CVNP sits where two major regions of North America meet. Here, the final influences of Appalachian mountain-building give way to the vast plains. Most of CVNP falls on the Appalachian’s Allegheny Plateaus; however, its northern tip crosses onto the plains. The transition is not easily noticed in the park, but can be dramatic nearby. The Portage and Allegheny escarpments—broken lines of steep hills—mark the edge of the plateau and offer striking views of Cleveland and Lake Erie. CVNP also sits near a north-south continental water divide, found south of the park in Akron. Rivers north of the divide flow to Lake Erie and the Atlantic Ocean. Rivers south of the divide flow to the Ohio River and the Gulf of Mexico. Layers of sedimentary rock, hardened from materials left by ancient seas and streams, create the park’s bedrock. The oldest rocks rest at the bottom, with successively younger layers on top. Between 410 and 286 million years old, the bedrock dates from the Paleozoic Era. CVNP's most common bedrock includes Bedford Shale, formed by sea deposits, and Berea Sandstone, probably created by slow-moving streams. They can be seen at Brandywine Falls, where the harder sandstone caps the waterfall. The highly textured Sharon Conglomerate, formed from sand and quartz pebbles carried here by ancient streams, crops out at the spectacular Ritchie Ledges.
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