Southern Appalachian Digital Collections

Western Carolina University (20) View all

Glimpses of our National Monuments

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  • 16 OUR NATIONAL MONUMENTS wild barley and a few stunted pinon trees. The older lava in the southern part supports a sparse growth of grass, brush, and stunted pines, and in the spring some delicately tinted wild flowers. The lava tunnels and caves are perhaps the most interesting features to visitors. The tunnels, some of which are 30 feet in diameter and several hundred feet long, were formed by lava flowing out from under an already hardened crust which was strong enough to remain standing. In them are beautiful blue and red lava stalactites and stalagmites, and other unusual formations. Cinder Cones in Craters of the Moon National Monument Although the area is semiarid, and the entire rainfall either sinks at once into the ground or evaporates, water is easily available to the visitor in three interesting ways. Near the Bottomless Pit, for instance, there is a natural ice well. Here, 30 feet inside the throat of an extinct crater, is a pile of snow about 8 feet high, which, owing to its protected location, remains unmelted throughout the year. This is reached by means of a ladder, and ice water or snow may be had at any time. Another unusual supply of water comes from springs in volcanic pits. In one of these springs the
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Object’s are ‘parent’ level descriptions to ‘children’ items, (e.g. a book with pages).