Coso Volcanic Field
Coso Volcanic Field is a highly active basaltic volcanic area in California, characterized by fissure eruptions, geothermal vents, and a landscape shaped by pyroclastics and lava flows.
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Geography
| Continent | North America |
|---|---|
| Region | Western United States |
| Subregion | Great Basin |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Inyo County |
| District | Coso Range |
| Timezone | AmericaLos Angeles |
| Latitude | 36.06 |
| Longitude | -117.98 |
| Maps |
8:32 PM LOCAL TIMECoso Volcanic Field spans roughly 450 square kilometers across the Inyo-Mono border region in California, lying northwest of Owens Lake and northeast of Death Valley. The field is one of the most geothermally active volcanic systems in the western United States, with extensive geothermal power plants exploiting high-temp hydrothermal reservoirs. Eruptive activity has been primarily basaltic, occurring via fissure vents, small shield eruptions, and lava flows, with the youngest deposits dating to within the past 10,000 years. Visitors explore the surreal landscape of cracked lava plains, cinder cones, and steaming vents near Cerro Gamarra, with routes and access governed by land management agencies. The area offers desert mountain vistas, wildlife adapted to extreme aridity, and is a key site for studies of volcanic geodynamics and geothermal energy development.
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