Lava Formations
Molten rock, forced upward from 30 to 50 miles through fissures in the earth had cooled into the hard lava found here.
Continued pressure from below has made great cracks in the contorted surface. This lava solidified only a few thousand years ago, and not very much soil covers it yet. But vegetation is getting a start, and unless new flows intervene, windblown soils will cover thee rock layers. Then the surface here will look the same as the surrounding plains, which also are layers of lava and windblown soil.