Devonian Gorge, Iowa City

In the early weeks of April, we trekked up to Iowa City to the big MAPS Rock and Fossil Sale in Iowa City. It's the largest gathering in the Midwest, and we try to go every other year.

While in the neighborhood, we take a 20 minute detour to the Devonian Gorge, an amazing area where fossils can be found. The site is protected, and collecting is prohibited.

In 1993, a flood breached the dam wall above the gorge, and washed out what was just grassy camping and picnicking area. The flood was such a gusher that it removed ALL of the soil down to bedrock. This event exposed a treasure of fossils embedded in the bedrock, all from Devonian times.

Now you can walk the gorge (it's not very large and the walk is well under a mile on easy, even surfaces) and see geological features marked along the way.

We just love going there and each time we visit, we apply a new layer of geological knowledge to what we see. I'll never get tired of visiting!