Geology of West Point on the Eno Park and Penny's Bend on March 19th

Hello everyone!

Our next Geology Field Trip will be on Saturday, March 19th at 10 am.

UPDATE - Our meeting spot will be a parking area on the north side of the Eno River at West Point on the Eno River (section of Eno River State Park in Durham). As you travel north on Roxboro Road, pass the main entrance, which is a left turn at Seven Oaks Drive. Instead drive across the bridge and get into the left turn lane. Make the first left turn after the bridge. Once you've made the turn, pull into the parking lot to the left. That's where we'll meet.

There will be no rain date for this trip (due to our academic schedules in March). The geology trip will go on if there is light precipitation (drizzle, mist). In case of hard, driving rain which creates slippery footing on trails, the trip will be canceled. We will notify participants in advance if this is the case.

The cost of the Geology Trip is $35.00 per student. There is no charge to parents/drivers. Please contact us if you would like details about a multiple sibling or scout group discount.

On this trip we will explore the fascinating geology of the Durham area which is well exposed for our appreciation along the Eno River to learn more about how geology shaped our area. Combining natural beauty and history, West Point on the Eno is lovely park along the Eno River spanning 404 acres with three historic buildings. A rebuilt grist mill on the site of what was once the largest mill on the river operates once again after the original closed in 1942, and its products are sold on site. There are also five miles of scenic trails along the river and the surrounding bluffs.

The Eno Indians first used this area to fish, hunt, and grow crops. Arrowheads left behind by the tribe can still be found today. Colonial settlers built mills across the area. The first mill built in the Eno started operating in 1752.

We will hike a loop on segments of the South River, Sennet Hole, Buffalo and Buffalo Spur Trails, about 1.5 miles of easy to moderate hiking. On our hike, we will explore the geology exposed along the river. Erosion along the Eno River has exposed for our view an interesting variety of rocks, ranging in age from 600 to 150 million years old, including: Triassic sandstones and conglomerates, Precambrian volcanic tuffs, granodiorite, and Jurassic diabase.

These rocks record dramatic events in North Carolina's past - active volcanism, hot springs, geysers, calderas, earthquakes and continental rifting that formed the Atlantic Ocean.

After our geology hike, we will eat lunch in the picnic area at West Point. Please bring a lunch and beverage to enjoy!

For those ready for more adventure, our second stop will be Penny's Bend - a hidden gem of our area. Penny's Bend is about a 10 minute, 5 mile drive east of West Point park. Participants will be provided with driving directions and a map to Penny's Bend.

Penny's Bend is managed by the NC Botanical Garden. The unusual geology and soil features account for the river’s oxbow shape and the unique prairie-loving vegetation. The underlying rock creates a geological formation known as a diabase sill.

The bend which gave the name to this area was formed by the Eno River’s eastward flow, which, over time, wore away a hillside of exposed, smooth, dark gray boulders, exposing a geological formation known as a diabase sill. Diabase is a type of igneous rock that forms when molten rock intrudes into cracks and fissures below the earth’s surface. The sill is the actual structure of the igneous intrusion, in this case, a horizontal layer of diabase rock. This sill was formed about 225 million years ago when the continents were separating to form the Atlantic Ocean.

The Penney's Bend area contains a unique type of soil on which a special group of endemic plants flourish, we will enjoy early-blooming wild flowers on this outing.

For those interested, Rob will lead a hike along the Mountains to the Sea Trail after our geology exploration.

For more information or to register, please contact rgreengeology@gmail.com

You can pay in two ways:

1) Send your payment to Pay Pal  - or -

2) Mail a check to

Rob Greenberg

2218 Esther Drive

Chapel Hill, NC 27516

Here are some things to know about our trip.

• Wear sturdy shoes that can get wet, bring a change of socks, even a towel.
• Bring water, snacks and a lunch.
• Bring sunscreen and bug spray (ticks can be out any time of the year).

Please feel free to forward this email to others who you think will be interested. We would love to grow our list of geology enthusiasts!

We look forward to seeing everyone!

Mary Watson & Rob Greenberg