The Helderberg Escarpment

During the Paleozoic Era, from 600 to 230 million years ago, this area was covered by the shallow Utica Sea. While the land was eroded by this sea, clay, silt, and sand were transported to the sea. Beneath the sea sediments settled and hardened to form the sandstones and shales of this area.

The Utica Sea also supported many hard-shelled marine animals, living in the shallow waters. When these creatures died, their shells settled to the bottom and became compacted into the limestone. The fossils of many animals can be found after close observation.

A gradual sea uplift drained the Utica Sea, and a coastal plain developed. As the sea receded, streams, frost, and the erosive action started to change the recently formed rock layers. Streams cut through the overlaying limestones, and large blocks of limestone were parted from the cliff along joints in the rock.

As the erosive agents worked on the rocks, a vertical rock wall was formed. Over millions of years the wall was worn southward from the Adirondacks, because the rock was broken from the face and eroded from the base of the cliff.

The Helderberg Escarpment comes from the meaning helder - light or bright, and berg - mountain. One explanation for this is the cliff was formed of light colored limestone.

The Indian Ladder Trail

The Indian Ladder Trail runs along the Helderberg Escarpment. It was a trail built by Schoharie (Mohawk) Indians.

Where the trail gets very steep the Indians literally built a ladder to climb it.

Back to the Trail.