Shoshone Volcano
Idaho (Canada and USA (mainland)), 43.18°N / -114.35°W
Current status: normal or dormant (1 out of 5)
The Shoshone or Black Butte lava field is the westernmost of the young lava fields of the Eastern Snake River Plain. It lies north of Twin Falls, Idaho and created an L-shaped lava flow 2-to-5 km in width that extends 60 km S and then west.
The last activity from Shoshone volcano has been radiocarbon dated at 10,130 +/- 350 years ago, at the end of the last ice age.
Other interesting features in the area include:
Black Butte Crater: a small lava shield that lies at the NE end of the flow field, with a complex. A frozen lava lake at the vent can be seen, covering the floor of a 6-part flower-petal like depression with steep-sided walls up to 30 m high that covers an area of 2 sq km.
Lava tubes: A system of lava tubes and channels, with still intact portions are found 5 km SE of Black Butte Crater.
Big Wood and Little Wood rivers now follow the distal northern and southern margins of lava flow. The voluminous flow diverted the river channels so that they now join 40 km west of their former confluence.
Shoshone volcano eruptions: 8400 BC ± 300 years