Keewaydin State Park Glacial Features
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Keewaydin Park is a NY State Park located off Rt. 12, 1 miles west of Alexandria Bay, NY. Part of the glacial feature can be seen along Rt. 12, just west before you enter the park. Other parts are seen throughout the park. Some climbing is required.
The Pleistocene Glacial Age in North America began about two million years ago, and ended about 6000 years ago. This long episode was marked by at least three major glacial advances and retreats triggered by fluctuations in the Pleistocene climate. Evidence of each major advance, in the form of erosional and depositional features, is well preserved in the other northern states, but in Northern New York, only features of the latest or “Wisconsin” glacial advance are preserved. The clues to earlier advances have been swept away or obscured by this final surge.
The Wisconsin advance climaxed about 20,000 years ago when the ice covered nearly all of Canada and extended southward over the sites of Seattle, Chicago, and New York City. All of New York State lay buried under ice that may have been a mile thick in places. The glacier overrode the Adirondacks, softening the topography, and stripping off the soils. Even the highest peaks, such as Mt. Marcy, Algonquin Peak, and Whiteface Mountain, were at one time covered by glacial ice (as one can see glacial erratic there). Nearly every part of the state contains fields cluttered with boulders of all sizes. These are mostly glacial erratic from somewhere else that the ice carried and then dumped along with other glacial debris.
A brief history of the Thousand Islands: The crystalline rocks of the Thousand Islands originated as a low ridge or arc, called the Frontenac Axis, connecting the Adirondack Mountains with the Laurentian Shield in Canada. Many of the rocks making up the islands date from the Precambrian Era, and at 600 million to one billion years old, are among the oldest rocks in North America. Normal erosion and glacial scouring have exposed these rocks to create the Thousand Islands as we know them. The hardest rocks were rounded by water and ice, and the soft rocks, such as those of volcanic dykes, became channels. Weaker fault lines throughout the formation fractured and widened as water from the western lowlands eroded the rocks along this major tectonic rift.
A much later geological record was left by the glaciers in form of sand, gravel and even boulders of mixed composition lying on top of older rock formations. Starting less than a million years ago, glaciers moved up the valley and across it. When they melted, gravel bars, deltas and old beaches were left on even some of the highest plateaus. Scratches and grooves in the rocks, widened valleys, left more evidence of the passing ice.
Geomorphologically, the Thousand Islands have many of the characteristics of a “drowned landscape”. Prior to the last series of glaciations, the Great Lakes drained southward, but changes in land forms resulting from this glaciation forced the Great Lakes to drain northeastward, creating the St. Lawrence River. The waters of this new river flooded the existing landscape and isolated the higher ground, creating the Thousand Islands.
Evidence of human habitation dates back four to five thousand years. Some points, scrapers and pottery found in archeological digs indicate early Native Americans settled along the St. Lawrence River. These people called the area “Manatoana”, the Garden of the Great Spirit.
Some of New York’s most spectacular glacial features are secondary products of the Ice Age. In many places movement of the ice over solid bedrock left scratches called glacial striae which are almost always scraped into polished rock surfaces. These are best preserved in the most durable rocks like the Potsdam sandstone; you won’t find many on the limestone or gneisses that have been long exposed to the weather. The scratches result from the grinding of ice-bound rock fragments of all sizes against bedrock. The rocks also grind against each other within the glacier and becomes similarly marked. Larger boulders may produce broad and sometimes quite deep glacial grooves. At the base of the ice, blocks may press so heavily against bedrock that they cause it to fracture resulting in a string of cuspate joints called chatter marks. The polishing is accomplished by the fine-grained glacial flour that is the abundant by-product of all the grinding action.
There is a highly glacial polished furrow gouged into the Alexandria Bay gneiss west of the entrance to Keewaydin State Park (A) N 43’ 19.198 W 075’ 55.791. Your first task is to measure the length of the furrow and direction. Now go in the park, head toward the river, behind campsites 35, 36 & 38, you will see another very large exposed rock, climb the rock stairs to the top (B) N 44’ 19.456 W 075’ 56.057, you will find more glacier features. Check your compass for the direction the rock, the furrow, and the river flows; they are parallel. Now go to the Historic Gazebo and down the slope toward the river and follow the river northeast. At (C) N 44’ 19.463 W 075’ 56.063 is a cliff. Your task here, is to identify the greenish leather looking vegetation growing on the face. Continue along the river, past the fishing Gazebo, to the wooden stairs leading down to a dock. The Park Manager calls this the Cuba Dock, as it faces Cuba Island.
While on the dock, look to your southwest and there is a rounded boulder resting in a depression and chatter marks at (D) N 44’ 19.649 W 075’ 55.867. Is this rock an erratic and is it starting a pothole? I say “Guilty, caught in the act.” Look just to right, (about 38 inches) of the boulder and note the chatter marks. Your, tasks here is to count the number of chatter marks. These chatter marks also indicate the direction the glacier was traveling. If possible send a photo of you standing near this rock or on the dock. Check the elevation at the water’s edge to the elevation at the top of the rock formation to your south (waypoint (E)). As you walk up and away from river, you will notice an open space, head back on the gravel road, heading southwest, on your right you will see another very large exposed rock outcropping. Climb to top, (E) N 44’ 19.603 W 075’ 55.900, as you will find an excellent furrow, it is 45-50 feet in length, and approximately 16 inches deep, and it travels in a northeast direction. This is the top of the cliff that you visited prior to visiting the Cuba Dock. Continue southwest on top of the exposed rock southwest toward the maintenance building and you are done; continue to enjoy the park at your leisure.
You have visited five sites (A-E); you have seen glacial Chatter marks, glacial erratics, glacial grooves, glacial polish, potholes, glacial scours and glacial striaes.to log this Earthcach you must post a picture of you with your GPS with one of the 5 sites site included in the photo and you have tasks to accomplish at sites A, C, D, and E. There are no signs that give you answers to the tasks, and one will have to go to the site with a GPS, compass and tape measure and camera. There are other exposed rocks that you can discover on your own and other interesting features. Look for white granite outcropping and folds, a War Department Corp of Engineer Traverse Station Marker, polished granite columns, and the cellar and stone stairs of the old estate.
Additional bonuses are the fantastic view, excellent fishing, swimming,boating and picnic & camping areas. Be sure to have a fishing license if you are required to have one.
Special Note: This Park contains steep rocky outcrops between camping and shoreline areas. Access to a pave shoreline fishing area is available from the marina parking lot. The park swimming pool includes a disabled access ramp in its shallow end. (Water immersible wheelchair is available upon request.) Park Rules: 1) Quite hours between 10 PM and 7 AM are strictly enforced. Also, generators will be limited to 9-11 AM and 5-9 PM. 2) all pets must be secured by a 6 foot or shorter leash and under complete control at all times. 3) Pets are prohibited in the beach and picnic areas. 4) Swimming at guarded bathing areas only and only when lifeguards are on duty. 5) All plants, trees and animals are protected by law
The St.Lawrence River was discovered in 1535 by Jacques Cartier and named in honor of a martyed third century saint. Early French settlers quickly signed fur trading agreements with the Algonquians and later signed treaties with the Iroquois.
The 17th century saw an ever increasing British presence along the St.Lawrence River, culminating in the War for Independence. The earliest settlers following the War were farmers; the principal land use is still agricultural (almost exclusively dairy farming), which contributes to the area's visual appeal.
The area has also been used by vacationers since the mid-1800s. Many of these early seasonal residents were wealthy and build large cottages, almost all located on or near the water, that give visual and architectural interest to the area.
Keewaydin State Park was once a private estate, originally owned by James Wesley Jackson of New York. Jackson build his large summer home in 1894. Subsequent owners were William T. Dewart of New York City, president of the New York Sun, the Mohican Chain and Munsey Publishing Company, and John K. Wallace of St. Louis, Misssouri. In 1954, the property was leased to the Keewaydin Point Club with over 200 members. The property was acquired by the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation in 1961. Care has been taken to maintain some of the estate's old features. As one meanders through the park, one can observe a seawall along the St.Lawrence River. many people enjoy watching the ocean going vessels and 730 foot "lakers" traversing the American Narrows section of the St. Lawrence Seaway from the many vantage points found in Keewaydin Park.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
[Be extra carefull walking down the steep slope from (B) to (C) along the river (C) to (D) and on top the rock (E)]
Cevag Fpna vzntrf gb ybpngr nccebkvzngr jnlcbvagf