Double Oak Mountain

Double Oak Mountain is a long sandstone ridge running for about 25 miles across Shelby County south of Birmingham. The top of the ridge is divided into parallel narrow ridges separated by an elevated creek valley, out of which Peavine Branch tumbles out of the mountain at Peavine Falls.

The mountain itself is composed of 300 million year-old sandstone, known as the Pottsville Formation, which was layed down in shallow seas during the Pennsylvanian period, which culminated with the formation of the Appalachian Mountains through the collision of continental masses. Double Oak Mountain's double ridge is a result of the crumbling and stacking of sedimentary layers through thrust-faulting, and the geologic divide between the sedimentary layers at the ridge is called the Shackleford Gap Fault. The northern flank of Double Oak Mountain is composed of older, softer materials that have worn into shallower hills.

The southeastern portion of the mountain, including the falls, is enclosed within Oak Mountain State Park. Another section, two miles long, was sold to the Freshwater Land Trust by the Smyer family in 2015 and will be preserved as undeveloped land.

References

• Duncan, R. Scot (2011) "Geology of Oak Mountain State Park" TrekBirmingham.com - accessed November 11, 2015