Nowhere are the diverse features left by the most recent Ice Age’s glaciers more concentrated in western New York than at Mendon Ponds Park, making it a living textbook of glacial geology. After exploring eskers, kettles, and kames, you will leave this class better equipped to recognize and appreciate the Rochester area’s most distinctive landscape features as gifts of the glaciers.
Please note: This is a 1.25 mile walking tour on footpaths that in some places are uneven, moderately inclined, and potentially muddy - please plan your footwear accordingly. Students can expect to be on their feet for the duration of the trip. Students are encouraged to bring their own personal water bottles with them to stay hydrated. As any geologist will tell you, there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad gear: please wear clothes appropriate for the weather, as this course will run rain or shine.
This class is appropriate for ages 14+. Anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Please purchase one ticket for each person attending.
This walking tour will begin at the Devil’s Bathtub Shelter parking lot at Mendon Ponds Park. Please follow this link for directions.
If you would like to request a sign language interpreter or will be attending class with an aide, please fill out our contact form. Please also let us know if you have any preferences (vision access, etc).
Class ticket purchases are non-refundable for any reason, however a credit or transfer may be granted if requested 7+ days prior to your scheduled class. For more information on our policies, please visit our FAQ.
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Meet the Teacher
Tyler Lucero has connected people to our natural and human heritage as an interpreter at the Genesee Country Village & Museum, a science teacher in the Rochester City School District, a naturalist at West Irondequoit's Helmer Nature Center, and an interpretive ranger at Rocky Mountain National Park. He studied geology and history at Brown University, and has traveled widely to wild and historic places across the United States, but loves the people, landscape, and history of his native Western New York best.
Mendon Ponds Park features unique glacial landforms, crafted by four major glaciers some 12,000 to 14,000 years ago. These glaciers, towering between 5,000 and 10,000 feet, stretched just south of the Pennsylvania border. The park boasts diverse geological features including kames, eskers, kettles, and erratics, while its terrain ranges from gentle slopes to steep drop-offs.