USA/CA: Devils Postpile National Monument
Devils Postpile National Monument is a spectacular example of the volcanic columnar basalt formations in the eastern Sierra Nevada mountains of California. The lava flows happened here around hundred thousand years ago and the flowing lava solidified into hexa- to octagon-shaped columns that look absolutely otherworldly, like something created by the Devil himself. Estimates of the original formation’s thickness range from 400 feet (120 m) to 600 feet (180 m), and because of such great thickness, much of the lava cooled very slowly and evenly, which resulted in the columns being long and very symmetrical. The Devils Postpile’s columns average 2 feet (0.61 m) in diameter, the largest being 3.5 feet (1.1 m), and many are up to 60 feet (18 m) long. The hiking trail goes along the entire structure with stunning views of this natural wonder of the world.
