Lava Dome -- Grapevine Hills Trail, Big Bend NP TX
N 29° 24.623 W 103° 12.456
13R E 673900 N 3254789
The amazing scenery along the Grapevine Hills trail is a volcanic lava dome that turned into a laccolith and shattered into boulders
Waymark Code: WMTZZQ
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 01/30/2017
Views: 3
The Grapevine Hills trail is noted for its giant boulders and famould Balanced Rock.
The reason for these features: Ancient volcanic activity that created a lava dome that over time became exposed by erosion, and shattered.
A sign at the trailhead reads as follows:
"GRAPEVINE HILLS TRAIL
The easy 2 mile round-trip trail follows a sandy wash through the jumble of boulders. After reaching a low pass, find a “window” of boulders by hiking another hundred yards along the ridge to the right.
This trail enters a realm of petrified fire. Here, under enormous pressure, a molten rock ballooned up beneath the earth surface. As erosion stripped away overlying layers the exposed domes fractured into a moonscape of giant boulders.
Grapevine Hills is a laccolith - a mushroom shaped intrusion of magma.
As the laccolith slowly cooled and hardened into granite, the overlying sedimentary layers began to wear away."
Waymark is confirmed to be publicly accessible: yes
Access fee (In local currency): 25.00
Requires a high clearance vehicle to visit.: no
Requires 4x4 vehicle to visit.: no
Public Transport available: no
Website reference: [Web Link]
Parking Coordinates: Not Listed
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Visit Instructions:
No specific requirements, just have fun visiting the waymark.