Join us as we look for signs of a rift valley that once cut a wide chasm across the Jurassic deserts of Northern Virginia. We will see evidence of saline lakes and rivers that carried water (and sand/mud) from the towering Appalachians when they were a young mountain range. We will also get to cross the remnants of huge lava flows that periodically swept across the valley. We will begin by descending the once rugged mountains lining the western edge of the basin (now the rolling hills around Warrenton), crossing the rift heading southeast, and then emerging onto much older metamorphic rocks near Kelly’s Ford.
This year we will be following roughly the same route that we took in 2023 across the Culpeper Basin. This Mesozoic basin is one of the more prominent and ecologically important features on the Piedmont. It is also where some of the youngest rocks of the entire Piedmont occur, marking the last major tectonic event along the eastern seaboard when the Atlantic Ocean was born. Because of this, the rocks are minimally deformed and represent a bit of a break from the mind-bending complexity of the older rocks dominating the rest of the region.
We will meet at Clifton at 9:00am where we will check out some of our greenstone outcrops then head out toward C.F. Phelps WMA near Remington, making several stops along the way. We will eat lunch along the way (please provide your own lunch) and wrap up around 4:00pm.
Cost:
Children 18 and under – Free
Adults – $30 ($25 for Friends of Clifton.) All proceeds from our programs go directly to funding our education programs, restoration work, and research projects. Thank you for your support!
Age: Adults and children accompanied by an adult.
Weather policy: Date and time subject to change dependent on weather. Please check your email for updates on the morning of the event.
Registration is REQUIRED.
Cancellation policy: If you register and can no longer attend this event, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can open your spot to someone else.
By registering for this event, you are affirming that you have read and agree to our liability release policy.
We look forward to seeing you at the Clifton Institute!
