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Medicine Lake Volcano

Updated: Apr 29, 2025 16:53 GMT -
shield volcano
California (Canada and USA (mainland)), 41.58°N / -121.57°W
Summit height: 2,414 m / 7,921 ft
Current status: normal or dormant (1 out of 5)

Medicine Lake is a large shield volcano in northeastern California about 50 km (30 mi) northeast of Mount Shasta, rising about 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) above the Modoc Plateau to an elevation of 2,376 metres (7,795 ft). It contains a 12 km x 7 km wide caldera.
The shield volcano is composed primarily of basaltic lava flows up to about 1 km thick, but measures 35 from E to W and 45 km from N to S, covering more than 2000 km2. Its sheer weight has bended the underlying strata down by 0.5 km under its center. It contains at least 600 km3 of lava, making it the most voluminous volcano of the Cascades.
Although it probably has not erupted for 1000 years, there have been at least 6 eruptions during the past 4,000 years, and it is likely to erupt again in the future. Its proximity to inhabited towns, roads and other infrastructure, it has been designated a "high threat volcano" by the USGS.
It is believed that the Medicine Lake volcano is fed by many small magma chambers rather than one large one.

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Typical eruption style: effusive
Medicine Lake volcano eruptions: 1910(?), 1080, 890 ± 100, 830, 800(?), 720(?), 50 BC(?), 780 BC ± 100, 1080 BC ± 50, 2410 BC ± 100

Latest nearby earthquakes

Date and TimeMag / DepthDistance / Location

Significant volcanic eruptions: Medicine Lake volcano

No historic eruptions are known from Medicine Lake volcano, but evidence from at least 9 eruptions during the past 10,000 years can be found in the geological record.
There is one uncertain or discredited eruption in 1910 from Medicine Lake volcano.
The table below lists all known eruptions (date in bold face) of Medicine Lake volcano in historic times and during the past 10,000 years. Updates on the most recent volcanic activity of Medicine Lake can be found on the news page of Medicine Lake volcano.
DateNoteVEIDeathsDamage
?? 1910 Jan
Uncertain Eruption
1?
1060 ? ADUpper east flank (Glass Mountain)3?
1010 ? ADSW flank (Little Glass Mountain)3
840 ? ADSW flank (Paint Pot Crater)?
830 ? ADNorth flank?
780 ? ADNE caldera rim (Mt. Hoffman area)?
1000 ? BCSE flank?
1130 ? BCLower north flank (Black Crater)?
3090 BCSE caldera rim?
3190 ? BCNW caldera floor (Medicine Lake Glass flow)?
Remark:
Our list of volcanic eruptions closely follows the database of eruptions of the Smithsonian's Global Volcanism Project (GVP), the internationally most recognized data source for volcanic eruptions, but also includes significant eruptive episodes or related volcano events. "Volcanic eruptions" are usually to be understood as sequences of individual eruptive episodes that can follow each other, or even overlap (if several vents are involved), and can last many years, decades or even longer. For example, the current activity of Stromboli volcano is understood as a single eruption that has been ongoing since 1934.
Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Volcanic Eruptions Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K | Global Volcanism Project / Smithsonian Institution

Medicine Lake Volcano FAQ

+When was the last eruption of Medicine Lake volcano?

+When was the largest eruption of Medicine Lake volcano?

Latest satellite images

MedicineLake satellite image sat1MedicineLake satellite image sat2

Medicine Lake Volcano Maps

Below is a selection of maps showing the location and surroundings of the volcano at various resolutions based on aerial-imagery / terrain maps. Feel free to use them for non-commercial purposes on your blog or website as long as you credit them with a link back to this page (click to copy it).
Satellite/aerial-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (world scale)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (world scale)
Terrain-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (world scale)
Terrain-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (world scale)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (region scale large)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (region scale large)
Terrain-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (region scale large)
Terrain-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (region scale large)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (region scale medium)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (region scale medium)
Terrain-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (region scale medium)
Terrain-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (region scale medium)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (region scale small)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (region scale small)
Terrain-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (region scale small)
Terrain-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (region scale small)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (local scale large)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (local scale large)
Terrain-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (local scale large)
Terrain-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (local scale large)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (local scale medium)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (local scale medium)
Terrain-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (local scale medium)
Terrain-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (local scale medium)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (local scale small)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (local scale small)
Terrain-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (local scale small)
Terrain-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (local scale small)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (scale of 10s of km)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (scale of 10s of km)
Terrain-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (scale of 10s of km)
Terrain-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (scale of 10s of km)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (scale of 20-40 km)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (scale of 20-40 km)
Terrain-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (scale of 20-40 km)
Terrain-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (scale of 20-40 km)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (scale of approx. 10-20 km)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (scale of approx. 10-20 km)
Terrain-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (scale of approx. 10-20 km)
Terrain-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (scale of approx. 10-20 km)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (scale of 5-10 km)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (scale of 5-10 km)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (scale of few kilometers)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Medicine Lake volcano (scale of few kilometers)
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