While not usually described as gorges the Philadelphia area contains numerous narrow stream and river valleys which for all practical purposes should be called gorges. Most Philadelphia area gorges are 350 feet or less in depth and have been eroded into erosion resistant metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. Some Philadelphia area gorges now serve as major […]
Tag archives for Wissahickon Gorge
Philadelphia area drainage systems and erosional landforms when viewed on detailed topographic maps can be considered to be pieces of a giant puzzle, which if properly assembled tells how the regional landscape was formed. The topographic maps which can be obtained from the United States Geological Survey National Map and TopoView websites provide a big […]
The Andorra Wind Gap links an east-northeast oriented tributary to the Wissahickon Gorge north entrance with a west-southwest oriented Schuylkill River tributary and has an elevation of 266 feet. To the south Schuylkill River-Wissahickon Creek drainage divide elevations rise to 420 feet before decreasing until Wissahickon Creek joins the Schuylkill River. To the north a […]
Wissahickon Creek after flowing for approximately six miles in a south-southeast direction through the Wissahickon Gorge turns to flow in an east direction where it is joined by southwest oriented Monoshone Creek. But, instead of continuing in a south-southeast or east direction Wissahickon Creek makes an abrupt turn to flow in a southwest direction along […]
The Marble Hall Through Valley between Spring Mill Creek and Wissahickon Creek is one of several through valleys linking the Wissahickon Creek valley upstream from the Wissahickon Gorge with the Schuylkill River valley and is located in Marble Hall between Lafayette Hill and Barren Hill. Wissahickon Creek flows in a south direction at the through […]
The Whitemarsh Through Valley between Plymouth Creek and Wissahickon Creeks is one of several low elevation through valleys linking the Wissahickon Creek valley upstream from Wissahickon Gorge with the Schuylkill River and is a west to east oriented valley underlain by easily eroded bedrock and bounded on the south by an erosion resistant upland and […]
Wissahickon Creek has a relatively small drainage basin in southeastern Pennsylvania, but is located along the Schuylkill River-Delaware River drainage divide southern end and includes a well-known and picturesque gorge in northwest Philadelphia. The stream rises near Lansdale in Montgomery County and flows for approximately 23 miles in a south direction to reach northwest Philadelphia […]
