Flaming Geyser State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Flaming Geyser State Park |
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| Flaming Geyser | |
The Flaming Geyser. It burned significantly higher before the 1960s.
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 Flaming Geyser State Park
Location in Washington (state)
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| Location | King County, Washington, Washington, USA |
| Nearest city | Black Diamond, Washington |
| Area | 503 acres (204 ha) |
| Elevation | 226 |
| Governing body | Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission |
| Website | Flaming Geyser State Park |
The Flaming Geyser State Park is a fun place located on the Green River in southwestern King County, Washington. It is close to the city of Black Diamond, Washington. The park got its name from a special flame that used to burn from a concrete pipe. This flame was fueled by natural methane gas found about 1,000 feet underground!
When people were looking for coal in the early 1900s, they drilled a test hole. Instead of coal, they hit gas and saltwater. This shot water and flames about 25 feet into the air! The same methane gas also seeps through a mud hole nearby. This creates the "Bubbling Geyser." You can find both "geysers" along a short walking path. However, since 2016, the flaming geyser is no longer lit. This is because its methane gas source has mostly run out.
Even without the flame, many people visit the park. It is very popular for summer activities like tubing and rafting on the river. Flaming Geyser also has a special area. Here, people can fly remote-controlled model airplanes.
Park History
Flaming Geyser was first run by private owners. This was from the 1920s until the 1960s. At that time, the park faced money problems. There was a risk that the land would be sold for building homes. To prevent this, the Washington State Parks bought the land. They have managed the park ever since.
Some stories say that a miner named Eugene Lawson wanted to make money from the burning methane. Lawson was a real miner who owned a mine between 1895 and 1898. But there is not much information connecting him directly to Flaming Geyser.
Park Management
The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission manages Flaming Geyser State Park. It is part of a larger area called the Green River Gorge State Park Conservation Area. This conservation area is very big. It covers about 2,008 acres (8.1 square kilometers). It also includes about 18 miles (29 kilometers) of river shoreline.
Flaming Geyser is on the western side of this area. Kanaskat-Palmer State Park is on the eastern side. The conservation area also includes other interesting places. These are the Black Diamond Heritage Area and the Old Town of Franklin Heritage Area. It also has the Hanging Gardens Recreation Area, Walter A. Jellum Recreation Area, and Nolte State Park.
Nature in the Park
The park itself is about 503 acres (2 square kilometers) in size. It has over 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) of river shoreline. This area is known for its coal and cinnabar mines. About 14% of Washington's coal used to come from the Black Diamond area.
The Green River is a great spot for fishing, especially for steelhead fish in the winter. There is also a special trail in the park. It is called the Salmon Interpretative Trail. This trail is easy to access for everyone. It helps visitors learn more about the salmon and their importance to the river's environment.
