Sand Mountain Volcanic Field | U.S. Geological Survey
Source: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/sand-mountain-volcanic-field
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:14
Sand Mountain Volcanic Field | U.S. Geological Survey
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Sand Mountain Volcanic Field
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The map displays volcanoes, earthquakes, monitoring instruments, and past lava flows.
Get Help
Earthquake Plots
To view an earthquake cross-sectional plot, click "Draw Plot" to start drawing on the map. Once the plot area is selected, click on "View Plot" to view chart or "Clear Plot" to start over.
Settings
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Sand Mountain Volcanic Field
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Connect
The Sand Mountain volcanic field consists of a group of 23 basaltic and basaltic-andesite cinder cones and lava flows at the western margin of the High Cascades in the upper McKenzie River watershed.
Quick Facts
Location:
Oregon
Latitude:
44.38° N
Longitude:
121.93° W
Elevation:
1,664 (m) 5,459 (f)
Volcano type:
Cinder cones
Composition:
Basalt, Basaltic Andesite
Most recent eruption:
About 2,000 years ago
Threat Potential:
Low/Very Low*
*based on the
National Volcano Early Warning System
Summary
The field covers 75 km
2
(30 mi
2
) fed from two aligned groups of 42 distinct vents that trend north-northwest and north-northeast and intersect near the largest cinder cone, Sand Mountain (250 m or 820 ft high). The vent alignments suggest that a complex system of dikes exists beneath the chain. A series of lava flows originating from vents along the chain were erupted primarily from about 3,000 to 4,000 years ago. They traveled chiefly to the west, blocking local drainages and forming several small lakes. The Lost Lake cinder cone group at the north-northeast end of the chain was active about 2,000 years ago. The extensive young, highly fractured lava flows from Sand Mountain, and others from
Belknap Crater
, greatly disrupted the McKenzie River and create a landscape of lava-filled canyons, lakes, disappearing streams, and numerous springs.
October 22, 2018
2018 update to the U.S. Geological Survey national volcanic threat assessment
2018 update to the U.S. Geological Survey national volcanic threat assessment
When erupting, all volcanoes pose a degree of risk to people and infrastructure, however, the risks are not equivalent from one volcano to another because of differences in eruptive style and geographic location. Assessing the relative threats posed by U.S. volcanoes identifies which volcanoes warrant the greatest risk-mitigation efforts by the U.S. Geological Survey and its partners...
Authors
John W. Ewert, Angela K. Diefenbach, David W. Ramsey
By
Volcano Hazards Program
,
Volcano Science Center
,
Agrigan
,
Ahyi Seamount
,
Alamagan
,
Anatahan
,
Asuncion
,
Belknap
,
Black Butte Crater Lava Field
,
Black Rock Desert Volcanic Field
,
Blue Lake Crater
,
Carrizozo Lava Flow
,
Cascade Range Weekly Update
,
Cinnamon Butte
,
Clear Lake Volcanic Field
,
Coso Volcanic Field
,
Crater Lake
,
Craters of the Moon Volcanic Field
,
Daikoku Seamount
,
Davis Lake Volcanic Field
,
Devils Garden Lava Field
,
Diamond Craters Volcanic Field
,
Dotsero Volcanic Center
,
East Diamante
,
Esmeralda Bank
,
Farallon de Pajaros
,
Fukujin Seamount
,
Glacier Peak
,
Guguan
,
Haleakalā
,
Hell's Half Acre Lava Field
,
Hualālai
,
Indian Heaven Volcanic Field
,
Jordan Craters Volcanic Field
,
Kama‘ehuakanaloa
,
Kasuga 2
,
Kīlauea
,
Lassen Volcanic Center
,
Long Valley Caldera
,
Mammoth Mountain
,
Markagunt Plateau Volcanic Field
,
Maug Islands
,
Mauna Kea
,
Mauna Loa
,
Medicine Lake
,
Mono Lake Volcanic Field
,
Mono-Inyo Craters
,
Mount Adams
,
Mount Bachelor
,
Mount Baker
,
Mount Hood
,
Mount Jefferson
,
Mount Rainier
,
Mount Shasta
,
Mount St. Helens
,
Newberry
,
Ofu-Olosega
,
Pagan
,
Red Hill-Quemado Volcanic Field
,
Ruby
,
Salton Buttes
,
San Francisco Volcanic Field
,
Sand Mountain Volcanic Field
,
Sarigan
,
Soda Lakes
,
South Sarigan Seamount
,
Supply Reef
,
Ta'u Island
,
Three Sisters
,
Tutuila Island
,
Ubehebe Craters
,
Uinkaret Volcanic Field
,
Valles Caldera
,
Wapi Lava Field
,
Weekly Update
,
West Crater Volcanic Field
,
Yellowstone
,
Zealandia Bank
,
Zuni-Bandera Volcanic Field
Quick Facts
Location:
Oregon
Latitude:
44.38° N
Longitude:
121.93° W
Elevation:
1,664 (m) 5,459 (f)
Volcano type:
Cinder cones
Composition:
Basalt, Basaltic Andesite
Most recent eruption:
About 2,000 years ago
Threat Potential:
Low/Very Low*
*based on the
National Volcano Early Warning System
Volcanoes Hazards Program Links
Assess
Prepare
Forecast
Activity
Products
Observatories
About
Was this page helpful?
Skip to main content
Official websites use .gov
A
.gov
website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A
lock (
)
or
https://
means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
Sand Mountain Volcanic Field
Find U.S. Volcano
Filters
Learn More
The map displays volcanoes, earthquakes, monitoring instruments, and past lava flows.
Get Help
Earthquake Plots
To view an earthquake cross-sectional plot, click "Draw Plot" to start drawing on the map. Once the plot area is selected, click on "View Plot" to view chart or "Clear Plot" to start over.
Map Layers
Earthquake Colors
Earthquake Depth Units
Earthquake Time Units
Results
Filters
Learn More
The map displays volcanoes, earthquakes, monitoring instruments, and past lava flows.
Get Help
Earthquake Plots
To view an earthquake cross-sectional plot, click "Draw Plot" to start drawing on the map. Once the plot area is selected, click on "View Plot" to view chart or "Clear Plot" to start over.
Settings
Map Layers
Earthquake Colors
Earthquake Depth Units
Earthquake Time Units
x
Map Legend
x
Map Legend
Results
Sand Mountain Volcanic Field
Home
Publications
Connect
The Sand Mountain volcanic field consists of a group of 23 basaltic and basaltic-andesite cinder cones and lava flows at the western margin of the High Cascades in the upper McKenzie River watershed.
Quick Facts
Location:
Oregon
Latitude:
44.38° N
Longitude:
121.93° W
Elevation:
1,664 (m) 5,459 (f)
Volcano type:
Cinder cones
Composition:
Basalt, Basaltic Andesite
Most recent eruption:
About 2,000 years ago
Threat Potential:
Low/Very Low*
*based on the
National Volcano Early Warning System
Summary
The field covers 75 km
2
(30 mi
2
) fed from two aligned groups of 42 distinct vents that trend north-northwest and north-northeast and intersect near the largest cinder cone, Sand Mountain (250 m or 820 ft high). The vent alignments suggest that a complex system of dikes exists beneath the chain. A series of lava flows originating from vents along the chain were erupted primarily from about 3,000 to 4,000 years ago. They traveled chiefly to the west, blocking local drainages and forming several small lakes. The Lost Lake cinder cone group at the north-northeast end of the chain was active about 2,000 years ago. The extensive young, highly fractured lava flows from Sand Mountain, and others from
Belknap Crater
, greatly disrupted the McKenzie River and create a landscape of lava-filled canyons, lakes, disappearing streams, and numerous springs.
October 22, 2018
2018 update to the U.S. Geological Survey national volcanic threat assessment
2018 update to the U.S. Geological Survey national volcanic threat assessment
When erupting, all volcanoes pose a degree of risk to people and infrastructure, however, the risks are not equivalent from one volcano to another because of differences in eruptive style and geographic location. Assessing the relative threats posed by U.S. volcanoes identifies which volcanoes warrant the greatest risk-mitigation efforts by the U.S. Geological Survey and its partners...
Authors
John W. Ewert, Angela K. Diefenbach, David W. Ramsey
By
Volcano Hazards Program
,
Volcano Science Center
,
Agrigan
,
Ahyi Seamount
,
Alamagan
,
Anatahan
,
Asuncion
,
Belknap
,
Black Butte Crater Lava Field
,
Black Rock Desert Volcanic Field
,
Blue Lake Crater
,
Carrizozo Lava Flow
,
Cascade Range Weekly Update
,
Cinnamon Butte
,
Clear Lake Volcanic Field
,
Coso Volcanic Field
,
Crater Lake
,
Craters of the Moon Volcanic Field
,
Daikoku Seamount
,
Davis Lake Volcanic Field
,
Devils Garden Lava Field
,
Diamond Craters Volcanic Field
,
Dotsero Volcanic Center
,
East Diamante
,
Esmeralda Bank
,
Farallon de Pajaros
,
Fukujin Seamount
,
Glacier Peak
,
Guguan
,
Haleakalā
,
Hell's Half Acre Lava Field
,
Hualālai
,
Indian Heaven Volcanic Field
,
Jordan Craters Volcanic Field
,
Kama‘ehuakanaloa
,
Kasuga 2
,
Kīlauea
,
Lassen Volcanic Center
,
Long Valley Caldera
,
Mammoth Mountain
,
Markagunt Plateau Volcanic Field
,
Maug Islands
,
Mauna Kea
,
Mauna Loa
,
Medicine Lake
,
Mono Lake Volcanic Field
,
Mono-Inyo Craters
,
Mount Adams
,
Mount Bachelor
,
Mount Baker
,
Mount Hood
,
Mount Jefferson
,
Mount Rainier
,
Mount Shasta
,
Mount St. Helens
,
Newberry
,
Ofu-Olosega
,
Pagan
,
Red Hill-Quemado Volcanic Field
,
Ruby
,
Salton Buttes
,
San Francisco Volcanic Field
,
Sand Mountain Volcanic Field
,
Sarigan
,
Soda Lakes
,
South Sarigan Seamount
,
Supply Reef
,
Ta'u Island
,
Three Sisters
,
Tutuila Island
,
Ubehebe Craters
,
Uinkaret Volcanic Field
,
Valles Caldera
,
Wapi Lava Field
,
Weekly Update
,
West Crater Volcanic Field
,
Yellowstone
,
Zealandia Bank
,
Zuni-Bandera Volcanic Field
Quick Facts
Location:
Oregon
Latitude:
44.38° N
Longitude:
121.93° W
Elevation:
1,664 (m) 5,459 (f)
Volcano type:
Cinder cones
Composition:
Basalt, Basaltic Andesite
Most recent eruption:
About 2,000 years ago
Threat Potential:
Low/Very Low*
*based on the
National Volcano Early Warning System
Volcanoes Hazards Program Links
Assess
Prepare
Forecast
Activity
Products
Observatories
About
Was this page helpful?