Boars Tusk facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Boars Tusk |
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 7,101 ft (2,164 m) |
| Prominence | 397 ft (121 m) |
| Geography | |
 Boars Tusk
Location in Wyoming
Boars Tusk
Location in the United States
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| Location | Sweetwater County, Wyoming, U.S. |
| Parent range | Leucite Hills |
| Topo map | USGS Boars Tusk |
Boars Tusk is a unique rock formation in southwestern Wyoming, USA. It's what's left of a very old, extinct volcano. This tall, isolated peak stands about 7,101 ft (2,164 m) (2,164 meters) high. It rises dramatically about 400 ft (120 m) (122 meters) above the flat land around it.
Boars Tusk is located in the Green River Basin. It is about 26.2 mi (42.2 km) (42.2 km) north of the city of Rock Springs. Another landmark, White Mountain, is found about 3.0 mi (4.8 km) (4.8 km) to its west.
What is Boars Tusk?
Boars Tusk is not a whole volcano anymore. Instead, it is an isolated remnant of a volcano that stopped erupting a very long time ago. It is linked to the Leucite Hills area, which is to its east. Over millions of years, wind and water have worn away most of the volcano.
The Volcanic Neck
What we see today as Boars Tusk is mainly the volcano's "neck." Imagine a volcano like a giant bottle. The neck is the part where the magma (melted rock) used to flow up to the surface. This neck is made of a special type of rock called lamproite. This rock is very strong and resists erosion, which is why it's still standing while the rest of the volcano has disappeared.
How Old is Boars Tusk?
Scientists have studied rock samples from Boars Tusk. They found that the rocks are about 2.5 million years old. This means the volcano was active and then became extinct a very long time ago, during a period called the Early Pleistocene.
