Mushroom Rock - Devil's Throne
Mushroom Rock, initially known as Devil's Throne, is a naturally occurring volcanic rock. It can be found on Badwater Road, south of CA-190, several miles south of Death Valley National Park. The rock stands approximately 6 feet high and was created over thousands of years by wind and sand.It was once thought to be a Neogene basalt lava flow (Workman et al., 2002), but upon closer inspection, it is found to be porphyritic andesite. Andesite has approximately 50% plagioclase crystals mixed with fine-grained material. Basalt is a common type of volcanic rock that happens when lava cools quickly. Andesite can be found in other volcanic areas, often with stratovolcanoes or lava domes, and will have more silica.
Like other similar isolated rocks, this Death Valley rock is a product of volcanic activity and forceful erosion. Over time, the softer elements of the rock have worn away, leaving it in its pedestal form. Nevertheless, erosion takes its course, and the formation will eventually collapse and merge with the desert ground again.
2015
Devil's Throne - Frasher photo
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Ecology
