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Black Butte Crater Lava Field

Shield volcano · United States · 1478m

One of a series of interlocking craters forming the complex summit of Black Butte, the vent of the Shoshone lava field, is seen here from the summit of the butte. The broad, low Shoshone shield volcano fed voluminous lava flows that traveled a small distance north towards the Mount Bennett Hills in the background, but the bulk of the flows traveled initially south and then west for a total distance of 60 km. The Shoshone lava field, erupted about 10,000 years ago, is the westernmost of the young volcanic fields of the Snake River Plain.
One of a series of interlocking craters forming the complex summit of Black Butte, the vent of the Shoshone lava field, is seen here from the summit of the butte. The broad, low Shoshone shield volcano fed voluminous lava flows that traveled a small distance north towards the Mount Bennett Hills in the background, but the bulk of the flows traveled initially south and then west for a total distance of 60 km. The Shoshone lava field, erupted about 10,000 years ago, is the westernmost of the young volcanic fields of the Snake River Plain. · Photo: Photo by Lee Siebert, 2002 (Smithsonian Institution).
Type
Shield volcano
Country
United States
Region
North America Volcanic Regions / Yellowstone-Snake River Hotspot Volcano Group
Elevation
1478m
Coordinates
43.185, -114.354
Last eruption
-8180
Tectonic setting
Rift zone / Continental crust (> 25 km)
Landform
Shield
Major rock type
Basalt / Picro-Basalt
Geological summary

The Black Butte Crater lava field is the westernmost of the young lava fields of the Eastern Snake River Plain. It lies north of Twin Falls, Idaho, and created an L-shaped lava flow 2-5 km wide that extends 60 km S and then west. A single radiocarbon age of 10,130 +/- 350 years BP was obtained for lava flows here (Kuntz et al., 1986). Black Butte Crater caps a lava shield at the NE end of the flow field. The vent area contains a complex lava lake that forms a six-part flower-petal like depression with steep walls up to 30 m high that covers an area of 2 km2. A lava tube and channel system extending 5 km SE of the crater displays both roofed and collapsed portions. The Big Wood and Little Wood rivers follow the northern and southern margins of the distal part of the lava flow, respectively. The voluminous flow diverted the river channels so that they now join 40 km W of their former confluence.

Eruption history

Summary (VEI over time)
Click a bar to see individual eruptions
8180 BCE~8180 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI 08180 BCE8180 BCE8179 BCE8179 BCE8179 BCE

Detailed timeline

  1. 8180 BCE (±350 yrs)VEI 0Geological estimate
    BCE 8180 – Ongoing
    Black Butte Crater

External links

⚠ For reference only. Not for emergency response.