Trip Readings 1

Trip Readings

Geology of Leesylvania State Park

The links below provide information relevant to the field trip. Although none of the reading is compulsory, the more background knowledge you bring to the outing, the more you will understand and enjoy what you see and hear.


leesylvania state park	• Virginia State Parks site. • Historical sketch. • Park map. (PDF) • Lees Woods Trail.
coastal plain	Leesylvania lies in the Atlantic Coastal Plain, just to the east of the Fall Line. • Wikipedia entry. • U.S. Geological Survey discussion. • Geology of Virginia discussion.
fall line	• Wikipedia entry. • Virginia Places discussion.
estuary	The park is bounded on three sides by estuaries. • Wikipedia entry. • National Estuary Program.
tidal marsh	Neabsco Creek, to the west of the park, features a large tidal marsh. • EPA description.
introduction to plate tectonics	• U.S. Geological Survey pamphlet. • Wikipedia entry.
sandstone	Good exposures of a rather soft sandstone occur near the fishing pier. • Wikipedia entry.
rifting of pangea	Geological history of Leesylvania. Part I. • Paleontological Research Institution discussion. (PDF) • James Madison University discussion.
building of coastal plain	Geological history of Leesylvania. Part II. • Paleontological Research Institution discussion. (PDF) • James Madison University discussion.