Lava Beds National Monument
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Lava Beds National Monument
Northeastern California
Lava Beds National Monument is located in Siskiyou and Modoc Counties, California; it is the site of the largest concentration of lava tube caves in North America. It was established as a United States National Monument on November 21, 1925. The monument lies on the northeast flank of the Medicine Lake Volcano, the largest volcano in the Cascade Range. The region in and around the monument is unique because it lies on the junction of the Sierra-Klamath, Cascade, and Great Basin physiographic provinces. In addition, the monument is geologically outstanding because of its great variety of “textbook” volcanic formations such as lava tube caves, fumaroles, cinder cones, spatter cones, maars, and lava flows. Over 30 separate lava flows located in the park are thought to range in age from 2,000,000 years BC to 1,110 years BC.
Photo from VisitCWC.com
Uniqueness
Lava Beds is a land of confusion, both geologically and historically. Over the last half-million years, volcanic eruptions on the Medicine Lake shield volcano have created a rugged landscape dotted with diverse volcanic features. There are more than 700 caves, Native American rock art sites, historic battlefields, campsites, and a high desert wilderness experience that anticipate your adventure.
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