The Jordan Craters in Oregon are a unique and fascinating geological feature located in the high desert of southeastern Oregon. These craters were formed around 15,000 years ago during the Pleistocene era, when a massive volcanic eruption occurred in the area. The resulting lava flows covered an area of approximately 100 square miles, creating a series of craters and other geological features that are still visible today.
The Jordan Craters are located in a remote and isolated area, and are not easily accessible by road. However, they can be reached by hiking or driving off-road vehicles over rough terrain. The craters are surrounded by sparse vegetation, including sagebrush and other desert plants, and are home to a variety of wildlife, including jackrabbits, coyotes, and rattlesnakes.
There are several different types of craters at the Jordan Craters, including cinder cones, spatter cones, and lava tubes. Cinder cones are small, steep-sided volcanoes that are formed when volcanic ash and cinders are ejected into the air and then fall back to the ground, forming a cone-shaped structure. Spatter cones are similar to cinder cones, but are formed when lava is ejected into the air and falls back to the ground, forming a cone-shaped structure. Lava tubes are underground channels that are formed when the surface of a lava flow cools and solidifies, while the molten lava continues to flow beneath the surface, creating a hollow tube.
One of the most striking features of the Jordan Craters is the Great Rift, a massive fissure in the earth's surface that runs for over 30 miles through the area. The Great Rift is thought to have been created by the massive volcanic eruption that formed the craters, and is now a popular spot for hikers and off-road enthusiasts.
Despite its remote location, the Jordan Craters have a rich history and are an important part of the cultural and natural heritage of southeastern Oregon. They are a testament to the power of Mother Nature and the forces that shape our planet, and are well worth a visit for anyone interested in geology or the natural beauty of the high desert.
Classic USGS Jordan Craters North Oregon 7.5'x7.5' Topo Map
The flows dammed local river valley, forming the two small Upper and Lower Cow Lakes at the SE end of the lava field. Encompassing several lava flows of varying ages, the area shows how nature reclaims the flows using wind and water erosion as well as vegetation. Even with this possible historic activity, Jordan Craters has been assessed to pose a very low threat, ranking 148 out of 161 U. Jordan Craters is a monogenetic volcanic field in southeast Oregon. Support us - Help us upgrade our services! Jordan Craters in SE Oregon is a field of well-preserved basaltic lava flows and scoria cones covering 250 sq km.
Jordan Craters Volcano, Oregon (Canada and USA (mainland))
The geology of Jordan Craters, Malhuer County, Oregon. A lava pond once filled the crater and broke through and rafted away part of the cone. Seattle: The Mountaineers Books. Geological Survey Bulletin 217, 83 p. Sometimes the lava flowed around points of higher land, leaving the vegetated kipukas.
The campground is set in a crested wheatgrass seeding, and cattle have free range among the picnic tables. The excellent preservation of primary eruptive and flow features and a nearly total lack of soil and vegetation development suggest that Jordan Craters is younger than the most recent eruptions at nearby Considering this general chronology and archaeological evidence from throughout the Owyhee Uplands, it is fair to suggest that early Native inhabitants may have witnessed the main Jordan Craters eruptions. Fluid basalt outflow from Coffeepot Crater was fed by lava pond spillover and an extensive tube system that infilled topographic lows to build a prominent smooth to hummocky to ropy surfaced pahoehoe flow field that extended up to 10 miles from the crater. Special thanks to Rosemary Kenney. Cambridge University Press, p.
The terrain is essentially too rugged for domestic livestock. One particular petroglyph site, which stands guard over a portion of the Jordan Craters lava flow field, presumably overlooked important hunting and gathering grounds in ancient wetlands prior to basalt emplacement. Volcanically speaking, Jordan Craters may well not be extinct. If only they could be trained to use those fancy outhouses. Coffeepot Crater, shown above, was one of the main vents. Map scale may vary for some years, but is generally around 1:24,000.
Coffeepot Crater is the most prominent feature in Jordan Craters. University of Nevada Press, p. Jordan Craters is an otherworldly place, beautiful and foreboding, an outdoor museum of recent basalt volcanism amid sagebrush steppe rangeland. A regional settlement system approach to petroglyphs: application to the Owyhee Uplands, southeastern Oregon. Additionally, the lack of lichen colonization in an 18-acre area within the main basalt flow field may indicate that minor eruptive activity occurred on the order of a century ago.
Because of the open water of the lakes and marshes, one also finds beaver, otter, and muskrat. Maintaining our website and our free apps does require, however, considerable time and resources. Final report to Bureau of Land Management for contract YA551-CT5-340075, 71 p. Scientists have discovered 18 acres of the bare lava that's really bare—no lichens and mosses. Sage grouse, mule deer, and pronghorn can often be seen herds of the latter sometimes swim at night to the island in Lower Cow Lake and can be seen in the moonlight. The water is concentrated in a few spots like Upper Cow, Lower Cow, Batch, and Crater Lakes, which are the most diverse and are stops for migratory waterfowl.
Late Holocene environments on the northern periphery of the Great Basin. That means this part of the flow is less than a hundred years old. Located about eighteen miles northwest of the town of Together with pristine basalt volcanic features, this seemingly unforgiving terrain supports localized habitats that are rich in fauna, earning it a designation as a Israel C. Contains the following named places: Bench Reservoir, Blowout Reservoir, Blue Canyon Reservoir, Claude Reservoir, Coffeepot Crater, Coffeepot Reservoir, George Ranch, Glover Reservoir, Groundhog Reservoir, Holdout Reservoir, The Pinnacle Ranch Airstrip, Wild Rose Reservoir. Printed on high-quality waterproof paper with UV fade-resistant inks, and shipped rolled.
Age and duration of volcanic activity at Diamond Craters, southeastern Oregon. BLM brochure, Chitwood, L. What To Do There are two major visitor entrances: Cow Lakes and Coffeepot Crater. Notes on the Geology of southwestern Idaho and southeastern Oregon. They provide excellent and diverse wildlife habitats.
Over time, and assuming no more volcanic events, some day in the far distant future the flows won't be recognizable to the untrained eye. Hence the vegetation is pristine. To the geologic connoisseur, each tells a separate story. Geological Survey national volcanic threat assessment. The Caxton Printers, Ltd. Jordan Craters is known for its excellent exposures of a wide variety of lava flow features similar to Idaho's Snake River Plain to the east. Ore Bin Oregon Geology , v.
