A Geologic Walking Tour of Turners Falls
Turners Falls holds clues to a prehistoric world shaped by shifting continents and volcanic forces. This self-guided geologic walking tour begins at the Great Falls Discovery Center and follows a path through town, pointing out layers of sandstone, basalt, and fossil impressions that reveal how the land formed nearly 200 million years ago. Participants are invited to notice how features like river bends, rock outcrops, and elevation shifts connect across the landscape, building a sense of how physical space holds records of deep time. The self-guided tour supports curiosity, independent inquiry, and reflection on the forces that continue to shape the land beneath our feet.
- Download your guide here: Geologic Walking Tour of Turners Falls
Self-Directed Learning
Discover the geologic story of the Pioneer Valley, shaped nearly 200 million years ago as the supercontinent Pangaea began to break apart. Ancient dinosaur footprints, volcanic rock layers, and armored mud balls reveal the region’s deep past and ongoing transformation. Paired with the Geologic Walking Tour of Turners Falls, this video supports self-directed learning across earth science, history, ecology, and geography. Watch before or after your walk to explore how our local landscape hold layered stories and connect physical science with the passage of time, place-based identity, and natural history.
