How Geology Made Cartersville Program & Hike

Geology has helped determine the location of settlement in this area, likely going back to the builders of Etowah Mounds. Dr. Bill Witherspoon will discuss Cartersville's unique and interesting geology with a focus on how our local geology has impacted agriculture, transportations, mining and settlement of the area. Dr. Witherspoon will do slide presentations at 10:30 am & 1:30 pm and lead a geology walk at 12:00 noon. Be sure to arrive in time to park and check in before the program starts. 

The Preserve will be open 10 am – 5 pm for hiking on your own. Admission is $3 per person/max $10 per family or FREE to members and includes parking & hiking. Visitors may hike one of the Preserve’s three trails that range in length from a stroll of .25 mi to a 1.7 mi loop trail around the lake.

Leashed dogs are welcome, but the trails do not accommodate strollers AND DOGS ARE NOT ALLOWED IN THE LAKE.

Please arrive no later than 4 pm so you will have time to finish your hike before we close.

Directions: We are located off Douthit Bridge Rd, accessed only from Hwy 61 (between Cartersville & Dallas). Since our location is off the beaten path, many map programs do NOT provide accurate directions. Use the info on our Contact Us page. Or for GPS, use "Douthit Bridge Rd, Dallas, 30132", then follow signs.

About the speaker: Dr. Witherspoon is co-author of Roadside Geology of Georgia, a full-color guide to Georgia’s natural wonders, explaining the science behind the scenery.  Dr. Witherspoon taught geology to K-12 students and their teachers for 17 years at DeKalb County Schools’ Fernbank Science Center, and co-authored the 2013 book with Dr. Pamela Gore of Georgia State University.