Natural Ohio Adventures

The American perception of Ohio’s scenery is often classified in a very typical midwestern manner. As such, many assume that Ohio is full of cornfields with very little interesting geological formations and very few views with elevation. While admittedly Ohio is not at the heart of a mountain range, nor can it claim anything distinctly unique from much of the formation of America’s landscape, there are a few distinctions which show Ohio’s true beauty and uniqueness.
In order to begin considering Ohio’s landscape it is important to remember that the modern Ohio terrain has been in development for approximately 540 million years, beginning during the Precambrian Period. During this time, Geologists have found that the underlying rock formations that formed during this time are constructed almost entirely of different forms of limestone which are not visible on the surface, however have been studied through the process of modern drilling methods.

Photo by Mady Etzel

Fast forward nearly 20 million years ago to the Ordovician Period and you will find the first major changes in Ohio’s visible geology. At this time, modern day ohio was located around the same latitude as Australia, however at this time the region was covered in a shallow ocean about as deep as a ten story building. While this was an influential period in the history of the geological formation of Ohio, what took place about 18.4 million years later would truly be what made the Ohio we all know and love today.
The most influential period in the formation of Ohio has unquestionably been what is commonly referred to as the Quaternary period. During this time scientists have observed much of what makes Ohio what it is today. During this time, glaciers began forming in Northern Canada, which would eventually migrate all the way to Ohio. The size of said glaciers ranged from a mile in thickness near the northern part of the state to about one thousand feet towards the center of the state. During this time period, almost every scenic valley and gorge was formed. For example, the Cuyahoga Valley National Park owes almost it’s entire patronage to the glacial movements which are estimated to have occurred at least a dozen times over the last one million years.

That being said, Ohio has a much more impressive geological resume than it is given credit for. The glaciers which once covered Ohio left many beautiful sights in their wake such as the rock ledges left scattered across the state, along with the river deltas that would eventually shape the human pathology of the area. All in all, Ohio is made up of a lot more than cornfields and for that reason we should make an effort to enjoy it’s wonderful beauty.

America's Perception of Ohio