterfalls, grottos, and surface caves along the way provide plenty of things to take in as you go, and the benches along the path are a perfect place to sit down for a minute and take in these unique surroundings or simply catch your breath.


Back at the starting point, there are plenty of activities that will thrill kids, including gemstone and crystal “mining” and Dino Dig, where kids can dig up casts of real dinosaur bones. Adults will enjoy the Caveman Challenge bouldering wall, and kids have their own climbing counterpart in the CaveKid Wall. The unique Rock Shop offers hundreds of rocks and minerals to look at on display or to buy and take home.


Interested in learning more about the area and the caves you just explored? The PBS video Under the Adirondacks plays every 30 minutes, and a stop in the Adirondack Memories Museum interprets artifacts and information about the unique structures in this area and how they came to be that way.


If refreshment is in order, a picnic area complete with snack bar, ice cream stand and playground is available on premises. Open daily in the summer  and on weekends in the winter, this geologic treasure is truly and Upstate New York gem.

PHOTO CREDITS

People in cave photo credit Jo Amelia Finlay Bever
Inspiration Point photo credit Jo Amelia Finlay Bever
Pond with rock crevices photo credit Jo Amelia Finlay Bever
River through rock photo credit Jo Amelia Finlay Bever
 Water reflecting rock photo credit Jo Amelia Finlay Bever
Piranha fossil photo credit Jo Amelia Finlay Bever
 
 
 

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