Snake River Plain

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Big Southern Butte

The Snake River Plain is a geological feature of (primarily) the American state of Idaho. It stretches 400 miles (650 km) westward from northwest of the state of Wyoming to the Idaho-Oregon border. The plain is a wide flat bow-shaped depression, and covers about a quarter of Idaho. Three major buttes dot the plain east of Arco, the largest being Big Southern Butte.

The Snake River Plain traces the path of the North American plate over a geologic hot spot, now centered in Yellowstone National Park. Volcanoes that once covered the hot spot formed Craters of the Moon National Monument and the Island Park and Yellowstone Calderas. Portions of the plain are covered by lava fields.

Many of Idaho's major cities are in the Snake River Plain as is much of its agricultural land. Also located within Snake River Plain is the Idaho National Laboratory.

Aerial view of the Snake River Plain

Map of the Snake River Plain

External links and references

• [volcano.und.nodak.edu on the Snake River Plain]
• [isu.edu on the Snake River Plain — lots of info]
• [More]

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