Sideling Hill Cut South Bench
Across the highway, you have a clue to the past. The slanting tan sandstone was the bed of a river which scoured out the curved place you see. The river meandered away and left a marshy area or lake which was filled with dark gray mud or claystone. This cut-off is called an oxbow or buried stream channel.
The Monocacy River south of Frederick is about the size of the river which made this channel.
Marker is on the eastbound Sideling Hill Rest Area (Interstate 68 at milepost 75) west of Exit 77 (Maryland Route 144), on the right when traveling west.
Courtesy hmdb.org
