Geologic Wonders
From the volcano–dominated landscape of the southern Cascade Mountains to the steep, rugged slopes of the Klamath Mountains, the Klamath National Forest provides an opportunity to discover a strikingly diverse assemblage of geologic features.
The relatively young (30 million years to recent) volcanic activity in the Cascade and Modoc Plateau Provinces is evident from the glass flows, cinder cones and a string of volcanoes, including from north to south; Eagle Rock, Willow Creek Mountain, Goosenest, and the Whaleback. Mount Shasta dominates the landscape immediately south of the Whaleback. This stratovolcano is a snow–capped 14,162 foot mountain which is located on the Shasta–Trinity National Forest. The Mesozoic, Paleozoic, and Proterozoic rocks of the rugged central Klamath Mountains were formed over the past 65–565 million years. They were extensively metamorphosed, faulted and folded while being accreted onto the western margin of the continent and later intruded by granitic bodies. This combination of geologic settings creates an opportunity to observe the consequences of numerous earth–forming processes including landslides, tree molds in lava flows, glass flows, pillow lavas, and a perennial snow field. The geologic special interest areas on the Klamath National Forest have been designated to provide a distinct recreation experience that will reveal stunning vistas and the natural processes important in sculpting these varied landscapes.
Goosenest Ranger District
- Ash Creek Butte Fossil Rock Glacier Geologic Area
- Fourmile Hill Tree Molds Geologic Area
- Hole in the Ground Geologic Area
- Little Glass Mountain Geologic Area
- Medicine Lake Glass Flow Geologic Area
- Pumice Crater and Crater Glass Flow Geologic Area
Happy Camp/Oak Knoll Ranger District
- Condrey Mountain Blueschist Geologic Area
- Condrey Mountain Schist Type Section Geologic Area
- Elk Lick Pond Geologic Area
- Little Grider Landslide Geologic Area
Salmon/Scott River Ranger District
- Cabin Meadow Pillow Lava Geologic Area
- Caesar Peak Perennial Snowfield Geologic Area
- Cement Banks Geologic Area
- Coffee Creek Stream Capture Geologic Area
- North Russian Landslide Dam Geologic Area