Sandstone Cliff & Ravine

Sandstone gorge community

no photo — written note
photo: Wikimedia Commons
Habitats

Cool shaded gorges with hemlock, mosses and ferns clinging to sandstone walls.

Field facts
HabitatDeeply cut sandstone valleys
RangeSouthern Indiana, notably Turkey Run and Shades
When to lookCoolest and greenest June to September
StatusSensitive; heavy visitor pressure (Indiana DNR / IUCN Red List)
Look-alikesLimestone bluff, Old quarry wall

Field note: These ravines shelter northern plants left behind after the glaciers retreated.

Lesson
Watching responsibly

Cliff-top and ledge plants die from trampling; stay off the edges.

Wet sandstone is slick, and ledge falls are the most common park injury.

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