Craters of the Moon
August 6, 2012: Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve.
"The surface of the moon as seen through a telescope" is how geologist Harold T. Stearns described this area in 1923. Stearns saw a place where "the dark craters and the cold lava [were] nearly destitute of vegetation." In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge established Craters of the Moon National Monument to preserve "a weird and scenic landscape, peculiar to itself."
The craters of Craters of the Moon are definitely of volcanic origin. The vast volumes of lava issued not from one volcano but from long fissures across the Snake River Plain that are known collectively as the "Great Rift." Beginning about 15, 000 years ago, lava welled up from the Great Rift to produce this vast ocean of rock. The most recent eruption occurred a mere 2,000 years ago, and geologists believe that future events are likely.
Read More"The surface of the moon as seen through a telescope" is how geologist Harold T. Stearns described this area in 1923. Stearns saw a place where "the dark craters and the cold lava [were] nearly destitute of vegetation." In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge established Craters of the Moon National Monument to preserve "a weird and scenic landscape, peculiar to itself."
The craters of Craters of the Moon are definitely of volcanic origin. The vast volumes of lava issued not from one volcano but from long fissures across the Snake River Plain that are known collectively as the "Great Rift." Beginning about 15, 000 years ago, lava welled up from the Great Rift to produce this vast ocean of rock. The most recent eruption occurred a mere 2,000 years ago, and geologists believe that future events are likely.