Red Mountain (Coconino County, Arizona) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Red Mountain |
|
|---|---|
Red Mountain in winter. Snow outlines the eroded amphitheater, which may have resulted from a steam-blast explosion
|
|
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 7,968 ft (2,429 m) NGVD 29 |
| Prominence | 1,005 ft (306 m) |
| Geography | |
 Red Mountain
Location in Arizona
|
|
| Location | Coconino County, Arizona, U.S. |
| Topo map | USGS Chapel Mountain |
| Geology | |
| Mountain type | cinder cone |
| Volcanic field | San Francisco volcanic field |
Red Mountain is a special kind of volcano called a cinder cone. It's located in the Coconino National Forest in northern Arizona, United States. This mountain is about 25 miles northwest of Flagstaff.
Red Mountain stands about 1,000 feet (300 meters) tall compared to the land around it. It has a unique "U" shape when you look at it from above, with the open part facing west. Scientists from the USGS and Northern Arizona University believe Red Mountain was formed by volcanic eruptions nearly 740,000 years ago.
How Red Mountain Formed
Red Mountain is part of the San Francisco volcanic field, an area with many volcanoes. It's famous for its bright red color and its "U" shape. This mountain grew from a volcanic vent, which is like a natural opening in the Earth's surface. This vent is now hidden under the mountain's intact "U" shape.
The way the mountain formed suggests that lava might have flowed out unevenly. This could be because of strong winds blowing from west to east during the eruption. Or, later lava flows might have carried material away to the east.
The Mystery of the "U" Shape
The large, bowl-shaped area inside the "U" is called an amphitheater. How it got there is a bit of a mystery! Most scientists think it was created by a powerful steam explosion. This might have happened when rainwater fell on hot volcanic ash and rocks. The water turned into superheated steam, causing a huge blast.
The strong, cemented rocks that make up the "U" walls might also have formed when rainwater mixed with the hot cinders. Chemical reactions from this heated rainwater could also explain why the cinders have different colors.
What You Can Find on the Trail
If you walk along the trail into the amphitheater, you might see small, black, shiny grains. People sometimes mistake these for "Apache's tears," which are a type of obsidian (volcanic glass). However, these grains are actually large crystals of pyroxene and amphibole, which are common minerals found in volcanic rocks.
