During the Mesozoic period, the rapid erosion of the softer sedimentary rocks from the new mountains re-exposed the older Ocoee Supergroup formations.ĭuring this process another sedimentary rock was formed. During the Ordovician period, the North American and African plates collided, destroying the ancient ocean and initiating the Alleghenian orogeny - the mountain-building epoch that created the Appalachian range. By the end of the Paleozoic period, the ancient ocean had deposited a thick layer of marine sediments which left behind sedimentary rocks such as limestone. In the Late Precambrian period, this ocean expanded, and the more recent Ocoee Supergroup rocks formed from accumulations of the eroding land mass onto the ocean's continental shelf. These rocks here formed over a billion years ago from the accumulation of marine sediments and igneous rock in a primordial ocean. The Ocoee Supergroup consists primarily of slightly metamorphosed sandstones, possibly quartzite and normal sandstones, phyllites, schists, and slate. The Paint Creek Falls is part of the Ocoee Supergroup, which is part of the Blue Ridge Belt. As one can easily see, because of the Paint Rock, its name was lent to naming many surrounding geological features such as the Mountain, Creek and the Falls Paint Rock gets its name from ancient Indian paintings called pictographs.
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It eventually empties into the French Broad River near a wonderful outcrop named “Paint Rock”. The origin of the Paint Creek Falls is found by tracing the Paint Creek to where it begins which is high up on the Paint Mountain.
![teen falls inpaint creek teen falls inpaint creek](https://i0.wp.com/uncoveringpa.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Paint-Falls.jpg)
From Paint Rock, do a U turn and re-cross the bridge and turn right on the Lower Paint Creek Road to the Falls EarthCache. It is the Paint Rock (GC1MVG9 ) and well worth your time to stop and take it in! From this location you will not only view the Paint Rock you will also see the meandering French Broad River. Following the above directions will allow you to pass another EarthCache.