Tag: Sandstone

Picture of the Day for April 15, 2015

Most states have a natural rock bridge and some have a number of famous ones and Wisconsin has its own natural bridge in the unglaciated Driftless Area weathered from sandstone deposited 1.6 billion years ago. The arch opening is 25 wide and 15 feet high.

The rock shelter on the right side, is 60 feet wide and 30 feet deep and when an archaeological excavation of the rock shelter was conducted in 1957, the oldest artifacts were dated between 9000 and 8000 BC, making the rock shelter one of the oldest-dated sites for human occupancy in northeastern North America. Evidence indicates that the shelter was used only periodically at first, perhaps as a hunting or seasonal camp for Paleo-Indians hunting Mastodons or Wooly Mammoths. Later the shelther was inhabited year-round.

Wisconsin’s Natural Bridge

Wisconsin's Natural Bridge

Picture of the Day for September 16, 2013

When thinking of waterfalls on the western side of Lake Superior, famous waterfalls like Gooseberry Falls or Baptism High Falls come to mind but sometimes you can find a gem hidden away from most people. With a two mile hike in the forest area of the Bayfield Peninsula, a little gem of a waterfall set in a sandstone glen can be found on Lost Creek Number One.

I’m glad Lost Creek was ‘found’ as it is a breathtaking view to see the small fifteen foot waterfall at one end of a glen with high cliff walls and the small stream running across flat rocks and little boulders. Moss and ferns cover some of the rocks but when a piece of sandstone breaks off, a bright reddish-orange color is revealed.

The thick trees and the glen cut off all sounds of man-made sounds and you hear the water plunging and flowing away, the wind in the tree tops and an occasional bird call like the pileated woodpecker. The sandstone has been eroded away behind the falls so you can walk behind and peer out down the ravine through the veil of water.

I guess I am a bit selfish, but I hope Lost Creek Falls stays ‘losted’ for a while longer as it was so peaceful not to have to share the view with anyone else and it was my tranquil spot, at least for a few minutes away.

Lost Creek Falls

 Lost Creek Falls