In Podcast #11 the Virginia Trekkers take you to Crabtree Falls in the Blue Ridge Mountains region of Virginia.  We went there in the middle of winter during an ice storm so look for the three states of water (solid, liquid, and gas), and find out more about the water cycle.  Also, discover how Virginia animals spend the winter, watch weathering and erosion take place, learn about the different industries of the Blue Ridge Mountain Region, explore the Appalachian Trail, and take a tour of an apple factory!  Come on, let’s go trekkin’! (Trouble viewing the YouTube video? Try Vimeo or direct link).

Crabtree Falls is one of the tallest waterfalls east of the Mississippi.  It’s actually a cascading waterfall which means it’s made of lots of smaller waterfalls one after the other instead of being one big drop.  However the total distance from top to bottom is over 1,000 feet, which is about the same height as the Chrysler building in New York (1,047 feet, pictured).  In comparison, Niagra Falls is only 167 feet tall.  Crabtree Falls also pours out a lot of water.  On average it produces 50 cubic feet of water per second which is the same as 374 gallons of water per second.  This would be enough to fill 360 regular bathtubs (60 gallons) every minute!! (Source)


This is a Google map of Crabtree Falls.  You can zoom in and out using the +/- button in the bottom right.



Here is a 360 view from an overlook at Crabtree Falls. Take a look around!



Here is a 360 view near the top of the falls. Take a look around!



This is a 3-D model of Crabtree Falls.  You can zoom in and spin it around.

The shorter blue line is Crabtree Creek. It flows into the longer Tye River.

The Tye River flows into the James River further south.  

The red pin shows the top of the waterfalls. Created with 3-D Mapper.



This is an old Flash activity about the topics we talked about in our video. We got it to work using Ruffle!


Social Studies

VS.2 (2015) The student will demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between physical geography and the lives of the native peoples, past and present, of Virginia by

b) locating and describing Virginia’s Coastal Plain (Tidewater), Piedmont, Blue Ridge Mountains, Valley and Ridge, and Appalachian Plateau;


VS.1 (2023) The student will apply history and social science skills to explain the relationship between physical geography and the lives of Virginia’s peoples, past and present by

b. locating and describing the relative location and physical characteristics of Virginia's five geographic regions on a map; and

c. locating, identifying, and describing the impact of Virginia’s bodies of water on its history, economy, and culture.


Science

K.4 The student will investigate and understand that water is important in our daily lives and has properties. Key ideas include

a) water has many uses;

b) water can be found in many places;

c) water occurs in different phases; and

d) water flows downhill.


2.3 The student will investigate and understand that matter can exist in different phases. Key ideas include

b) solids, liquids, and gases have different characteristics; and

c) heating and cooling can change the phases of matter.


3.7 The student will investigate and understand that there is a water cycle and water is important to life on Earth. Key ideas include

b) the energy from the sun drives the water cycle; and

c) the water cycle involves specific processes.


4.8 The student will investigate and understand that Virginia has important natural resources. Key resources include

a) watersheds and water;

b) plants and animals;

c) minerals, rocks, and ores; and

d) forests, soil, and land.


5.8 The student will investigate and understand that Earth constantly changes. Key ideas include

d) processes such as weathering, erosion, and deposition change the surface of the Earth;