May Geology Trip - Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area and Few's Ford in Eno River State Park.

Historic quarry at Occoneechee Mountain

Liz Stabenow and student at Few's Ford

SATURDAY, MAY 21 –  Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area and Few's Ford in Eno River State Park.

Meeting Time: 10:00 am

Meeting Place: To Be Announced, once you register for the trip, we will send you directions to our meeting place.

Hello Geology Enthusiasts!

Our next field trip on Saturday, May 21st is an investigation of two sites along the Eno River. Both sites show off the natural beauty of the preserved lands along the Eno River.  The meeting time is 10am. 

We should be done with both of our site visits by 2pm, perhaps earlier, however you may leave whenever you need to.

On this trip, we will explore the fascinating geology of the Hillsborough area which is well exposed along the Eno River. The bed rock of the area formed more than 600 million years ago, in the center of a large and extensive chain of islands composed of actively erupting volcanoes. Geologists call this area the the Hillsborough Caldera located in the Central Volcanic Complex of the Carolina Terrane. 

We will visit the tallest spot in the area and check out the quarry where pyrophyllite (talc mineral) was mined. We will also explore the outcrops along the Eno River at Few's Ford and interpret their meaning in terms of the assembly of the supercontinent Pangaea. Easy to moderate hiking involved. 

Bring a lunch to enjoy, Few's Ford is a great place to picnic!

The volcanic rocks have been "baked" due to their proximity to an ancient supervolcano, similar to the ones that erupted at Yellowstone. The Eno River is a fine example of an incised river with several distinct terraces.  

At both sites, we’ll investigate metamorphosed volcanic rock of the Carolina Terrane and its transecting mineral veins.  We’ll discover traces of a nineteenth century mills, as well as visit an old quarry. We will be in the Eno River State Park, so this is a 'look, see and learn' trip instead of a rock collecting trip.

What to bring:  sunglasses, hat, sunscreen, mosquito/tick repellent, comfortable shoes for hiking, water shoes (optional), towel, water bottles, lunch and snacks.  We will provide hand lenses  and mineral guides as well as maps and information.

We will send out another email to those signed up for this field trip closer to the date.  In that email I will include a description of the geology at both sites as well as driving directions..  

Thanks so much for your time and interest.  Enjoy the fine weather this week!

The cost of the Geology Field Trip is $35.00 per student. There is no charge to parents/drivers. Contact Rob at rgreengeology@gmail.com if you would like details about a multiple sibling or scout group discount. 

Please let us know as soon as you can, if you will be attending and how many will be in your party*** 

If you are interested in this trip, please register in advance. To register, or if you'd like more information, please contact rgreengeology@gmail.com. Two forms of payment are accepted: PayPal or check.

When you register, please email Rob with the total number in your group, including number and names and ages of students.  Please provide us with your email address and phone number - just in case we need to contact you! 

If you are not using PayPal, ask for information on paying with a check. Send your email with MAY GEOLOGY TRIP in the subject line.  Rob's email is rgreengeology@gmail.com

Rob Greenberg and Mary Watson

***We are very sorry but, we can no longer accommodate participants on a 'drop-in basis' for the geology trips. If you would like to join us, please register in advance, so that we can know how many to expect. This helps us offer the best-possible experience for everyone. We hope you will understand that this precaution is for everyone's well being and safety!!