Quechee Gorge Explained

The Quechee Gorge is located in Quechee, Vermont along U.S. Route 4. The gorge is 165 feet deep and is the deepest gorge in Vermont. It serves as a popular tourist attraction in Quechee State Park and can be viewed from the U.S. Route 4 bridge and from trails on both sides of the gorge. Many people from around New England flock to the gorge for the views.^[1] The Ottauquechee River flows through the bottom of the gorge and is a popular whitewater kayak run.^[2]

Geology

The gorge was carved approximately 13,000 years ago as the Laurentide Ice Sheet retreated across the region. The carving is thought to be a result of rapid downcutting of the Ottauquechee River after the drainage of glacial Lake Hitchcock.^[3] The gorge cuts through bedrock of the Devonian Gile Mountain Formation and Mesozoic mafic dikes can be seen on the west wall.^{[4] [5]}

References

The National Geological Society, Vol. 12 2009.

External links

• • Geology of Vermont Quechee Gorge, Hartford, VT (VGS)

43.636°N -72.409°W

Notes and References

1. Web site: Quechee State Park . . 2009 . State of Vermont . February 11, 2014 . unfit . https://web.archive.org/web/20140215202100/http://www.vtstateparks.com/htm/quechee.htm . February 15, 2014 .
2. Web site: American White Water - Just above Route 4 to 1 Mile below Route 4 (Quechee Gorge) . . 1999–2014 . State of Vermont . February 11, 2014.
3. Web site: Quechee Gorge Geology . . 2009 . State of Vermont . February 11, 2014.
4. Web site: Geology of Vermont, Quechee Gorge, Hartford, VT . . 2009 . State of Vermont . February 11, 2014.
5. McHone, Gregory, 1981, The origin of the Quechee Gorge: Green Mountain Geologist, Vt Geological Society, Fall 1981, Vol. 8, #3.