Geology of Manassas Battlefield January 29, 2011

Like Gettysburg, Manassas is situated in a Triassic basin associated with the initiation of the Atlantic Ocean. Unlike Gettysburg, Manassas saw two different major battles, both won by the South. We will meet at the park's Visitor Center and drive to several locations for short hikes on well-maintained, but probably muddy, trails. The park features exposures of all three types of rock -- sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous -- so there will something to everyone's taste! The pace set and distance covered on this geology field trip is typically faster and farther than our usual "naturalist's shuffle."