Belknap Crater is a shield volcano in the Cascade Range in the U.S. state of Oregon. Located in Linn County, it is associated with lava fields and numerous subfeatures including the Little Belknap and South Belknap volcanic cones. It lies north of McKenzie Pass and forms part of the Mount Washington Wilderness. Belknap is not forested and most of its lava flows are not vegetated, though there is some wildlife in the area around the volcano, as well as a number of tree molds formed by its eruptive activity.
Belknap shield volcano with lava flows in foreground
Small stands of trees near Belknap Crater
Belknap formed on the lower slopes of Mount Washington (seen on the right)
Belknap viewed from space in 1973
A shield volcano is a type of volcano named for its low profile, resembling a shield lying on the ground. It is formed by the eruption of highly fluid lava, which travels farther and forms thinner flows than the more viscous lava erupted from a stratovolcano. Repeated eruptions result in the steady accumulation of broad sheets of lava, building up the shield volcano's distinctive form.
Mauna Loa, a shield volcano in Hawaii
An Ancient Greek warrior's shield—its circular shape and gently sloping surface, with a central raised area, is a shape shared by many shield volcanoes.
ʻAʻa advances over solidified pāhoehoe on Kīlauea, Hawaiʻi
A pāhoehoe lava fountain on Kīlauea erupts