gorge

A gorge is a narrow opening between hillsides or mountains that can be used for passage. It is a type of landform created primarily by river erosion. While tectonic activity can create valleys before a river occupies them, most valleys, including gorges and canyons, are formed by the river itself carving into the landscape. These dramatic features often result from accelerated erosion due to vertical uplift, such as the formation of the Grand Canyon in the United States. Gorges can also be formed when rivers cut across resistant rock ridges, sometimes due to faults or antecedent valleys that predate the uplift.123