Lake Lenore Caves State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake Lenore Caves State Park |
|
|---|---|
A rock shelter in the park
|
|
 Lake Lenore Caves State Park
Location in Washington (state)
|
|
| Location | Grant, Washington, United States |
| Area | 155 acres (63 ha) |
| Operator | Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission |
| Property information from Grant County assessor | |
Lake Lenore Caves State Park is a cool place in Washington. It's a Washington State Park found in the Lenore Canyon. This canyon stretches from the shore of Lake Lenore up into the hills.
The park is also part of the amazing Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail. This trail helps you explore places shaped by giant floods from long ago.
Discover Lake Lenore Caves
Lake Lenore Caves State Park is known for its unique "caves." These aren't typical deep caves. Instead, they are rock shelters. Imagine huge overhangs in the cliffs where people could find shelter.
The park covers about 155 acres. It's a great spot to learn about geology and ancient history. You can explore the rock shelters and see how nature shaped this land.
How the Caves Formed
The rock shelters and Lake Lenore itself were created by something incredible. Giant floods, called the Missoula floods, carved out this area. These floods happened during the Ice Age.
Imagine huge walls of water rushing across the land! These floods were so powerful. They wore away the soft rock under hard basalt cliffs. Basalt is a strong volcanic rock. This process created the cool overhangs and shelters you see today.
The same floods also created the Channeled Scablands. This is a unique landscape in Washington. It has deep channels and bare rock areas. It's all thanks to the power of those ancient floods.
Ancient Visitors: Native American History
Long, long ago, people used these rock shelters. Native Americans found them to be good places for shelter. They used the caves for protection from the weather.
You can still see signs of these ancient visitors. Some of the caves have petroglyphs. These are ancient rock carvings. They tell stories or show symbols from the people who lived there centuries ago. It's like a peek into the past!
