Vantage in Kittitas County, Washington — The American West (Northwest)

Buried by Enormous Lava Floods

Photographed by Duane Hall, August 24, 2010

1. Buried by Enormous Lava Floods Marker

Inscription. Millions of years ago, some of the largest lava flows on earth poured over this area again and again. Enormous floods of molten lava flowed out from long, parallel vents, burying the area in more than 5,000 feet of basalt.

In all, more than 300 individual lava flows inundated parts of the Columbia Basin. One of these, called the Gingko flow, buried ancient Vantage Lake under a thick layer of basalt. Water-soaked logs in the lake were slowly petrified, forever preserving them as stone.

Setting the Stage
The cake-like layers of basalt built the foundation of the region. When the Ice Age floods swept across eastern Washington and down the Columbia River, they carved long, steep-walled flood channels deep into the basalt bedrock.

(Map Caption)
More than 40,000 cubic miles of basalt lava covered parts of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.

(Photo Caption)
Several layers of basalt are visible in the cliffs along both sides of the Columbia River.

Erected by Washington State Parks.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Natural Features.

Location. 46° 57.284′ N,

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119° 59.297′ W. Marker is in Vantage, Washington, in Kittitas County. It can be reached from Ginkgo Avenue half a mile north of Vantage Highway. Marker is located at the interpretive center for the Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park; a entrance fee may be required. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Vantage WA 98950, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Washington’s Columbia Basin and in Yakima Valley.

It is also in the American Mountain West

and in the Lewis & Clark Corridor.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Cascade Range,

the Pacific Rim,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Welcome to Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park (here, next to this marker); In the Path of Cataclysmic Floods (within shouting distance of this marker); Explore Massive Floodscapes! (within shouting distance of this marker); A Living Landscape (within shouting distance of this marker); Carving Out Basalt Layers (within shouting

Basalt Flows in Washington and Oregon image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Duane Hall, August 24, 2010

2. Basalt Flows in Washington and Oregon

Close-up of map on marker

distance of this marker); Here and Gone (within shouting distance of this marker); The Wanapums (approx. 1.2 miles away); Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park (approx. 1.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Vantage.

Also see . . . Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park - Wikipedia entry. (Submitted on May 2, 2015.)

Basalt Layers Along the Columbia River image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Duane Hall, August 24, 2010

3. Basalt Layers Along the Columbia River

View to northeast from marker location

Ginkgo Petrified Forest Interpretive Trails image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Duane Hall, August 24, 2010

4. Ginkgo Petrified Forest Interpretive Trails

Located two miles west of marker location on Vantage Highway

Petrified Log of a Douglas Fir image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Duane Hall, August 24, 2010

5. Petrified Log of a Douglas Fir

On the Ginkgo Petrified Forest Interpretive Trails

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on May 2, 2015, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas. This page has been viewed 610 times since then and 30 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on May 2, 2015, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas.

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