Age of rock c.a. 28 Ma Easiest route rock Mountain range West Elk Mountains | Mountain type Composite volcano Elevation 2,376 m Parent range West Elk Mountains | |
Location Delta County, Colorado, U.S. Topo map USGS 7.5' topographic map
Crawford, Colorado Similar Specimen Mountain, Mount Emmons, Ptarmigan Peak, Redcloud Peak, Tabeguache Peak | ||
Needle Rock is an intrusive of rhyodacite volcanic plug located in the Needle Rock Natural Area, 3.5 miles (5.6 km) east-northeast (bearing 68°) of the Town of Crawford in Delta County, Colorado, United States. It stands 800 feet (240 m) tall above the floor of the Smith Fork of the Gunnison River valley. It originated as the throat of a large volcano about 28 million years ago in the Miocene geological epoch, when molten rock intruded between existing sedimentary rocks. The plug may represent the eroded conduit of a laccolith.
Map of Needle Rock, Colorado 81415, USA
References
Needle Rock Natural Area Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA