Tulelake in Siskiyou County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
A Volcanic Classroom
Photographed By Don Morfe, July 2, 2009
1. A Volcanic Classroom Marker
Inscription.
A Volcanic Classroom. . Preserved for its caves and volcanic features since 1925, Lava Beds serves as an outdoor school for professional and amateur geologists alike. While the monument covers only ten percent of the surface area of the massive Medicine Lake shield volcano , the largest in the Cascades Range , it contains excellent examples of the many formations volcanic eruptions can leave behind. Here you can explore dozens of lava tube caves, hike to the top of a cinder cone, peer into a hollow spatter cone, and marvel at wide expanses of jagged lava fields. All these features formed rapidly during eruptive periods as lava exploded into the air or flowed downhill for miles. Though the volcano is a half-million years old, its most recent eruption at Glass Mountain occurred only 900 years ago. This suggests that lava may someday erupt here again, erasing old features and recreating the landscape once more.
Preserved for its caves and volcanic features since 1925, Lava Beds serves as an outdoor school for professional and amateur geologists alike. While the monument covers only ten percent of the surface area of the massive Medicine Lake shield volcano — the largest in the Cascades Range — it contains excellent examples of the many formations volcanic eruptions can leave behind. Here you can explore dozens of lava tube caves, hike to the top of a cinder cone, peer into a hollow spatter cone, and marvel at wide expanses of jagged lava fields. All these features formed rapidly during eruptive periods as lava exploded into the air or flowed downhill for miles. Though the volcano is a half-million years old, its most recent eruption at Glass Mountain occurred only 900 years ago. This suggests that lava may someday erupt here again, erasing old features and recreating the landscape once more.
Erected by National Park Service.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Environment. A significant historical year for this entry is 1925.
Location. 41° 45.894′ N, 121° 33.39′ W. Marker is in Tulelake, California, in Siskiyou County. Marker is on Hill Road (County Route 10), on the left when traveling south. Marker is located within the boundaries
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of Lava Beds National Monument. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Tulelake CA 96134, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on February 12, 2013, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 535 times since then and 13 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on February 12, 2013, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.
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