Allegheny Plateau

The Allegheny Plateau (/ˌælɪˈɡeɪni/ AL-ig-AY-nee) is a large dissected plateau area of the Appalachian Mountains in western and central New York, northern and western Pennsylvania, northern and western West Virginia, and eastern Ohio. It is divided into the unglaciated Allegheny Plateau and the glaciated Allegheny Plateau.

Map of the Allegheny Plateau with the gray line differentiating the glaciated (northern) and unglaciated (southern) sections of the plateau

The plateau extends southward into western West Virginia, eastern Kentucky, and Tennessee, where it is instead called the Cumberland Plateau.

The plateau is bordered on the west by glacial till plains in the north, generally north of the Ohio River, and the Bluegrass Region south of the Ohio River. Elevations vary greatly across the region, with some areas reaching over 4,000 feet (1,200 m) tall.

Geology and physiography

Canisteo River Valley from Pinnacle State Park in Steuben County, New York. Glaciation in this area of the plateau removed the sharp relief that is seen in the plateau's unglaciated areas. The line of the distant peaks approximates the level of a peneplain that was uplifted to form the plateau.

The Allegheny Plateau is a part of the larger Appalachian Plateau province. This province itself belongs to the even bigger Appalachian physiographic division. It is a big, mostly flat area that has been shaped over time, making it interesting to study.

Geology and physiography

Images

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