“Rock Walk” Explores the Mississippi River’s Hidden History

As you stroll along the scenic paths of the Mississippi River Regional Park, you might not realize the ancient story unfolding right beneath your feet. On Sunday, September 7th, local geologist Rebecca Clotts will guide you through this unique landscape’s remarkable past.

“The story of our river is so cool”, Clotts says. “The bedrock below us predates the dinosaurs, forming almost half a billion years ago. This area was a tropical sea, and the bedrock captures that unique time in our history.”

The river’s current path was carved by the slow retreat of glacial drift, which didn’t recede until 15-20 thousand years ago. A massive waterfall once cascaded over the bedrock, eroding the soft sandstone layer and moving upstream to its present location at St. Anthony Falls.

On the Rock Walk, Clotts will help you spot the elusive bedrock along the Mississippi’s only natural gorge. “It can be hard to tell what’s bedrock” she notes, explaining that park retaining walls often cover it, and it’s easy to mistake fallen rocks for the real thing.

The walk, which is part of the Longfellow Community Council’s River Gorge Festival, begins at the top of the Gorge near West River Parkway and 36th Street at 12:30 p.m. Clotts will point out hidden viewing locations and bring rock, mineral, and fossil samples. For the more adventurous, a second portion of the walk will descend steeper areas for a closer look at the bedrock. When the walk reaches Longfellow Beach, you can look across to the St. Paul side for excellent views of the sandstone and limestone cliffs. Afterward, you can hop on a free canoe ride with Wilderness Inquiry for an even better view of the gorge.

Clotts will also offer a unique geological perspective on a current hot topic: the debate over removing the Mississippi River’s locks and dams, and its impacts on the area’s geology. Stop by on September 7th to hear a timeless story written in stone.