82°52 30 82°22 30 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Map and Chart 199 50 45 40 35 30 25 Southeast South Southwest West 36°45 B 36°45

l James C. Cobb, State Geologist and Director Pine a Series XII, 2011 . Wasioto nch r O Pineville ra c P Br. B k UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY, LEXINGTON F Kayjay k C Mountain e uc X s s ork e NO k 2005 k 72 Tye e K State Bird v n e e m r . i a t o Br. D e t T C CO 987 k r G Resort e C BELL oodin R 92 Park Vanila Br.

k U D Path e U 1491 D Br. Alva e GEOLOGY OF CUMBERLAND GAP NATIONAL r U 119 B East Pineville C D 25E r ck C

o i Brush 987 l FAULT Harbell k r d w c e

Ingram Mill Fork n a e Clear Creek 190 n l k a B Wheeler T l i US Springs r e R k e s HISTORICAL PARK H e b T re Cum 225 r C Calvin Oaks y ea s l Ponza a N 190 C Matthew M. Crawford e I r TA Kentucky Geological Survey G UN MOUNTAIN MO P i HARLAN and Hanna Hunsberger t Cr m PINE ee a BELL Cumberland Gap National Historical Park D k n U s Cr CO. 1534 eek CO. Cr. Cubage 987 Introduction k 92 e e r Moore Br. FAULT ies Cr. Panoramic view from The Pinnacle overlook, looking toward Powell Mountain, Cumberland Mountain, and Middlesboro Basin. Cumberland Gap is not visible in the photo, but is below the railing in the right side of the photo. C H n rk Ferndale 987 Brow Fo Cumberland Gap National Historical Park is located in parts of of Cumberland Gap National Historical a Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, commons.wikimedia.org. Cumberland Gap PINE n c C National Historical e Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee. The park was authorized by President Park. It was produced using digital geologic s u N FACE b AI Park a T Geology and Cultural History Cr. g UN e s Franklin Roosevelt on June 11, 1940, and is now the largest historical mapping and geographic information Olcott Yellow O tin Br. Cr. ar Cannon M ar le M The Cumberland Gap area has a deep connection to many periods of American history. Geology plays a Kentucky Creek Cr. White park in the National Park System. It contains 24,000 acres along system technology, which also help the Virginia C Davisburg Lake 217 k major role in many of these significant events in human culture, both past and present. Geologic and cultural Bens Fk. Hensley Settlement or Sand y Br. Cumberland Mountain near Ewing, Va., proceeding southwest toward National Park Service with resource Cr. FACE rtins F lle n Ma Cave White Va Clear nno features discussed below are labeled on the maps. Fern Lake in Tennessee, a distance of approximately 20 miles. The management and meeting federal mandates, Area of Ca Rocks Tennessee 1344 D Poor ROCKY map Little N KENTUCKY average width of the park is only 1.6 miles. while also providing informative per- LA trail 516 Cr. R VIRGINIA 40 Chenoa Meldrum E 40 The Gap spectives that are valuable to all citizens nes The park hosts a distinctive range of geologic processes and features. 190 ra Fork B k Colmar C M e U 58 Cumberland Gap is a natural pass in Cumberland Mountain (part of the Appalachian mountain chain) that who enjoy national parks. For more information, please visit the e ROCKY Unique structural geology, caves and karst, surface- and groundwater F r C o CD creates a gateway toward the west. Migrating animals such as bison and elk first took advantage of this gap u Cumberland Gap National Historical Park Web site at www.nps.gov/cuga. r A m l erosion, and mass wasting are just a few of the processes that shape the trai Park i R Bou l nd and forged a trail that connected several Native American territories (Algeo, 2003). By the mid-18th century Clear ar To obtain digital geologic and other GIS data, visit the National Park e 3486 188 Creek y scenic landscape of the park. This publication illustrates the relationship Lick K European-Americans wanted to settle in the fertile, flat lands of the Bluegrass and Nashville Basin that were Run Yellow Hutch Branch Service Data Portal at nrinfo.nps.gov/Reference.mvc/Search. R ah between the geology of Cumberland Gap and the historical and cultural Fork D illal U 217 Sh y west of the Appalachians. Private land companies aided in this venture and received grants for vast tracts 3485 ID r Fk. 988 D issues that are important to the park and its visitors. It is intended for G Creek of land from colonial representatives who wanted explorers to settle the West (Algeo, 2003). Thomas Walker Laurel E H Ewing park visitors, educators, park staff, and anyone interested in the geology R ig dary of Virginia is often credited with being the first European-American explorer through the gap in 1751. o n U 25E oun c it B Br. k e U Caylor n h li American pioneer Daniel Boone crossed the gap in 1775 and made it part of the much larger Wilderness Indian b o U D Park 58 m D u Ha s Be S U Road system that allowed settlers to reach Kentucky. The latter part of the century saw more and more e a ns u U D g a settlers start to migrate along the Wilderness Road and through the gap, making it a key passage into the C F r 74 Garmeada Br. r o e rk Lick Geologic Setting e k

Branch western frontiers and an important part of American history. D U Run k Fog rolling through Cumberland Gap. View is looking west from The Pinnacle. D U tr ee U ail FAULT r Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, commons.wikimedia.org. The rocks in and surrounding Cumberland The same rock type (sandstone, shale, etc.) s Cr. i C

v

74 a r U D The Gap National Historical Park are sedimentary, may also occur as different varieties. For e D CAVE d Pinnacle JO’S Civil War and Cumberland Gap ow Capito UD Ind D trail ia ranging in age from Cambrian to Pennsylva- example, the Geologic Map contains a shale S Fork Edgewood Middlesboro C n U Branch The natural break in Cumberland Mountain that served as a passage toward the west for pioneers in the 74 Old iron nian (540 to 295 million years ago). Sedimen- unit and a black shale unit. Black shale con- Stony MIDDLESBORO U 58 D U D furnace late 1700’s was also a strategic feature in the American Civil War (1861–1865). The Wilderness Road that tary rocks are formed by the compaction of tains much more organic matter than a regular BASIN Gibson particles of gravel, sand, silt, mud, carbonate shale unit, making it very dark colored. Sand- tunnel Station Daniel Boone made so famous served as a natural invasion route for Confederate and Union troops. 186 VALLEYLEE CO. VIRGINIA y Sta Cumberland Gap was the place where army forces were led to the Bluegrass Region of Kentucky or to the D CUMBERLAND r tio minerals, and ancient seashells. The vast stones occur as coarse-grained varieties, with Premier Park da n HANCOCK TENNESSEE U GAP un southern supply areas of Tennessee. By the end of the war, occupation of the gap had changed hands four Bo CLAIBORNE expanse of time represented in the rocks larger sand particles, and also as fine-grained Cr. Yellow times, yet no major battles were fought there (National Park Service, 1999a). Earthwork fortifications and Fourmile C y r conveys a complex geologic history. The varieties, with smaller particles. Creek ar CO. e BELL CO. nd e KENTUCKY ou Fern Lake k gun emplacements built by both armies are still visible in the park (Andrews, 2003b). repetitive rise and fall of ancient shallow seas The layers of sedimentary rocks have a 35 CLAIBORNE CO. B CO. 35 TENNESSEE Shawanee L Red Hill allowed for the various types of sediment to k r k L mountain-building and erosional history that o trail Harrogate Fork

F Park e accumulate, including extensive swampy areas e E led to the unique landscape in Cumberland r

s t C t t s C that eventually formed the coal beds of today. e e W o Gap National Historical Park. The narrow n x eek Middlesboro Impact Structure n W e n Cr a O The sedimentary rocks present in units shown White Rocks. These rocks get their name from the very light gray and tan color B ridges, steep cliffs, overlooks, steep valleys, i of the resistant sandstone and conglomerate that is exposed as a massive cliff Cr. d eek Although not in the park, the Middlesboro impact structure is a significant geologic feature in the

n P Cr on the Geologic Map include sandstone, and natural gaps owe their existence to uplift w N I Hopewell llo I Br. Gap y on top of Cumberland Mountain. See Geologic Map for location. Photo courtesy Ye A s r southern Appalachian Mountains. The town of Middlesboro, Ky., is situated in conspicuous topographic T ng e C a conglomerate, shale, siltstone, limestone, coal, li l e of these rocks (see Structural Geology), in of the National Park Service. N b tt r i e U ou Y terrain, in a broad alluvial basin with steep-sided bedrock valley walls. Many of the rocks in the basin O D L Br. e and dolomite. Except for limestone, these Little M C 32 Poplar k Wilderness Road, going through Cumberland Gap. Photo courtesy of conjunction with millions of years of weath- r . Oak Grove are highly deformed, folded, and faulted. Numerous theories have been examined through the years ZONE The Grove r the National Park Service. sedimentary rocks are described as clastic 25E e ering and erosion that break down the rocks V r a anoe v l e i as to the geologic history of the Middlesboro area. le C rocks, meaning they are made up of discrete y Arthur iv R and shape the landscape. Significant geologic Cr. Gap eek R It wasn’t until detailed geologic mapping in the early 1960’s that geologists interpreted these features particles of rocks and minerals. The units are features in the park include White Rocks, The D FAULT Cr N 63 Po as the site of an ancient impact. The presence of a circular basin, deformed rocks, circular patterns of represented on the map as single rock types Pinnacle, and Devil’s Garden. See photos and A Town Cr. w Riley L ell normal faulting, overturned sedimentary beds, and a central uplift area are consistent with impact models or some combination of the different rocks. Old P locations of these features on the maps. R o ULT E we FA (Milam and Kuehn, 2002, 2003). Impact craters are typically circular depressions that result from a B ll H Br. o M o meteoroid colliding with a planet (Milam and Kuehn, 2002). Instantaneous, high-energy impacts release p RIDGE T DOUBLINGS S U RU Cr. Cr. TH Fk. huge pressure and temperature on the surrounding rocks. In 1966, detailed rock and mineral analysis C ry Creek Vance Mill r Yellow be East ul D EY M revealed shattercones and shocked quartz in rocks near the central uplift area (Bunch, 1968), providing a ld LL Structural Geology v O VA le i Bla tt s irs MOUNTAINLi more evidence of an impact origin. Shattercones are cone-shaped features that contain thin linear ridges Town Major structural features in this area include the Pine Mountain Thrust Sheet, Middlesboro Cr. Creek formed by shockwaves from a meteorite impact. Shocked quartz is extremely deformed quartz grains WALLEN Fork Cr. Syncline, and Middlesboro impact structure (see Geologic Map). Pine Mountain is the tt C WALLEN e r in rocks, caused by intense pressures that can only be created by meteorite impacts or nuclear bombs. ck e a 63 e Bacchus st re T k o northwestern, leading edge of the Pine Mountain Thrust Sheet, a fault formed by lateral We am No meteorite fragments have been found. yc compressive forces in the sedimentary rocks. A fault is a fracture or crack in rocks along POWELL S A meteorite approximately the size of a football field which there is some type of movement. The thrust sheet contains rock layers that were 36°30 Big 36°30 82°52 30 50 45 40 35 30 25 82°22 30 is thought to have struck what is now southeastern pushed up from deeper areas in the earth’s crust by ancient forces (320 to 200 million years Kentucky sometime less than 300 million years ago. ago) that were building the Appalachian Mountains to the southeast. The Pine Mountain Hillshade and Physiographic Map The landscape in and around the park boundary. Significant topographic features are Pine Mountain, Rocky Face, Dark Ridge, Middlesboro Basin, Cumberland Mountain, and Powell Valley. These major features mainly stem from regional tectonic and geologic The circular depression (crater) in which the town of Thrust Fault is exposed at the surface at Pine Mountain, the rocks dipping toward the Rock formation along the trail to The Pinnacle overlook. This is the Middlesboro sits is approximately 7 kilometers in southeast; but below the surface the rocks are horizontal and extend toward Cumberland sandstone and conglomerate unit (tan color on Geologic Map), a resistant, events. See Structural Geology. cliff-forming sedimentary rock. Photo by Brandon Nuttall, Kentucky diameter. Although weathering and erosion have reshaped Mountain, where the dip is toward the northwest. The entire thrust sheet containing the Geological Survey. Overturned (nearly vertical) layers of shale, coal, and siltstone in the 82°52 30 82°22 30 the landscape, a good view of the impact structure can Middlesboro Basin. These layers are thought to be material that was dipping sedimentary rocks forms a U-shaped fold structure called the Middlesboro Syncline. 50 45 40 35 30 25 36°45 B 36°45 ejected along the crater rim during meteorite impact. Photo by Brandon

l be seen from The Pinnacle in Cumberland Gap National . Pine Wasioto nch r a Cumberland Mountain is a resistant limb of the syncline and part of the thrust sheet (see O Pineville ra e c P Br. Nuttall, Kentucky Geological Survey. B k F Kayjay k C Mountain u X v s c s Historical Park. ork e NO i k k 72 Tye e K State Bird n e e m r . a t o Cross Section). The entire Cumberland Mountain is a continuous ridge approximately 100 C O Br. D re t T C G 987 R k L oo in Resort e C BEL d A Middlesboro has been designated by the Kentucky miles long, broken by one conspicuous pass: Cumberland Gap. 92 Park Vanila Br.

k U D Path

e Society of Professional Geologists as a Distinguished U 1491 D Br. Alva e The gap in Cumberland Mountain is a result of a combination B r U East Pineville 119 CUMBERLAND C D 25E r ck C Geologic Site. The Bell County [Ky.] Historical Society o i

Brush FAULT Harbell d 987 l r of natural geologic processes. Cumberland Mountain is in the w k MIDDLESBORO SYNCLINE MOUNTAIN c e Ingram n Mill Fork e a commissioned a state historical marker signifying the A sandstone and A Clear Creek 190 la n l k sandstone and r B middle of the larger Pine Mountain Thrust Sheet. Thrusting sandstone, fine- Wheeler T i State historical marker designating Middlesboro as a conglomerate shale, minor limestone and US Springs e e 1,000 m grained shale 1,000 m R k b s geologic history of the Middlesboro meteorite impact limestone dolomite TH e m Distinguished Geologic Site. Photo by William Andrews Jr., deformed the once flat-lying sedimentary rocks so they now tilted 225 re Cu black shale r C Calvin Oaks crater. Kentucky Geological Survey. y ea roughly 40° toward the northwest (Dean, 1989). The rocks s l Ponza a N C e I e r TA northwest of Cumberland Mountain were further deformed by a mixed clastics with coal on G N Creek 2005 st dolomite U 190 e MO different north–south-trending fault called the Rocky Face Fault lim d P n i HARLAN al a T t sea level with co ale UL sea level m (see Geologic Map). This fault has many parts and was formed mixed clastics sh limestone ST FA The Tunnel te THRU shale, siltstone, PINE a BELL sands omgolmera TAIN n tone and c OUN and sandstone s by a variety of compressional and extensional forces during PINE M Cr CO. 1534 eek CO. Construction of the Cumberland Gap Tunnel began in 1980, eventually becoming two side-by-side, Cr. Cubage 987 shale k thrusting that created the Pine Mountain Thrust Sheet (Rice and limestone 92 e dual-lane tunnels that cut through Cumberland Mountain about a mile southwest of the gap (see tunnel e r Moore Br. FAULT ies Cr. le limestone and C H n ork Ping, 1989). The Rocky Face Fault cuts through Cumberland shale and limestone sha shale, siltstone, and Ferndale 987 Brow F dolomite a location on the Geologic Map). In 1986, a small pilot tunnel approximately 10 feet high and 3 feet wide le sandstone n black sha c C Mountain, which creates conditions for extensive weathering and 1,000 m 1,000 m e Yellow s u was drilled through the mountain along what would become the southbound lane. The project’s purpose b a erosion of the rocks, forming the gap. Cr. g s Cross section of bedrock geology through part of Cumberland Mountain showing the main Olcott e tin was to reveal the geologic conditions expected during the excavation. The pilot tunnel transects the inclined Cr. ar Cannon r sandstone and e a Br. structural features in the area. Location of cross section A–A’ is shown on Geologic Map. l Cr. M The Middlesboro impact structure is a meteorite impact site shale, minor C Creek sandstone, shale, siltstone, and limestone bedrock formations (see Cross Section). Many geotechnical No vertical exaggeration. Some layers have been combined for simplicity. Modified from Davisburg Lake 217 White limestone k in the Middlesboro Syncline. It is defined by its circular alluviated Bens Fk. Hensley Settlement or Sand y Br. issues were encountered during the pilot project. The different rock types proved to be a challenge during Englund and others (1961). FACE ins F e Cr. Mart White all non Cave V basin, circular distribution of faults, and highly deformed rocks Clear an Rocks construction; thick sandstones and limestones are generally conducive to tunneling, but shales and siltstones C Poor 516 1344 (see Middlesboro Impact Structure). Little are weaker rocks and require more roof support (Leary, 1989). In addition, karst was also a factor in tunnel trail KENTUCKY View northwest from The Pinnacle overlook toward the Middlesboro Basin, an Chenoa Meldrum Cr. construction (see Caves and Karst). Rock voids or caves in the limestone fill with clay and an abundance 40 Cranes VIRGINIA 40 ancient impact crater. The crater has taken on a different shape after millions 190 Fork k Colmar of water, making the roadbed susceptible to subsidence or cracking. The steeply dipping rock layers in e of years of weathering and erosion, but the slightly bowl-shaped crater is still re ROCKY F the mountain could produce 450 gallons of water every minute (National Park Service, 1999b). there. Note the coal-mining activity in the crater wall in the distance. Photo by o C u Matthew Crawford. r k m l ree trai C Park 58 i Bou Landslides and Rockfalls l nd The major tunnel excavation took place simultaneously, north on the Kentucky side and south on the Clear ar e 3486 188 h y la Lick la The natural bedrock geology and steep landscape in Cumberland Gap vegetation, and poor drainage systems can facilitate slope failure. The park hil Tennessee side of the mountain, meeting in the middle on July 9, 1992. The 4,600-foot-long tunnel was Run S Yellow Hutch Branch Fork D U 217 y completed in October 1996. The tunnel replaced a 2.3-mile stretch of U.S. 25 that connected Cumberland National Historical Park are susceptible to many types of slope failure. A contains a variety of slope failures: recent landslides, old landslide deposits, 3485 r Fk. 988 D Iron Ore landslide is the downslope movement of rock, soil, or both under the effects and rockfalls. Recent slope failures can be found along the trail to Gap Cave, Creek Gap, Tenn., and Middlesboro, Ky. Besides Laurel H Ewing The relationship between geology and cultural history of gravity. A rockfall is the toppling of loose rock that becomes detached near the entrance to Wilderness Road Campground, and near the Tennessee R ig dary alleviating traffic from a small and often o n U 25E oun c it B Caylor Br. k e U in dangerous segment of U.S. 25 that ran through at Cumberland Gap National Historical Park is also h l from a cliff or steep slope and falls through the air. Rate and style of slope side of the Cumberland Gap Tunnel. There are many places in the park to Indian b o U D Park 58 m D u Ha

s demonstrated by the rich history of iron production. An Be S U the gap, the other goal was restoring Cumberland movement can vary. see engineered support (walls, pillars, regrading slopes) that remedy current e a ns u U D g a Gap to the way it was during pioneer settlement abandoned iron furnace in the town of Cumberland Gap, slides or prevent new ones in slide-prone areas. Older landslide deposits 74 Br. C Fo r Geologic conditions such as dipping layers of rock, undercut sandstone Garmeada r l A e rk i Lick

e a Branch Tenn., is what is left of a much larger ironworks complex k r in the 1700’s. The old U.S. 25 through the gap shown on the Geologic Map (in red) were mapped on older maps. D U Run t k layers, weak shale units, and natural groundwater flow can cause unstable D U tr ee U ail FAULT r called the Newlee Iron Works (Andrews, 2003b). The s was removed and replaced with trails on which Cr. i C slopes. In addition to landslides from natural causes, human-induced landslides v 74 a r U D The furnace is constructed out of sandstone that was quarried e D CAVE visitors can hike. are prevalent. Construction of roads, building structures on a slope, removing d Pinnacle JO’S ow Capito UD India D high on the nearby ridge; since the slopes are so steep, S Fork Edgewood Middlesboro C n U The Cumberland Gap Tunnel was a shared Old iron Branch massive sandstone blocks could slide down the hill to the Stony 74 Middlesboro U D furnace 58 project between the National Park Service and Impact U D site. The original iron furnace was built in 1819 and stood Gibson the Federal Highway Administration. The dual- Structure tunnel Station 30 feet high, but all that remains is the stone chimney. The 186 LEE CO. VIRGINIA tubed tunnel is an engineering feat and is one y Sta D CUMBERLAND r tio furnace itself used charcoal and local limestone as flux in Premier Park da n HANCOCK TENNESSEE of only two mountain tunnels in the United U GAP un Bo CLAIBORNE the iron-smelting process (Andrews, 2003b). The iron ore Cr. Yellow States that cross a state line. The tunnel is a Fourmile C for the furnace was mined from a shale bedrock formation ry r BELL Creek a CO. e great example of the relationship between CO. nd Fern Lake e KENTUCKY ou k (formally named the Rockwood Formation) that contains 35 CLAIBORNE CO. B CO. 35 modern culture and geology exhibited at TENNESSEE Shawanee Red Hill an iron-oxide mineral called hematite. The Rockwood k r k Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. o trail Harrogate Fork

F Park e

e View of the Tennessee side of the Cumberland Gap Tunnel. Note the Formation is the dark yellow shale unit on the Geologic r s

t C t dual tunnels with two lanes each. Photo courtesy of the National Park t s C Map. e e o n x eek Service. n W e n Cr R B a iv i er Cr. d eek

n Cr

w I Hopewell llo Br. Gap y Ye r s a ng le C li t e b t r l i e l u Y Hensley Settlement o L Br. e

D e Little C 32 Poplar k r . Oak Grove w ZONE The Grove o Hensley Settlement is located on top of

V 25E P a lle anoe Brush Mountain just north of the Ridge Trail y Arthur C Cr. Gap eek that runs through the park. This early 20th FAULT Cr l View north of Cumberland Gap and The Pinnacle overlook. Steep 63 el century settlement was founded in 1903 by

View west from The Pinnacle overlook along Cumberland Mountain. The r Town Cr. w Riley slope underlain by variable rock types is susceptible to landslides. Middlesboro Basin is off to the right and Fern Lake is in the distance. Photo by e Po v Sherman Hensley and his family and was an i Photo courtesy of the National Park Service. Old River Brandon Nuttall, Kentucky Geological Survey. R ULT

FA isolated, self-sufficient community that used H

Br. o o the mountain’s natural resources for p T DOUBLINGS S RU Cr. Cr. TH Fk. establishing schoolhouses, a blacksmith’s shop, ry Creek Vance Mill r Caves and Karst Yellow Po be w East ul a church, and liquor distillery. The settlement D e EY M a ld ll LL Karst processes and cave development are active in the landscape at brought the rock up, forming part of Cumberland Mountain (see Structural v O VA le i Bla tt s irs Li attracted and supported approximately 100 Town Cumberland Gap National Historical park. A karst landscape is one that is Geology), then the cave development processes began. As the overlying Cr. Creek people. Hensley Settlement was occupied until Fork A sandstone chimney is what is left of an old iron furnace at Cumberland Cr. underlain by carbonate rocks (mainly limestone) and contains features such rocks were removed by erosion, limestone was exposed along a narrow strip tt C WALLEN e r 1951. Many of the buildings have been Gap, Tenn. To produce 1 ton of iron, the furnace needed 200 bushels of ck e a 63 e Bacchus st re as sinkholes, caves, springs, and disappearing streams. These features develop along the length of the mountain. The extent of cave development is limited T k o charcoal, 2 tons of iron ore, and 500 pounds of limestone (National Park We am preserved by the National Park Service and yc Service, 1999b). Photo by John Graves. in an ongoing groundwater erosion process, taking millions of years. As by the area of exposed limestone and by the orientation of the rocks, which S provide a good example of the rustic pioneer Hensley Settlement. Many of the buildings were constructed from chestnut water from precipitation and surface streams moves underground, the restricts groundwater flow (Currens, 2001). Cumberland Gap has extensive 36°30 Big 36°30 lifestyle. logs and had shake roofs. Split-rail fences were common too. Photo limestone bedrock is slowly dissolved away by naturally occurring weak cave networks, many of which are understudied. There are 24 named caves 82°52 30 50 45 40 35 30 25 82°22 30 courtesy of the National Park Service. acids. The naturally acidic groundwater erodes the rock, creating void space in the park. One of the most significant caves in the park is Gap Cave. Geologic Map (i.e., caves). Formerly called Cudjo’s Cave, Gap Cave is the only one in the park open Distribution of rock types and major geologic structures in and beyond the park boundary. The same geographic area is shown on the Hillshade and Physiographic Map; note the similarities between the rock types and landscape. Cave development in the park is controlled by the northwest tilt of the for interpretive tours. Gap Cave houses spectacular speleothems (stalagmites References Cited and stalactites), sparkling pools of water, and endangered fauna. Speleothems Algeo, K., 2003, Historic overview: Settlement history of the Cumberland Gap Leary, R.M., 1989, Description of the Cumberland Mountain Tunnel Project, in rocks along Cumberland Mountain. Formed in the limestone, the caves are region, in Kuehn, K.W., Milam, K.A., and Smath, M.L., eds., Geologic impacts Dean, C.S., and Moshier, S.O., eds., Cumberland Mountain: The inside story Acknowledgments much younger than the rocks themselves. Generally, loose sediment was are deposits of minerals that have been carried in solution by water flowing Geologic explanation on the history and development of Middlesboro, Kentucky (guidebook for (guidebook and roadlog for Geological Society of Kentucky 1989 annual Geologic data were derived from the Kentucky Geological deposited in a shallow marine environment that lithified into limestone; through the cave. Endangered species living in the cave include bats, Kentucky Society of Professional Geologists 2003 annual field conference): field conference): Kentucky Geological Survey, ser. 11, p. 3–4. Survey–U.S. Geological Survey geologic mapping project. Nearly Alluvium; silt, sand, clay, and gravel Shale Kentucky Society of Professional Geologists, p. 3–8. Milam, K.A., and Kuehn, K.W., 2002, The Middlesboro impact structure and 190 geologists mapped the geology of Kentucky from 1960 to 1978. evidence of this origin is salamanders, and beetles. Gap Cave also provides an internal view of the Legend in streams Andrews, W.M., Jr., 2003a, Civil War history of the Cumberland Gap, in Kuehn, regional geology of the Pine Mountain Thrust Sheet, in Ettensohn, F.R., and KGS geologists converted the resulting 707 geologic quadrangle Black shale provided by the marine structural orientation of the rock layers, exposing the dipping rock layers U.S. highway Colluvium; angular boulders, gravel, K.W., Milan, K.A., and Smath, M.L., eds., Geologic impacts on the history Smath, M.L., eds., Guidebook for geology field trips in Kentucky and adjacent maps into digital format as part of the STATEMAP component of and development of Middlesboro, Kentucky (guidebook for Kentucky Society areas (guidebook for 2002 joint meeting of North-Central Section and the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program of the U.S. that are part of Cumberland Mountain. To learn more about Gap Cave and KAYJAY MIDDLESBORO VARILLA EWING sand, silt, and clay on slopes Limestone and dolomite Legend; Physiographic Map fossils in the rock walls of NORTH State highway of Professional Geologists 2003 annual field conference): Kentucky Society Southeastern Section of the Geological Society of America, Lexington, Ky.): Geological Survey. the cave. Millions of years other caves in the park, contact the park visitor center. Terrace deposits; gravel, sand, silt, Elevation above of Professional Geologists, p. 9. University of Kentucky, p. 57–73. We would like to thank Scott Teodorski with Cumberland Gap and boulders Limestone later, powerful forces State boundary sea level Andrews, W.M., Jr., 2003b, Iron history of the Middlesboro region, in Kuehn, K.W., Milam, K.A., and Kuehn, K.W., 2003, Field guide to the Middlesboro impact National Historical Park and Steven L. Martin, William M. Andrews Cumberland Gap Sandstone, mostly fine-grained Dolomite 1,000 meters Milan, K.A., and Smath, M.L., eds., Geologic impacts on the history and structure and beyond, in Kuehn, K.W., Milan, K.A., and Smath, M.L., eds., Jr., Stephen F. Greb, and Daniel I. Carey with the Kentucky Geological National Historical County boundary development of Middlesboro, Kentucky (guidebook for Kentucky Society of Geologic impacts on the history and development of Middlesboro, Kentucky Survey. Park Mixed clastics with coal Landslide deposits Professional Geologists 2003 annual field conference): Kentucky Society of (guidebook for Kentucky Society of Professional Geologists 2003 annual Kentucky City boundary Professional Geologists, p. 16. field conference): Kentucky Society of Professional Geologists, p. 30–44. Mixed clastics, partially disturbed D Normal fault (U, upthrown side; U D, downthrown side) Bunch, T.E., 1968, Some characteristics of selected minerals from craters, in French, Mullins, J.E., 2003, Spatial database of the Ewing quadrangle, Kentucky-Virginia: Cartography by Terry Hounshell Railroad Sandstone and congomerate B.M., and Short, N.M., eds., Shock metamorphism of natural materials: Kentucky Geological Survey, ser. 12, Digitally Vectorized Geologic Quadrangle Reverse fault Baltimore, Mono Book Corp., p. 413–432. Data DVGQ-172. Adapted from Englund, K.J., Smith, H.L., Harris, L.D., Park boundary Shale, siltstone, and sandstone Overthrust fault; sawteeth on upper plate Conley, T.J., 2003, Spatial database of the Kayjay quadrangle and part of the Fork and Stephens, J.G., 1963, Geology of the Ewing quadrangle, Kentucky and Virginia Virginia: U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Quadrangle Map GQ-172, scale Ridge quadrangle, Bell and Knox Counties, Kentucky: Kentucky Geological For information on obtaining copies of this map and Trail Sandstone and shale, minor Left-lateral strike slip fault 300 meters 1:24,000. limestone Survey, ser. 12, Digitally Vectorized Geologic Quadrangle Data DVGQ-1505. other Kentucky Geological Survey maps and publications Kayjay Adapted from Rice, C.L., and Maughan, E.K., 1978, Geologic map of the National Park Service, 1999a, The Civil War: www.nps.gov/archive/cuga/civilwar.htm call: Populated place Shale and limestone Contact Kayjay quadrangle and part of the Fork Ridge quadrangle, Bell and Knox [accessed 03/31/2011]. Public Information Center Tennessee Counties, Kentucky: U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Quadrangle Map GQ- National Park Service, 1999b, The Cumberland Gap Tunnel: Sandstone, siltsone, and shale, 1505, scale 1:24,000. (859) 257-3896 intensely deformed www.nps.gov/archive/cuga/tunnel.htm [accessed 03/31/2011]. Toll free: 1-877-778-7827 Currens, J.C., 2001, Generalized block diagram of the Pine Mountain karst: Kentucky Rice, C.L., and Ping, R.G., 1989, Geology of the Middlesboro North quadrangle, MIDDLESBORO Geological Survey, ser. 12, Map and Chart 18, 1 sheet. Kentucky: U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Quadrangle Map GQ-1663, scale View the KGS World Wide Web site at FORK RIDGE SOUTH WHEELER COLEMAN GAP Dean, C.S., 1989, Geology of the Cumberland Gap area as interpreted from the 1:24,000. www.uky.edu/kgs pilot bore of the Federal Highway Administration Highway Tunnel Project, Location of the eight quadrangles that contain the park or were used in the compilation Sparks, T.N., and Lambert, J.R., 2003, Spatial database of the Middlesboro North in Dean, C.S., and Moshier, S.O., eds., Cumberland Mountain: The inside quadrangle, Kentucky: Kentucky Geological Survey, ser. 12, Digitally © 2011, University of Kentucky, of this map. Index shows names of the 7.5-minute, 1:24,000-scale U.S. Geological N 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 KILOMETERS story (guidebook and roadlog for Geological Society of Kentucky 1989 annual Kentucky Geological Survey Survey geologic quadrangle maps (cited in References Cited). Vectorized Geologic Quadrangle Data DVGQ-1663. Adapted from Rice, C.L., field conference): Kentucky Geological Survey, ser. 11, p. 4–9. and Ping, R.G., 1989, Geologic map of the Middlesboro North quadrangle, 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 MILES Englund, K.J., Smith, H.L., Harris, L.D., and Stephens, J.G., 1961, Geology of the Kentucky: U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Quadrangle Map GQ-1663, W E Ewing quadrangle, Kentucky-Virginia: U.S. Geological Survey Geologic scale 1:24,000. Quadrangle Map GQ-172, scale 1:24,000. This half-dome shelter, the result of seeping water and the freeze-thaw Thompson, M.F., 2003, Spatial database of the Middlesboro South quadrangle, process eroding sandstone and conglomerate, formed differently than Johnson, T.L., 2003, Spatial database of the Varilla quadrangle, Kentucky-Virginia: Tennessee-Kentucky-Virginia: Kentucky Geological Survey, ser. 12, Digitally Salamander on limestone inside Gap Cave. Photo by Matt Crawford. limestone caves (see Geologic Map). Weaker areas in the rock erode S SCALE 1:100 000 Kentucky Geological Survey, ser. 12, Digitally Vectorized Geologic Quadrangle Vectorized Geologic Quadrangle Data DVGQ-301. Adapted from Englund, Data DVGQ-190. Adapted from Englund, K.J., Landis, E.R., and Smith, H.L., K.J., 1964, Geology of the Middlesboro South quadrangle, Tennessee- Rippling pool of water in Gap Cave, formerly Cudjo’s Cave. away and the more resistant parts remain, forming the shelter. Sand universal transverse Mercator projection, zone 17: 1927 North American datum Cave is the largest rock shelter in Kentucky. Photo courtesy of the 1963, Geologic map of the Varilla quadrangle, Kentucky-Virginia: U.S. Kentucky-Virginia: U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Quadrangle Map GQ- Note the extensive speleothem deposits (see Caves and Geological Survey Geologic Quadrangle Map GQ-190, scale 1:24,000. 301, scale 1:24,000. Karst). Photo by Matt Crawford. National Park Service.