The Volcano

Feeling extra adventurous huh...you sure are if you plan on visiting an active volcano!

NPS Graphic

Hear that loud rumbling? It's the volcano! This volcanic complex is the result of subduction between a tectonic plate called the Farallon plate (now the Juan de Fuca plate) beneath the North American plate. This partial subduction allows for magma from the Earth's mantle to come up to the surface. Magma is molten rock beneath earth's surface, and it's lighter than the surrounding rock. When there's an opening or vent at the surface, magma can travel up to that opening and forms a volcano.

The type of volcanoes once active in this region were stratovolcanoes or conical composite volcanoes which have highly explosive eruptions of lava, volcanic ash and debris flows, so be careful! The reason why they have violent eruptions is because the magma inside of the volcano has high gas and silica (SiO₂) content. Learn more about the volcanoes here and the different types of rocks in the area.

Choose what you want to do below.

 

Watch out for erupting volcanic ash!

NPS

 

What do you want to do at the Guffey Volcano?

• Explore around the volcano (Coming soon)
• Get a bird's eye view of the volcano
• Observe the rocks in the area (Coming soon)