The following list identifies the longest escarpments on the planet. Escarpments are defined as follows:
Escarpment: “A steep slope or long cliff that results from erosion or faulting and separates two relatively level areas of differing elevations.”
Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
If you have ever driven along the Ohio Turnpike near Cleveland, you have gone up/down the Portage Escarpment. Similarly, between Toronto and London Ontario, one would have to cross the Niagara Escarpment. In fact, Niagara Falls, on the New York/Ontario border, are literally a part of the Niagara Escarpment. The falls are where the elevation drops dramatically between Lake Erie (571 feet above sea level) on the upper side and Lake Ontario (243 feet above sea level) on the lower side of the escarpment. The Welland Canal was specifically built to bypass the falls and cross the escarpment.
Niagara Falls on the Niagara Escarpment -Source: driftwoodjournals.com
Similar examples of lengthy escarpments can be found worldwide on every continent including Antarctica. And the steepness/sheerness of them can vary too, as the Cody Scarp in northern Florida is comparatively quite mild. However, most escarpments are quite bold, rapidly rising to elevations well above the surrounding terrain. The sharp change can often be measured in hundreds or thousands of feet.
In several cases, hiking trails or scenic byways have been developed along or near the rim of these magnificent natural features, providing amazing visiting fr those trekking them. Blue Ridge Parkway, Mogollon Rim Road and Skyline Drive are examples of scenic byways while the Knobstone Trail in Indiana and the developing Mogollon Rim Trail in Arizona are hiking routes.
Knobstone Hiking Trail in Indiana – Source: Indianaoutfitters.com
For proposes of this post a minimum length of 10 miles was required and escarpments which are primarily situated underwater (ocean/sea/lake, etc.) are not included. Those shown in italics the author has seen or traveled across. Peace!
Great Escarpment of Southern Africa = 3,107 miles/5,000 km Great Southern Africa Escarpment (gray line) – Source: reserachgate.net Drakensberg portion of the Great Southern Africa Escarpment in South
Africa – Source: alexnail.com
2. Great Escarpment (Oceania) = 2,200 miles/3,600 km
Great Australian Escarpment (red) – Source: researchgate.net
3. Grande Escarpa do Brasil (South America) = 1,600 miles/2,600 km
Source: sarthaks.com
4. Niagara Escarpment (North America) = 1,000 miles/1609 km
Niagara Escarpment – Source: Waterloo.ca
5. Atlantic Seaboard Fall Line (North America) = 900 miles/1,400 km
Fall Line (thicker red line) – Source: alchetron,com
6. Portage Escarpment (North America) ~ 653 miles/1051 km
Portage Escarpment – Source: kids.kiddle.co
7-8. Darling Scarp (Oceania) and Madagascar East Coast Escarpment (Africa) = 620 miles/1,000 km
9. Blue Ridge Escarpment (North America) = 550 miles/885 km
10. Tuwaiq Escarpment (Asia) = 500 miles/800 km
11. Zambezi Escarpment (Africa) = 497 miles/800 km
12. Manitoba/Pembina Escarpment (North America) = 419 miles/675 km
13-14. Sierra Escarpment (North America) = 400 miles/644 km Balcones Escarpment (North America) ~ 400 miles/644 km
Balcones and Caprock Escarpments in Texas – Source: weather.gov
15. Book Cliffs Escarpment (North America) = 250 miles/402 km *longest continuous escarpment in the world
16-17. Caprock Escarpment (North America) and Mogollon Rim (North America) = 200 miles/320 km
Source: i0wp.com
18. Usas Escarpment (Antarctica) = 199 miles/320 km
19. Roan Cliffs Escarpment (North America) = 190 miles/306 km – separate escarpment atop the Book Cliffs Escarpment
20. Allegheny Front (North America) = 180 miles/290 km
21. Western Andean Escarpment (South America) = 155 miles/250 km
22. North Downs Chalk Escarpment = 153 miles/246 km
23. Knobstone Escarpment (North America) = 150 miles/241 km
24. Nullarbor Scarp (Oceania) = 130 miles/210 km
25. Missouri Escarpment (North America) = 100 miles/161 km
26-27. Bandiagara Escarpment (Africa) and Vermillion-Echo Cliffs Escarpment (North America) = 90 miles/160 km
Clearly defined Vermillion Cliffs (left) and Echo Cliffs (right) – Source: maps.google.com
28. South Downs Chalk Escarpment (Europe) = 68 miles/110 km
29. Onondaga Escarpment (North America) = 62 miles/100km
30. Illawarra Escarpment (Oceania) = 57 miles/92 km
31-32. Lincoln/Trent Cliff (Europe) and Mescalero Ridge (North America) = 50 miles/80 km
33. Chiltern Escarpment (Europe) = 45 miles/72 km
34. Côte d’Or (Europe) = 30 miles/48 km
35. Catskills Escarpment (North America) = 24 miles/38 km
36. Palisades Escarpment (North America) = 20 miles/34 km
37. Wenlock Edge (Europe) = 19 miles/31 km
38. Chinese Wall Escarpment (North America) = 12 miles/19 km
Chinese Wall Escarpment in Montana – Source: pinterest.com
39-40. Duluth Escarpment (North America) and Black Mountain Escarpment (Europe) = 11 miles/18 km
Portions of the Niagara and Onondaga Escarpments in New York – Source: falzguy.com
Other Escarpments – More Information Needed
- Cody Scarp (North America)
- Elgeyo Escarpement (Africa)
- Eardley Escarpment (North America) = 40+ km
- Kaimai Escarpment (Oceania)
- Muldraugh Hill Escarpment (North America)
- Pottsville/Cumberland Escarpment (North America)
- Sharon Escarpment (Asia)
- Gotland–Saaremaa Klint (Europe) = 180+ km
- Wulian Feng (Asia)
SOURCES:
https://panethos.wordpress.com/2024/01/11/natures-sheer-cliffs-the-worlds-longest-escarpments/
#bluffs #cliffs #ecology #ecosystems #environment #escarpments #geology #hiking #history #landUse #mountains #planning #rims #topology #travel
💧🌏 Greg Cocks
Panethos
