Get out of the house and go explore and you will see majestic cliffs, waterfalls, gorges, and more. Especially if you drive to Hocking Hills State Park. I've been to a lot of State Parks, but none like this one in Ohio. While hiking, you have time to discuss geological processes. Gorges are mainly formed because of the flow of water or lava. Smaller than canyons, gorges still have deep, narrow valleys with a river or stream running. Even easier than creating your own science lesson, check out the park schedule for educational talks hosted by naturalists.
Besides admiring the rocks, go on a hunt for waterfalls. This photo shows Cedar Falls, the largest in terms of water volume. From the photo, it's difficult to tell size. It spans 50 feet with water cascading between limestone and ending in a pool. I'd also recommend the waterfall at Ash Cave. You'll be impressed with the size of the 700-foot long cave.
Gorges make beautiful scenery for a hike with your family. Two of the top three parks winning the USA Today 10 Best Readers' Choice Award Best State Park rating have well known gorges:
1) Letchworth State Park (Castile, New York) rated #1: includes Genesee River Gorge, sometimes referred as "Grand Canyon of the East"
Readers rated Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park in Michigan as the #2 state park.
Here's 9 Other gorges you could visit with your family:
1. Quechee Gorge, Vermont: (Quechee State Park): deepest gorge in Vermont, view from US Route 4 bridge
2. Bluestone River Gorge, West Virginia: canyon land around the Bluestone National Scenic River and protected by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (est. 1988)
3. Rio Grande Gorge, New Mexico: approx. 50 mile gorge beginning near the Colorado border, part of the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument (designated 2013)
4. Avalance Gorge, Avalanche Cree, Montana: narrow chasms near the falls within Glacier National Park
5. Linville Gorge, North Carolina: part of the Pisgah National Forest and sourced by Linville River, also claims "Grand Canyon of the East"
6. Bad River Gorge, Wisconsin (Copper Falls State Park): walls can tower up to 100 feet above the river bed, watch for flash floods
7. Cathedral Gorge, Nevada near Panaca, Nevada: (Cathedral Gorge State Park) established 1935, early construction included picnicking facilities built by the Civilian Conservation Corps
8. Malad Gorge, Idaho; (Malad Gorge State Park): narrow steel walk way across the gorge
9. Columbia Gorge, Oregon Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area: managed by the Columbia River Gorge Commission and the US Forest Service, 80 mile canyon up to 4,000 feet deep and spans Oregon and Washington
The "Bizzare Bands" sign helped explain the geology: "Bizarre Bands. The dark, reddish-brown swirls and rings on these rocks are called liesegang bands (pronounced L EE' ZEH GANG) named after German chemist Raphael Liesegang. Long ago when this sandstone was underground, it was saturated with groundwater mixed with iron. Chemical changes caused the iron to solidify as rust between the rock particles. Held together by iron, the raised dark bands have resisted weathering as compared to the softer, light-colored rock. the pattern of bands are the result of these chemical changes.
