Exploring Karst Topography Field Trip

Saturday, June 1, 2024 (12:00 noon – 4:00 pm)
Led by Bill Jones
Cost: $10

Meet up with Bill Jones at Windy Cove Church at 12:00 noon where we will caravan together in three cars to explore the local karst topography. The complete trip will encompass 47 miles and will take a total of four hours. Be sure to bring good walking shoes, water and snacks. (Limited to 12 people.)

We will begin by driving north on Dry Run Road (609). This road is narrow and has a few drop-offs above the creek when heading north (you are on this stretch for 10 miles). We then end up in Burnsville, and the bulk of the tour is in the Burnsville/Williamsville area. (Note: There is an outhouse at the Postmasters House, but there are no gas stations or stores along the route we will be taking.)

(Note: You will be asked to sign a liability waiver for the visit to the water sinks.)

Trip Details:

1. We will start with a look at karst features and sinkholes at the Postmasters House (this is now part of the “Virginia Karst Trail”).
2. We will drive along the dry streambed of Sinking Creek (609).
3. We will drive into the pancake field and look at the Owl Cave entrance.
4. We will drive up Limestone Lane and look at the “Water Sinks” blind valley.
5. We will drive up to “Flood” and then south through the Bullpasture River Gorge (678).
6. We will walk up to the large “Lockridge/Aqua Spring.”
7. We will go to Williamsville and the junction of the Cowpasture and Bullpasture Rivers.
8. We will return to Burnsville by Tower Hill Road.

Bill Jones Bio:

Hydrologist

Mr. Jones is a consulting hydrologist with Environmental Data in Warm Springs, Virginia. He studies physical hydrology of surface and ground-water resources with an emphasis on areas underlain by carbonate (karst) aquifers. He has studied karst areas across North America, France, Eastern Europe, China, and Southeast Asia. Mr. Jones is the author of over thirty papers on karst hydrology and water tracing. He wrote chapters on karst and water tracing for the “Encyclopedia of Caves.”  Mr. Jones holds a BSF degree in Forest Management from West Virginia University and an MS degree in Environmental Science (Hydrology) from the University of Virginia. He was an adjunct professor of hydrology at the American University, Washington, DC, and is on the board of directors of the Karst Waters Institute. He served on the CRPA board for two terms and participated with the water quality monitoring program.

Regstration:

Fill out the form below to register. Once the form is complete, you will be automatically redirected to a payment page. Registration is not complete until payment is submitted. To make offline payment arrangements, please email Lynne Griffith, CRPA Executive Assistant, at director@cowpastureriver.org. or call 540-620-7795.