You are here

National Park Mystery Photo 8 Revealed: The Rock Behind The Picture

Your national park variety breadcrust bomb. NPS photo.

There are several places in the National Park System where you can find bombs. One of them is Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve in Idaho.

But the bombs aren't your typical explosives. Rather, they were assembled during volcanic eruptions thousands of years ago. Here's a primer on the types of bombs you can find at Craters of the Moon:

Four kinds of volcanic bombs are found at Craters of the Moon, all of which began as a volume of molten rock that is ejected into the air. If the lava gets twisted during its flight, it is called a spindle bomb and typically measures from a few inches to several feet in length. If it is very tiny and twisted, it is called a ribbon bomb. When the volume of lava forms a crust that is cracked by expanding gases as it flies through the air, it is called a breadcrust bomb, which exhibits a surface texture that resembles bread rising in the oven. If the lava mass does not completely solidify during flight, so that it flattens and spreads on landing, it is called a cow-pie bomb. Some cow-pie bombs are over 10 feet long.

 

This week's mystery photo was of the breadcrust variety. Definitely not something you're going to slice with a bread knife, though.

Add comment

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.