Field Trip – Geology of the Current River *** This Field Trip is now Full ***
*** Note: This field trip is now full. ***
Join geologist Mark Puumala to explore the geology of the Current River on August 22, 2026, and learn about some of the geological processes that influenced the landscape of the City of Thunder Bay.
The Thunder Bay area has a fascinating geological history! The rock formations in this area developed during several separate geological events spanning a period of approximately 1.7 billion years. The oldest rocks in the area formed close to 2.7 billion years ago, while the youngest formed approximately 1 billion years ago! In places, this ancient bedrock is overlain by much younger overburden deposits that were largely deposited near the end of the past period of glaciation approximately 10,000 years ago. On this walk, we will explore some of the geological wonders that can be seen along the Current River between Boulevard Lake and Centennial Park.
We will meet at 10:00 am at the location shown on the map below. It is the second parking area south of Arundel Street on Lyon Boulevard East.
Geology Walk Meeting Point and Parking
From there, we will spend the next 4-5 hours walking along trails (and a few short sections along roadways) that will take us upstream toward the bluffs and Centennial Park before returning along the opposite side of the river back to the starting point. The planned walk will travel a total distance of approximately 5.5 km and will provide opportunities to view sedimentary and igneous bedrock exposures and glacial deposits that provide a record of the geological history of Thunder Bay. If we reach Centennial Park with enough time to spare, an optional stop at an amethyst vein north of the highway will be added to the itinerary. Please note that this would add approximately 2 km of distance to the walk.
Geology Walk Planned Stops
This hike is open to 20 participants, and we expect to finish up at approximately 3:00 pm. Make sure to bring along plenty of water and a bag lunch. Please email Mark at mpuumala@tbaytel.net with any questions or to register for this walk. In case of bad weather, Mark will contact you to cancel or reschedule.