Cania Gorge is an ancient place. The gorge was carved out of sandstone by the slow action of water. About 200 million years ago this area was part of a low plain. Over time, the sand and other sediments were compressed into layers of rock, including one known as Precipice Sandstone. Then, about 50 million years ago, forces under the Earth’s crust tilted the layers slightly and caused them to crack, creating a fault line. Run-off from rainwater began to seep southward along the fault-line, eroding the Precipice Sandstone.