Geologic features near Grand Tower, Illinois

Abstract

The Devil’s Backbone, the Devil’s Bake Oven, and Fountain Bluff are located in extreme southwestern Illinois in Jackson County, adjacent to the Mississippi River (Fig. 1). All three sites are shown along the southeastern edge of the Altenburg 7½-minute Quadrangle; the remainder of Fountain Bluff is shown on the Gorham 7½-minute Quadrangle. Locality 1, the Devil’s Backbone, and Locality 2, the Devil’s Bake Oven, are situated in Grant Tower City Park on the northwest side of town; Locality 3, Fountain Bluff, is about 1 mi (1.6 km) north of town. All sites are readily accessible via car and short walks. Locality 1. The Devil’s Backbone: abandonedquarry on southeast end of ridge, SE¼SW¼SW¼Sec.24, T.10S., R.4W., 3rdp. M. (Fig. 2). Locality 2. TheDevil’s Bake Oven: center ofS½4NE¼Sec.23, T.10S., R.4W., 3rdp. M. Locality 3. Draw situatedalong the southwestern side of Fountain Bluff, SE¼NW¼-Sec.13, T.10S., R.4W., 3rdp. M. Access to the latter site may be gained by asking the owner, who lives in the white frame house just across theroad to the south of the draw, and less than 0.25 mi (0.4 km) northwest of the T-road intersection near the center of the NE¼SW¼Sec.13.