Exploring the Geology of the Carolinas: A Field Guide to Favorite Places from Chimney Rock to Charleston (Southern Gateways Guides)

I recently moved to NC and became interested in the diverse geology we have here. Coastal plain, piedmont, and mountains are all within several hours of one another. This book starts with a basic history of how NC was formed. In layman's terms, but with enough technical detail, you'll get a good idea of what happened to make NC look like it does today. Then, you can pick out a location from the NC map, read the short chapter about it, go there, and see examples of what happened in the past. This is a fascinating book that helps you learn and if you're not careful, you'll get some healthy exercise as well!

If you live in the Carolinas and want to get your head around some of the wonderful gifts nature has for us, this book is a must read. I've used it to plan day-trips to see some of the places written up and have never been disappointed. The first five chapters set the important scenes and tell of the early events that shaped our landscapes. The last 31 chapters outline field trips. Each tells us what to look for, but most importantly, what it means. So use the first 5 chapters to understand the formative processes, but use the rest of the book to plan and organize your visits to various places across the two states.

Very informative book.

This book is well-organized and a pleasure to read. 5 stars for the illustrations as well.

I've been hiking in the Carolinas for thirty years. This is an excellent guide to the geology of the region. It starts with a brief account of the geologic history of the region. This is followed by field trips. Included are all of the best places to hike or drive Mount Mitchell, Crowders MOuntain, STone Mountain, the Outer Banks, Caesars Head, Charleston and many others. For each trip, the authors point out the distinctive features. For example, look for gneiss at Table Rock in SC. This metamorphic rock formed in the ancient collision of two superintendents. The best thing about this book is that you can go and see a million years of history in the land itself. The authors tell you what rocks and formations to look for and how to interpret them. Great for hikers and all who love this region.

A wonderful addition to the smart, learning traveler's packing list! I have used it as I travel both N and S Carolina and neverfail to be delighted. Well written with photos and diagrams - Great for the rock curious and the rock crazed!

I hoped this would include some more about South Carolina but the bulk of the books is about North Carolina. I wanted something for while I took a vacation to SC but this arrived and there’s was only a few pages about South Carolina in the whole book.

This is a magnificent book. I had given up hope finding a good reference work for North Carolina geology and then stumbled upon this book. I highly recommend it for its general discussion of Carolina geological history and its guided tours of specific locations. I'm baffled by the other low review it received.