Trail of Geology Series
DCNR’s Bureau of Geological Survey created a series of publications of a sight-seeing nature for the geologic explorer in all of us.
The Trail of Geology publications consist of nontechnical booklets and papers describing the geology of selected Pennsylvania parks, trails (land and water), and points of interest.
They are organized by Park Guides, Trail Guides, and Outstanding Geologic Features.
In addition to the lists of publications below, you can explore the series by map location on
PaGEODE. Just turn on the Trail of Geology layer and click on the map symbol of interest.
Park Guides
Archbald Pothole State Park
Archbald Pothole State Park -- Archbald Pothole (PDF)
Caledonia and Pine Grove Furnace State Parks
Caledonia and Pine Grove Furnace State Parks, Cumberland, Adams, and Franklin Counties -- Geologic Features and Iron Ore Industry (PDF)
French Creek State Park
French Creek State Park, Berks and Chester Counties -- Piedmont Rocks and Hopewell Furnace (PDF)
Nottingham County Park
Geology of Nottingham County Park (PDF)
Gifford Pinchot State Park
Gifford Pinchot State Park -- Diabase [Molten Liquid Rock] (PDF)
Hickory Run State Park
Hickory Run State Park -- Boulder Field (PDF)
Leonard Harrison and Colton Point State Parks
Leonard Harrison and Colton Point State Parks -- The Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania (PDF)
Moraine and McConnells Mill State Parks
Moraine and McConnells Mill State Parks, Butler and Lawrence Counties -- Glacial Lakes and Drainage Changes, With an Addendum on Muddy Creek Oil Field (PDF)
Nockamixon State Park
Nockamixon State Park, Bucks County -- Rocks and Joints (PDF)
Ohiopyle State Park
Ohiopyle State Park -- Geologic Features of Interest (PDF)
Oil Creek State Park
Oil Creek State Park, Venango County -- Ice and Oil Shape the Land (PDF)
Presque Isle State Park
Presque Isle State Park, Erie County -- A Dynamic Interface of Water and Land (PDF)
Promised Land State Park
Promised Land State Park, Pike County -- Ancient Rivers and Ages of Ice (PDF)
Ravensburg State Park
Ravensburg State Park, Clinton County -- Castle Rocks (PDF)
Raymond B. Winter State Park
Raymond B. Winter State Park, Union County -- Scenery, Rocks, and Springs in Eastern Brush Valley (PDF)
Ricketts Glen State Park
Ricketts Glen State Park, Luzerne, Sullivan, and Columbia Counties -- The Rocks, the Glens, and the Falls (PDF)
Samuel S. Lewis State Park
Samuel S. Lewis State Park, York County -- Mt. Pisgah and the Lower Susquehanna Valley (PDF)
Swatara State Park
Swatara State Park, Lebanon and Schuylkill Counties -- Geologic Features and Fossil Sites (PDF)
Trough Creek State Park
Trough Creek State Park -- Ice Mine and Balanced Rock (PDF)
Valley Forge National Historic Park
Valley Forge National Historical Park, Montgomery and Chester Counties -- The Geologic History (PDF)
White Clay Creek Preserve
White Clay Creek Preserve, Chester County, Pennsylvania, and New Castle County, Delaware -- A Scenic Valley and the Arc Corner (PDF)
Worlds End State Park
Worlds End State Park, Sullivan County -- Geologic Features of Interest (PDF)
Trail Guides
Bald Eagle Creek from Milesburg to Dowdy’s Hole
A Float Through the Devonian -- A River Guide to the Geology of Bald Eagle Creek from Milesburg to Dowdy’s Hole (PDF)
Northern Extension of the York County Heritage Rail Trail
A Guide for the Geologic Tourist to the Northern Extension of the York County Heritage Rail Trail (PDF)
York County Heritage Rail Trail
A Guide for the Geologic Tourist to the York County Heritage Rail Trail (PDF)
Yellow Breeches Creek from Spangler's Mill to New Cumberland
A Tale of Two Terrances -- A River Guide to the Geology of the Yellow Breeches Creek from Spangler's Mill to New Cumberland (PDF)
Garrett-to-Rockwood Section of the Allegheny Highlands Trail
From Rails to Trails to Rocks -- Geology of the Garrett-to-Rockwood Section of the Allegheny Highlands Trail (PDF)
Yellow Breeches Creek from Messiah College to McCormick Road
Geology Guide to the Yellow Breeches Creek from Messiah College to McCormick Road (PDF)
Lehigh Gorge State Park
Rocks and Ruins of the “Upper Grand” -- An Illustrated Trail Guide to the Geology and Historical Archeology of Lehigh Gorge State Park, Northeastern Pennsylvania (PDF)
Outstanding Geologic Features
Allegheny Portage Railroad Quarry, Blair County (PDF)
Alpha Falls, Lawrence County (PDF)
Archbald Pothole, Lackawanna County (PDF)
Balanced Rock, Huntingdon County (PDF)
Barbour Rock, Tioga County (PDF)
Bauer (Big) Rock, Lehigh County (PDF)
Baughman Rock, Fayette County (PDF)
Beartown Rocks, Jefferson County (PDF)
Big Pocono Overlook, Monroe County (PDF)
Bilgers Rocks, Clearfield County (PDF)
Blue Knob, Bedford County (PDF)
Blue Mountain Anticline at Macedonia, Juniata County (PDF)
Boiling Springs, Cumberland County (PDF)
Boulder Point, York County (PDF)
Bradys Bend, Clarion County (PDF)
Canyon Vista, Sullivan County (PDF)
Castle Keeps of the Loyalhanna, Clinton County (PDF)
Chickies Rock, Lancaster County (PDF)
Chimney Rocks, Blair County (PDF)
Chinese Wall, Lebanon and Schuylkill Counties (PDF)
Colton Point, Tioga County (PDF)
Columnar Jointed Volcanics, Adams County (PDF)
Conemaugh Gorge, Westmoreland, Indiana, and Cambria Counties (PDF)
Copperas Rock, Huntingdon County (PDF)
Cornwall Mines, Lebanon County (PDF)
Cucumber Falls, Fayette County (PDF)
Dead-Ice Terminal Moraine, Crawford County (PDF)
Delaware Water Gap, Monroe County (PDF)
Devils Den, Adams County (PDF)
Devils Race Course, Dauphin County (PDF)
Dingmans and Silverthread Falls, Pike County (PDF)
Dinosaur Rock, Lebanon County (PDF)
Drumlins, Erie County (PDF)
Glen Onoko, Carbon County (PDF)
Goat Hill Serpentine Barrens, Chester County (PDF)
Governor Dick, Lebanon County (PDF)
Grand View, Bedford County (PDF)
Grand View, Luzerne County (PDF)
Great Trough Creek Gorge, Huntingdon County (PDF)
Harrison Lookout, Tioga County (PDF)
Hawk Mountain, Berks and Schuylkill Counties (PDF)
Hickory Run Boulder Field, Carbon County (PDF)
High Knob Overlook, Sullivan County (PDF)
Hyner View, Clinton County (PDF)
Ice Mine, Huntingdon County (PDF)
Jacks Narrows and Thousand Steps, Huntingdon County (PDF)
Jacksville Esker, Butler County (PDF)
Jumonville Glen Rocks, Fayette County (PDF)
Kinzua Gorge, McKean County (PDF)
Kitchen Creek Falls, Luzerne County (PDF)
Kitchen Creek Gorge, Luzerne County (PDF)
Lake Arthur, Butler County (PDF)
Lake Lacawac, Wayne County (PDF)
Lambs Hill Lookout, Bradford County (PDF)
Lebo Vista, Lycoming County (PDF)
Lehigh Gorge, Luzerne and Carbon Counties (PDF)
Lewistown Narrows, Mifflin and Juniata Counties (PDF)
Meadowcroft Rockshelter, Washington County (PDF)
Midway Crevasse, Luzerne County (PDF)
Monroe Border Fault, Bucks County (PDF)
Mount Penn Scenic Lookout, Berks County (PDF)
Mt. Davis, Somerset County (PDF)
Mt. Pisgah, York County (PDF)
Nippenose Valley, Clinton and Lycoming Counties (PDF)
Nockamixon Cliffs, Bucks County (PDF)
Ohiopyle Falls, Fayette County (PDF)
Ohiopyle Gorge, Fayette County (PDF)
Oil Seeps, Venango County (PDF)
Panther Rocks, Clearfield County (PDF)
Pine Creek Gorge (PA Grand Canyon), Tioga and Lycoming Counties (PDF)
Pole Steeple, Cumberland County (PDF)
Port Kennedy Bone Cave, Montgomery County (PDF)
Potholes at Conewago Falls, Lancaster County (PDF)
Presque Isle, Erie County (PDF)
Prospect Rock, Wayne County (PDF)
Raymondskill Falls, Pike County (PDF)
Ringing Rocks, Bucks County (PDF)
Ringing Rocks, Montgomery County (PDF)
Rock Garden, Sullivan County (PDF)
Salt Spring, Susquehanna County (PDF)
Sentinel Rock, Bucks County (PDF)
Slippery Rock Creek Gorge, Lawrence County (PDF)
Spring Mountain Thrust Fault, Schuylkill County (PDF)
Standing Stone and French Azilum, Bradford County (PDF)
Susquehanna Water Gaps, Dauphin and Perry Counties (PDF)
Susquehannock Overlooks, Lancaster County (PDF)
Tamarack Swamp, Warren County (PDF)
Turtlehead Rock Bog, Fayette County (PDF)
The Point, Allegheny County (PDF)
The Seven Tubs, Luzerne County (PDF)
Tower Road Vista, Franklin County (PDF)
Victoria Bend, Fayette County (PDF)
Whaleback, Northumberland County (PDF)
White Rocks, Cumberland County (PDF)
Wolf Rocks, Centre County (PDF)
Wolf Rocks, Monroe County (PDF)