ペンシルベニアの天然記念物・トップ20

From the trailhead sign: The Forest Cathedral Natural Area contains one of the largest old growth forests of white pine and eastern hemlock in Pennsylvania. Many of these magnificent pine and hemlock trees now exceed three feet in diameter and approach 200 feet in height. Trees of this size are often over 300 years of age; dating to the era of William Penn, the first Governor of "Penn's Woods", and are often referred to as "William Penn Trees". It is perhaps fitting that this forest remains in the midst of an area which saw the greatest logging boom in the history of the Commonwealth - the period of the late 1800s, when thousands of acres of old growth forests were cut for the shipbuilding and constructions industries. The Forest Cathedral is registered as a National Natural Landmark and has been set aside for protection as a State Park Natural Area.

This is a waterfall, but you cant stay on a bike to view this.

This is a good place to take a break on a hot day, as the waterfall produces cold wind. DO NOT DRINK this water, It is from an acid mine and the red-orange color comes from iron and rust.

If You need water, don't count on public water fountains in Pittsburgh because they barely ever get turned on.

This is where the Allegheny River and the Monongahela River meat to form the Ohio River.

S THE WATERFALL Demonstrating acid mnine drainage The water here is acid and iron-rich, coming up to the surface from underground mines, stairung the-rocks ruspred. Acid mine drainage (AMID) is a major source of water pollution. Cause of extensive stream environmental damage. The Ocean Coal Company, a subsidiaries of Bevind- White Coal Company Philadelphia, PA, esaiblished several mines in this region including, in 1900, Ocean No. 2. It is purported that drainage from ocean No. 2 is the chief cause of the Red Waterfall Why is it acidic and full of iron? Hundreds of millions of years ago, the massive Pittsburgh Coal Seam formed underneath parts of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohiờ from ancient swamp plants. Sand, silts, shells, and other -matter were deposited and made a rock seal over the carbon-rich vegetation, This rock contained the mineral "pyrite," made of iron and sulfur Coal mining exposes pyrite to oxygen and ground water causing the formation of sulfuric acid and a number of red, orange, and yellow compound s. AMD occurs when this mine water seeps, or in this-case, bursts out into Streams. The yellow sulfur can be seen in the shale near coal seams. GRESCHIN DASSAGE SPONSORED BY: Southwestern PA Heritage Breservation- Commission Allegheny Trail Alliances Regional Trail Corpofation For moterinformation. www.gaptrail.org

Cook Forest State Park cover 8,500 acres and protects some of Northwestern Pennsylvania's last remaining old growth forests. The Forest Cathedral section of hemlock and white pines is a National Natural Landmark. The park has miles of hiking trails, campgrounds, and access to the Clarion River.

The Red Waterfall is one of the main highlights on the GAP between West Newton and McKeesport. The falls gets its name from the water that has been colored red by nearby underground coal mines, which has made the water acidic and iron-rich water.