NASA's Earth Observatory has recently released a striking image of the Sáttítla Highlands in Northern California, highlighting the region's extensive ancient lava flows.
Captured on October 7, 2024, by the Operational Land Imager aboard Landsat 8, the photograph showcases the area's barren lava fields and volcanic formations.
The Sáttítla Highlands, encompassing over 224,000 acres, were designated as a national monument in January 2025 to protect their scientific, cultural, ecological, and historical significance.
At the heart of this landscape lies the Medicine Lake Volcano, a massive dormant shield volcano whose past activity shaped much of the region's terrain.
The volcano has erupted nine times in the past 5,000 years, with some eruptions beginning explosively before transitioning to slow lava flows.
One of the most iconic features is the Glass Mountain flow, a 5.4-square-mile lava deposit formed approximately 1,000 years ago. These geological wonders reveal the region's fiery history and ongoing potential for volcanic activity.
Though the volcano is currently dormant, the U.S. Geological Survey categorizes it as a "high threat volcano" that could erupt in human lifetimes