July 2006

Can You Dig It? Geology Adventures for Families

By Beth Geiger

Washington is a great state for rocking out with your kids. Really rocking out, with dirt-under-the fingernails adventures in geology.

You can dig for mineral treasure. Unearth genuine 50-million-year-old fossils. Hug a petrified tree, ponder a quirky geo-mystery or explore a lava cave. However you dig it, Washington rocks! Here are some great ways to share hands-on geology adventures with children of any age.

Ape Cave (Explore a Lava Tube)

Imagine exploring a real lava flow, from the inside. Ape Cave, on the southern flanks of Mount St. Helens, offers this extremely cool adventure. At almost 2.5 miles long, it’s the longest continuous intact lava tube in the lower 48 United States.

Ape Cave formed about 2,000 years ago. As lava flowed from Mount St. Helens, the surface of the lava cooled and hardened, but hot lava kept flowing underneath. When the flowing lava drained, it left a tunnel.

Lower Ape Cave is an easy one-mile walk. Kids will love seeing stalactites made of lava and other weird lava shapes like the big round “Meatball.” From June 24 through Labor Day, you can join 45-minute, ranger-led trips through this portion.

Only the most confident scramblers will want to continue into the more difficult upper Ape Cave. This challenging portion takes two and a half to three hours to negotiate, with some tricky scrambling and crawling in the pitch black. It’s not recommended for small children.

Ape Cave rangers recommend that all parties carry three sources of light, including a lantern. (Flashlights don’t project a wide enough beam to see all the features.) You can rent lanterns at the cave. Also, no matter how warm a day it is outside, remember that Ape Cave really is a cool experience: only 42 degrees inside. “People don’t realize how cold it will be,” says one ranger. “We recommend snowsuits on the littlest kids and gloves and hats for everyone.”

By the way, don’t look for any apes in Ape Cave. The cave was named after the St. Helen’s Apes, a youth adventure group.

Ape Cave Geologic Site is part of the Mount St. Helen’s National Volcanic Monument. Ranger guided trips are held June 24 - Labor Day, 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Admission is free, but parking requires a Northwest Forest Pass ($5/day use). 360-247-9300, ext. 0. www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/mshnvm.

Directions: From Interstate 5, take Exit 21. Drive east on Highway 503 and USFS Road 90 approximately 35.7 miles to USFS Road 83. Turn left onto USFS Road 83 and drive two miles. Turn left onto USFS 8303 and drive 0.2 miles to Trail of Two Forests. Drive one more mile to the Ape Cave parking lot.

Stonerose Interpretive Site (Fossil Hunting)

Stonerose may be one of Washington’s most overlooked and sure-to-please adventures this side of the Pleistocene. It’s a rocky hillside in the small northeast Washington town of Republic where fossil discoveries await everyone.

Start at the Stonerose Interpretive Center and be inspired by the amazing finds other amateurs have unearthed: a delicate cone from a 50-million-year-old metasequoia; an ancient insect; a leaf from one of the earliest known roses on Earth. Purchase an admission sticker and rent a hammer and chisel if you don’t have your own. Then walk a block north and start your treasure hunt. Kids will love prying open the rocks to find surprises like bugs and leaf fossils hidden inside. “You’re pretty much going to find something,” says Catherine Brown, director of Stonerose.

While you and your children dig and pry, picture how Stonerose formed. This was once a quiet lake, surrounded by lush forests. Imagine a leaf settling to the bottom of the lake. Fifty million years later, your grinning 9-year old is the first human to see that leaf.

When you’ve had enough, bring your discoveries back to the Interpretive Center. The knowledgeable Stonerose staff will explain exactly what you’ve found and even label the specimens. Everyone gets to keep three fossils (though Stonerose reserves the right to keep truly important finds).

The site is treeless and faces south. To avoid the hottest part of the day, Brown recommends that visitors arrive soon after the site opens at 10 a.m. and spend two or three hours digging. Bring shade hats, sunscreen and water. This year, Stonerose has added five new shaded “cracking tables” where you can crack open and examine rocks under cover. If the kids need an ice cream break, downtown Republic is just steps away.

Though scenic, the six-hour drive from Seattle can be daunting. Consider combining a trip to Stonerose with other kid-friendly explorations in the area, such as the ghost town of Old Molson, historic Fort Spokane, the rodeo at Chesaw, or mineral collecting at Big Rock Candy Mountain in Canada (see “Geology Adventures” section).

Stonerose is open daily, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Memorial Day to Labor Day (digging closes at 4 p.m.) Check for reduced hours April - October. The site is closed November - May. A fossil-digging pass is $5 for adults, $3 for children. 509-775-2295. www.stonerosefossil.org.

Directions: Stonerose is located at the corner of Kean Street and Highway 20, across from the city park, in Republic. From Interstate 90 or Highway 2 eastbound, take Highway 97 north to Tonasket and Highway 20 east to Republic. You can also drive further east on either I-90 or Highway 2 and drive north on Highway 21 to Republic.

Mima Mounds (Geologic Mystery)

The quirky Mima Mounds, 12 miles south of Olympia, are among Washington’s most perplexing natural landscapes. They look like a sea of giant half-buried bowling balls, 6 to 8 feet high.

The intrigue: no one knows what formed them. Over the years, various hypotheses have come and gone. Currently, two theories compete, though neither prevails. Biologists say that very busy little gophers made the Mima Mounds in a building frenzy. The catch? No one’s ever found gopher bones there. Geologists, on the other hand, suggest the Mounds could have formed by jiggling from a huge earthquake. But others say that theory is just plain shaky.

The Washington Department of Natural Resources has set aside a 400-acre preserve where you and your kids can ponder the mystery firsthand. First, climb the mound-shaped viewing platform for a look across this peculiar landscape. Let your kids try to guess what formed them.

Then stroll through the mounds on a half-mile path or explore further on a two-mile loop. Kids will love running around the mounds. The Mima Mounds are also a showcase for one of Washington’s finest native prairies.

Mima Mounds is managed by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. Admission is free. Picnic tables are available. 360-748-2383.

Directions: Take I-5 to Exit 95 (Route 121). Drive west for 3.8 miles, then turn right on Waddell Creek Road and go one mile.

Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park (Petrified Wood)

Trees turned to stone definitely have that kid-captivating “wow” factor. They’re even better when they really look like trees, complete with bark. You will find fantastic examples at Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park, one of the world’s most diverse petrified forests, about two hours east of Seattle. In fact, petrified wood is the official Washington state gem.

The Ginkgo Interpretive Center is set in a shady (though often windy) grove with a spectacular view over the Columbia River. At first, you might think the logs scattered around the outside are regular logs, like driftwood landscaping at a beach house. But look closer and you’ll see they are stone – a fun surprise to spring on the kids. Some still have their bark. On others, kids can count tree rings. And the logs are big!

Inside, find everything from exhibits on geologic history to the park interpreters’ “recipe” for petrified wood – “take wood and soak in water, then overrun with lava.” Fifteen million years ago, eastern Washington boasted lavish forests. The big trees were turned to stone when a volcanic mudslide swept them into a lake. More lava then entombed the water-soaked logs, preserving them into fine specimens. Altogether, more than 50 species of petrified trees have been found at Ginkgo, including rare petrified ginkgo trees.

You can also admire excellent petroglyphs, which were relocated here during dam construction on the Columbia.

For more of a leg stretcher, head two miles up the road. The scenic Trees of Stone Interpretive trail winds 1.5 miles past 22 logs still embedded in the lava flow. There is no shade, so carry water and sun hats. Due to vandalism and theft, the logs have been “caged,” which makes them a bit hard to see up close. Regardless, the trail makes a nice excursion into the quiet desert, with sweeping views.

Collecting petrified wood is strictly forbidden inside the park. But thankfully, kids don’t have to go home empty-handed: they can hunt for pieces to buy at the excellent Ginkgo Gem Shop right outside the gate.

Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park Interpretive Center is open 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. daily June 16 - Sept. 15; check for reduced days April - May and Sept. 15 - Oct. 29. The interpretive center is closed Oct. 30 - March 31. The Trees of Stone Interpretive trail is open year-round. A parking permit is no longer required in state parks. 509-856-2700. www.parks.wa.gov. The Ginkgo Gem Shop is open year round (call 509-856-2225 for winter hours).

Directions: Follow I-90 30 miles east of Ellensburg to Exit 136. Follow Hutzinger Road for one mile to reach the interpretive center and three miles to the trail area.

Geology Adventures (Mineral Collecting)

Are your kids begging to go rock hunting, but unearthing gems isn’t exactly your specialty? No problem! Ravensdale geologist Bob Jackson’s Geology Adventures provides geologist-guided, kid-tailored adventures at locations where children are sure to find treasures (Jackson owns or leases several mineral claims). It’s a perfect way to dig for minerals where it’s safe, rewarding and legal. All of Jackson’s adventures are education-oriented, so kids and adults will learn something about the regional geology and mineralogy while they dig.

On Geology Adventure’s “Crystal Kid” trip, kids dig for quartz crystals, bornite (a colorful, iridescent mineral popularly called “peacock ore”), chalcopyrite (“fools gold”), and other minerals at Jackson’s property outside North Bend. Jackson especially recommends this adventure for 7-12-year-olds. Younger kids may have a hard time with the steep access hike.

You can also try the “Palm Trees” family trip to an amber-collecting location on Tiger Mountain outside Issaquah. While you search for amber, try to imagine the tropical forest that existed there 45 million years ago.

“As long as kids are willing to dig, they will absolutely find something,” says Jackson. “To kids, these are gem stones. It’s basically a treasure hunt.”

For more far-flung rock-hounding adventures, you can join guided tours to dig for beautiful geodes, fluorite, barite and quartz crystals at Jackson’s Big Rock Candy Mountain in southern British Columbia. Or sign up for a guided multi-day geo-adventure like Rockin’ Across the Cascades, where you learn regional geology and collect treasures along the way. Geology Adventures is also available for birthday parties and group tours.

“Crystal Kid” and “Palm Trees” family trips last three to four hours and cost $26 per person. Birthday parties are $195 for up to11 kids and four adults. 425-413-1122. bob@geologyadventures.com. www.geologyadventures.com.

Beth Geiger is a Seattle-based freelance writer, mother and geologist. Her stories on Washington’s geologic attractions have appeared in AAA Journey, Sunset, and other publications.

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