Trail To The Crater Amboy Crater Allow yourself a minimum of 3 hours hiking Volcanic Features CALIFORNIA time. Located 1.1 miles from the day use Amboy Crater, formed of ash and cinders, Is Amboy Crater is a good place to observe various area, the cone Is one-mile in circumferenc( 250 feet high and 1,500 feet in diameter. It Is volcanic features. Look for the Round trip is roughly 3 miies. Follow the trail situated in one of the youngest volcanic following when you are exploring the area: to the west of the cinder cone. This will take fields in the United States. It is located in the "PAHOEHOE FLOW" is a molten material that con Amboy Crater you to a wide opening where an explosive Barstow-Bristol trough, a conspicuous west- tained steam, making It flow more smoothly, creating eruption had breached the crater wall. From northwest trending physiographic feature a surface like rope with a glassy outer skin. here, the climb to the top is an 80-foot inci ne. which approximately straddles the boundary National Natural Due to the extreme heat, it is suggested thiit between the Mojave and Sonoran tectonic "JUMBLES" are subsurface explosions that disrupted Landmark hardened lave flows, hikes be planned between the months of Oc blocks. tober thru April. creating chunks of This field was created by at least 4 distinct volcanic rock. Scenic Overview periods of eruptions, resulting in a coaxially "BOWL-SHAPED if the hike to the crater doesn't appeal to y|>u, nested group of volcanic cinder cones. The DEPRESSIONS" an ADA* compliant shaded platform provic ing most recent eruption of Amboy Crater was were formed as a a scenic view of the crater is located 250 feet approximately 10,000 years ago. result of Inflation from the day use area. of an emplaced, The lava flows consist of basalt rich in miner but still plastic, curst by molten Photography als of magnesium, iron, and calcium. Upon lava around a gen Photographers love this area in the spring close examination, you may be able to see 'U,' eral void in the minute green-colored olivine crystals. The The crater and surrounding area provides flow. There are backdrop of desert lilies, pink primroses, ^nd red color indicates the presence of ferric iron twelve depressions purple sand verbena. and is a result of steam on heated rocks. throughout the lava field, ranging ■ - • Amboy Crater is located on public land man Leave No Trace from 25 to 300 feet Enjoy your visit and help minimize Impacti by aged by the Bureau of Land Management. Its in diameter and 4 staying on designated routes to reduce | recent origin and its near perfect shape led to to 40 feet In depth. its designation as a National Natural Land erosion, packing out litter, respecting others, "PRESSURE RIDGES" are long, narrow ridges where mark in 1973. Bureau of Land Management and leaving natural and cultural resources; as large slabs of lava buckled due to pressure from the molten lava Needles Field Office you find them. Facilities at the crater consist of a day use flowing under a hardened crust. 1303 South U.S. Hwy 95 area with interpretive kiosk,four shaded pic Needles, CA 92363 Organized Groups nic tables, two vault toilets and a shaded sce "SQUEEZE-UPS" are bulbous extrusions formed from iava squeezing up through cracks. If you are planning a visit to the crater witi i an nic overlook of the area. Facilities and the Phone: (760)326-7000 organized group, please contact the BLM overlook are connected by a series of con "LAVA TUBES" are not known to be present in any of office at (760)326-7000 at least 180 days in crete walkways and are all wheel-chair acces the flows, a few lava Fax; (760)326-7099 advance to see if a permit Is necessary. sible. channels are present. www.blm.gov/ca/needles The closest facilities for gas are Amboy CA, 2 Low-lying areas on the flow are filled with windblown ^American with Disabilities Act miles east of the crater, Ludlow, CA,30 miles sediments which range from a few Inches to more than 3 feet thick. Sand-blasting is prevalent over the Public Lands USA: Use, Share, Appreciate west or Fenner, CA,42 miles east. Please entire flow, and wind-faceted pebbles of basalt are BLM/CA/Gl-2000/014+8322 REV.6/07 plan your trip accordingly. common. .