List of places with columnar jointed volcanics explained

Columnar jointing of volcanic rocks exists in many places on Earth. Perhaps the most famous basalt lava flow in the world is the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland, in which the vertical joints form polygonal columns and give the impression of having been artificially constructed.

Notable columnar jointed volcanics

Africa

• Bugarama in Rusizi, Rwanda Columnar jointing in Rusizi district, Nzahaha Sector. This may have formed from contractional cooling of basaltic lavas.
• Foreke Quarry, Foreke Dachang, Cameroon
• Ikom Columnar Basalt in Cross River State, Nigeria ^[1]
• Numan, Nigeria^[2]
• "Organ Pipes" near Twyfelfontein, Namibia^[3]
• Rochester Falls, Mauritius
• Seliana, Tunisia
• Isle de la Madeleine, Dakar, Senegal

Asia

Armenia

• • Garni Gorge, Armenia Near Saint Sarkis Cathedral, Yerevan, Armenia

China (mainland)

• Heiyuhe Columnar Joints (黑鱼河柱状节理) [Xianrenqiao (仙人桥)], Longchuan River (龙川江) & Black Fish River, Tengchong

Hong Kong

• Basalt Island area, Hong Kong; including High Island Reservoir area, Hong Kong; although the High Island Reservoir is not basalt but rhyolitic tuff, rich in potash feldspar and quartz phenocrysts.

India

See also: National Geological Monuments of India.

In India, columnars are found in several places across the volcanic traps such as 6.5 crore or 65 million years ago (Mya) old deccan traps in South India and 14.5 crore or 145 mya old Rajmahal Traps in Eastern India.

Karnataka

• St. Mary's Island columnars near Malpe in Udupi district of Karnataka state.^[4]

Madhya Pradesh

• Kavadia Pahad columnars: Forest area near Bagli & Pipari village of Dewas District in Madhya Pradesh. The rock formation is at Kavadia Pahad which is a series of seven mountain ranges.^[5]
• Linga columnars: south of Chhindwara city.
• Narsinghpur columnar joints in Deccan Basalts near Narsinghpur.

Maharashtra

• Bandivade columnars: found at Bandivade village bear Panhala in Kolhapur district of Maharashtra.^[6]
• Gilbert Hill columnars in Andheri suburb of Mumbai in Maharashtra
• Manmad columnars
• Muktagiri columnars jointing in basalt lava flows of Muktagiri section in Amravati district

Telangana

• Adilabad district columnars.^[7]
• Borilalguda columnars: Found on a small hillock inside the reserve forest of Borilalguda village in Kerameri tehsil of Komaram Bheem Asifabad district.^[8]
• Medak district columnars^[7]
• Nizamabad district columnars^[7]
• Rangareddy district columnars^[7]

Indonesia

• Gunung Padang in West Java is also a manmade archaeological site.
• Gunung Kelud in West Java has basalt columns visible south of the crater lake (Wanajay peak).

Iran

• • Maku, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran Mount Damavand, Iran
• Sarbisheh, Iran

Japan

• Natsudomari Peninsula, Hiranai, Aomori
• Kawazu 7 waterfalls area, Izu Peninsula, Shizuoka
• Tōjinbō, Mikuni, Fukui
• Genbudō, Toyooka, Hyōgo
• Takachiho-kyo gorge, Takachiho, Miyazaki
• Keya no Oto, Itoshima, Fukuoka
• Tatami-ishi, Kumejima, Okinawa

Malaysia

• In Teck Guan Cocoa Village and in Giram River, Kampung Balung Cocos Tawau, Sabah, Malaysia.

Mongolia

• Kharandaa Khad in Taishir district, on Zavkhan River

Philippines

• Dunsulan Falls in Mount Samat, Pilar, Bataan^{[9] [10]}
• Bulingan Falls in Lamitan, Basilan^[11]

Russia

• Chukchi Peninsula in Chukotka Autonomous Okrug
• Cape Stolbchatiy, Kuril Islands, Russia^[12]

South Korea

• Jusangjeolli, Seogwipo, Jeju Island, South Korea

Syria / Israel (disputed)

• Meshushim River (Hexagons River), Hexagons pool, Golan Heights,

Taiwan

• • Tongpan Basalt (桶盤玄武岩石柱), Tongpan Island and Hujing Island (Table island, 虎井嶼), Penghu Islands The Whale Cave, on the seashore, in Penghu County

Thailand

• Mon Hin Kong (th|ม่อนหินกอง), in a mountainous area of the Phi Pan Nam Range near Na Phun, Wang Chin District, Phrae Province, Thailand^[13]

Turkey

• Basalt Rocks Natural Monument, Boyabat, Sinop Province,^[14] Turkey

Vietnam

• Da Dia Cliff (13.3542°N 109.2938°W) — The Cliff of Stone Plates (vi|Gành Đá Đĩa), An Ninh Đông Village, Tuy An District, Phú Yên Province, Vietnam
• Yen Islet (13.2256°N 109.3088°W) (vi|Hòn Yến)- An Hòa Village, Tuy An District, Phú Yên Province
• Vuc Hom Fall (13.1966°N 109.1507°W) (vi|Thác Vực Hồm) - An Lĩnh Village, Tuy An District, Phú Yên Province
• Vuc Song Fall (13.1851°N 109.1498°W) (vi|Thác Vực Song) - An Lĩnh Village, Tuy An District, Phú Yên Province
• Battle Fall (14.3341°N 108.6805°W) (vi|Thác Dơi) - Vĩnh Sơn Village, Vĩnh Thạnh District, Bình Định Province
• Takon Citadel (14.3052°N 108.7034°W) (vi|Thành đá Tà Kơn) - K8 (old name: Kon Blò), Vĩnh Sơn Village, Vĩnh Thạnh District, Bình Định Province

Europe

Croatia

• Rupnica, Papuk Nature Park UNESCO Global Geopark, Croatia

Czech Republic

• Panská skála, Kamenický Šenov, Czech Republic^[15]
• Zlatý vrch, Česká Kamenice, Czech Republic

Faroe Islands

• Froðba, Hov
• Hvalba and Trongisvágur, Suðuroy

France

• Thueyts, Jaujac and Fabras, Ardèche
• Saint-Flour, Cantal
• Chilhac
• Saint-Arcons
• Prades
• Saint-Clément
• Moulin-Béraud
• La Tour-d'Auvergne
• Bort-les-Orgues
• Scandola Nature Reserve, Corsica

Georgia

• Sioni, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Georgia

Germany

• Linz am Rhein, Mendig, Mayen, Rhineland-Palatinate
• Hoher Hagen (Dransfeld), Lower Saxony
• Rhön, North Bavaria
• Stolpen, Saxony
• Scharfenstein, Hesse
• Weiselberg, Saarland

Greece

• Milos, Greece

Hungary

• Badacsony
• Bér
• Szanda
• Szilváskő
• Hegyestű
• Szent-György-hegy
• Gulács
• Haláp
• Hajagos
• Uzsa

Iceland

• Aldeyjarfoss, Þingeyjarsveit
• Borgarvirki
• Dverghamrar, Kirkjubæjarklaustur
• Gerðuberg
• Hellnahraun near Arnarstapi, Snæfellsbær
• Hljóðaklettar, Jökulsárgljúfur
• Kirkjugólf, Kirkjubæjarklaustur
• Kálfshamarsvík, Austur-Húnavatnssýsla
• Litlanesfoss, Fljótsdalshreppur
• Reynisdrangar and Reynisfjara, Vík í Mýrdal
• Stuðlagil, East of Iceland
• Svartifoss, Skaftafell

Italy

• Alcantara River Gorges, Sicily
• Capu Nieddu, Cuglieri, Sardinia
• Cuccureddu de Zeppara, Guspini, Sardinia
• Is Aruttas Santas, Villaurbana, Sardinia
• Cyclopean Isles, Sicily
• Motta Sant'Anastasia neck, Sicily
• The thrown stones, Lazio

Portugal

• Rocha dos Bordões cliffs, Flores, Azores
• Pico de Ana Ferreira, Porto Santo^[16]
• Penedo do Lexim, Mafra
• Ponta da Ajuda, Fenais da Ajuda, São Miguel island Ilha de São Miguel, Azores

Romania

• Coloanele de bazalt de la Racoș, Romania
• Thunderstruck Rocks (Detunatele), Romania

Slovakia

• Šomoška

Spain

• Punta Baja, Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park, Andalusia
• Castellfollit de la Roca, Girona
• Fruiz, Biscay^[17]
• Pitón volcánico de Cancarix, Albacete
• Los Órganos, La Gomera, Canary Islands^[18]

Sweden

• Central Skåne Volcanic Province, Sweden

Ukraine

• Bazaltove, Ukraine

United Kingdom

• Giant's Causeway, Northern Ireland
• The islands of Canna, Eigg, and Muck, Scotland
• Cullernose Point, near Craster, Northumberland, England^[19]
• The northern part of the Isle of Skye, Scotland
• The Isle of Mull and the nearby beach of Morvern, Scotland
• Samson's ribs, Scotland
• Fingal's Cave and Staffa, Scotland
• Pen Anglas, Pembrokeshire, Wales^[20]
• Ulva, Scotland
• Cave Dale, Castleton, Peak District
• Dunbar Harbour

North and Central America

Canada

• North Mountain, Nova Scotia
• Grand Manan Island (western shorelines), New Brunswick
• Brandywine Falls Provincial Park, British Columbia
• Cardiff Mountain, Chilcotin Plateau, British Columbia
• Keremeos Columns, Keremeos, British Columbia
• Aberdeen Columns, Lavington, British Columbia
• Wells Gray Provincial Park, British Columbia (Moul Falls, Dragon's Tongue, Helmcken Falls)
• Mount Edziza volcanic complex, British Columbia
• Level Mountain, British Columbia
• Teapot Mountain, Prince George, British Columbia
• Kelowna, British Columbia (Mount Boucherie, Spion Kopje)
• Devils Woodpile, British Columbia (Cathedral Provincial Park)
• Tow Hill, British Columbia
• Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec
• Simpson Island, Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area, Rossport, Ontario
• Miles Canyon, Whitehorse, Yukon

Costa Rica

• Bajo Rodriguez, San Lorenzo de San Ramon

El Salvador

• Cascada Los Tercios, Suchitoto
• Concepción waterfall, Aculco

Greenland

• Qeqertarsuaq, Disko Island^[21]

Guadeloupe

• Pain de sucre (sugar loaf) Îles des Saintes, Guadeloupe

Guatemala

• Chicovix, Quetzaltenango Department

Mexico

• Basaltic Prisms of Santa María Regla in Huasca de Ocampo, Hidalgo
• Salto de San Anton in Cuernavaca, Morelos^[22]
• Flor De La Vida Retreat in Mascota, Jalisco

Panama

• Los Ladrillos, Boquete

United States

• Akun Island, Alaska (54.1374618, -165.6120578)
• Block Mountain, Montana (along the lower Big Hole River)
• Boiling Pots, Hilo, Hawaii (exposed by the Wailuku River)
• Cascade Range, Oregon, in Eugene and southeast of Molalla
• Columbia Plateau, Washington
• Columns of the Giants, Stanislaus National Forest, California
• Compton Peak in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia^{[23] [24]}
• Devils Postpile National Monument, California
• Devils Tower National Monument, Wyoming
• Drumheller Channels National Natural Landmark, Washington
• Elk River Falls, Idaho
• Hughes Mountain, Missouri
• Hyalite Falls, Gallatin Mountain Range, Montana
• Whiterock Canyon, New Mexico, various cliffs and mesas from Otowi to Cochiti.
• Latourell Falls, Oregon
• Mount Tom (Massachusetts)
• Palisades Sill, New Jersey and New York, along the Hudson River
• Paul Bunyan's Woodpile, Juab County, Utah^[25]
• Pinnacle Peak, King County, Washington
• Sheepeater Cliff & multiple other areas in Yellowstone National Park
• Hemlock Falls, First Watchung Mountain,^[26] South Mountain Reservation, South Orange, New Jersey
• South Puyallup River Campsite, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington
• Spokane, Washington (W Airport Dr. onramp)
• Stanford Rock, Lake Tahoe, California
• Sweetwater Canyon, Madison County, Montana
• Toketee Falls, Oregon
• Turtleback Mountain, Moultonborough, New Hampshire
• Whatcom County, Washington^[27]

Oceania

Australia

• Bombo Latite, Bombo, New South Wales
• Narooma Basalt, Narooma, New South Wales
• Fingal Head, New South Wales
• Battery Rock Rest Area, Located on the Golden Highway, 15 kilometres southeast of Merriwa and 19 kilometres northwest of Sandy Hollow on the western side of the highway.^[28] NSW
• Sawn Rocks, Mount Kaputar National Park, New South Wales^[29]
• Glass House Mountains, Queensland
• Burleigh Head National Park, Queensland
• Mount Scoria Conservation Park, Thangool, Queensland^[30]
• Ben Lomond National Park, Tasmania
• Cape Raoul, Tasmania
• Ruined Castle, Falls Creek, Victoria^[31]
• Organ Pipes National Park, Victoria
• Barfold Gorge, Campaspe River, Victoria
• Black Point, D'Entrecasteaux National Park, Western Australia
• Wyalup-Rocky Point, Bunbury, Western Australia^[32]

Federated States of Micronesia

• Pwisehn Malek, Pohnpei, Caroline Islands

New Zealand

• Blackhead, Dunedin^[33] -45.9319°N 170.4319°W
• Bridal Veil Falls, Raglan -37.9083°N 174.8958°W
• Ohira Bay, Chatham Islands^[34] -43.8056°N -176.6486°W
• The Organ Pipes, Mount Cargill, Dunedin^[35] -45.8083°N 170.5667°W
• Second Beach, Dunedin^[33] -45.9167°N 170.4847°W
• Mount Somers / Te Kiekie, Canterbury^[36] -43.6083°N 171.375°W

South America

• Ancud Volcanic Complex, Chile
• Mocho Volcano, Chile
• Pino Hachado Caldera, Neuquén Province, Argentina
• Pedras do Cambira, Apucarana, Brazil

Beyond Earth

Several exposures of columnar jointing have been discovered on the planet Mars by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera, which is carried by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO). Notable among them are formations in the Marte Vallis.^[37]

Uses

A likely Hindu-origin ancient site at Gunung Padang in West Java, Indonesia was built by horizontally laying basalt columns to form terraces on the slope of a hill and creating open-roofed chambers by erecting vertical columns. A now-ruined thirteenth-century religious complex called Nan Madol was built using columnar basalt quarried from various locations on the island of Pohnpei in Micronesia.

Hexagonal basalt was used to build retaining walls by early settlers in some places around Dunedin in New Zealand.

See also

• Ringing rocks

Notes and References

1. Web site: Udinmwen . E . Oden . M.I . Ukwang . E.E . Edu . E.S . 2016 . Structural Geometry of Ikom Columnar Basalt in the Ikom – Mamfe Basin, Southeastern Nigeria . 2022-06-03 . www.aiscience.org.
2. Petrography and geochemistry of basaltic rocks from the northcentral part of Yola Basin, N.E. Nigeria . Ntekim, E. E. . Adekeye, J. I. D. . amp . Nigerian Journal of Pure and Applied Science . 2003 . 18 . 1430–1437 . 2016-02-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160225151755/https://www.unilorin.edu.ng/publications/adekeyejid/P12.%20Petrography%20and%20Geochemistry%20of%20Basaltic%20Rocks.pdf . 2016-02-25 . dead .
3. Book: Namibia: Fascination of Geology – A Travel Handbook . Klaus Hess . Grunert, Nicole . 2000 . Windhoek . 73–74 . 99916-747-8-0.
4. https://www.gsi.gov.in/webcenter/portal/OCBIS/pageGeoInfo/pageGEOTOURISM/pageGeoTourismColumnar Columnar Basaltic Lava, Coconut Island (St. Mary's Islands), Udupi District, Karnataka
5. Web site: Rare rock formation found in Dewas . The Times of India . 28 August 2019 . 24 December 2012.
6. https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/science/rare-basalt-columns-found-in-village-in-kolhapur/article24882477.ece Rare basalt columns found in village in Kolhapur
7. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/6-5cr-yr-old-basalt-columns-discovered-in-adilabad-forest/articleshow/85164303.cms Telangana: 6.5 crore-year-old basalt columns discovered in Adilabad forest
8. https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/telangana/2022/jun/06/columnar-basalt-formations-found-in-asifabad-forests-in-telangana-2462222.html Columnar basalt formations found in Asifabad forests in Telangana
9. Web site: H E L L O ♥ K I M M Y : Dunsulan Falls Of Bataan. Kimberly. Po. 27 April 2014. Hellowkimmy.blogspot.com.
10. Web site: Bataan Day Trip: Mount Samat and Dunsulan Falls Itinerary. 27 February 2016. Janegalvez.com.
11. Web site: Bulingan Falls . ChoosePhilippines.com . 31 July 2018. 28 August 2013.
12. Web site: Мыс Столбчатый. www.webpark.ru. 2013-09-28. https://web.archive.org/web/20190406000732/http://www.webpark.ru/comment/53251. 2019-04-06. dead.
13. http://www.addphrae.com/travel/%E0%B8%A1%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%99%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%AB%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%9E%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%A8%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%87-wonderful-mountan-of-colunnar ม่อนเสาหินพิศวง Wonderful Mountain Of Colunnar
14. Web site: The Boyabat Basalt Cliffs . Martina . Kölbl-Ebert . Stéphanie . Colicchio . l'association de la Maison de la Géologie et de l'Environnement de Haute-Alsace . 2014 . 29 January 2017 .
15. Web site: Panská skála. Luzicke-hory.cz. 26 December 2018.
16. Web site: PSt04 - Pico de Ana Ferreira. geodiversidade.madeira.gov.pt.
17. Web site: Basaltos de Fruiz . Inventario lugares de interés geológico en la comunidad autónoma del País Vasco . 18 February 2016 . Gobierno vasco . Spanish.
18. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Los_Organos_La_Gomera.JPG La Gomera: basalt cliffs Los Organos
19. Book: Hazelhurst . S Rennie . Northumberland . 22 November 2012 . Cambridge University Press . 9781107677500 . 5 August 2022.
20. Web site: Jaw-dropping geology from Strumble Head to Cardigan . National Trust . 3 August 2022.
21. Web site: The Grand Canyon of the Arctic Circle. Chris . Scott . video by Effie Nidam, Diana Diroy and Chris Scott. 31 October 2017. CNN Travel.
22. Web site: México Travel Club . www.mexicotravelclub.com . July 15, 2020.
23. Web site: Compton Peak: superb columnar jointing . Mountain Beltway . American Geophysical Union . Blog . 14 November 2011 . 24 July 2015 . Callan Bentley.
24. Web site: Greenstone lava flows - National Park Service, Shenandoah National Park, Learn About the Park. NPS.gov . 26 February 2015 . 3 July 2022.
25. Web site: GeoSights: Paul Bunyan's Woodpile, Juab County – Utah Geological Survey. geology.utah.gov. en-US. 2018-09-07.
26. https://gotbooks.miracosta.edu/gonp/nyc/parks/loc42.htm
27. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Columnar_basalt.jpg File:Columnar basalt.jpg
28. Web site: Merriwa NSW Free Rest Areas. highwaytraveller.com.au.
29. Web site: Sawn Rocks, Mount Kaputar National Park. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. 19 February 2016.
30. https://web.archive.org/web/20091209112941/http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/parks/mount-scoria/culture.html Mount Scoria culture
31. https://web.archive.org/web/20160927234528/http://www.panoramio.com/photo/20167263 Ruined Castle - Panoramio
32. Web site: Bunbury Basalt . . 6 March 2021.
33. Web site: Black Head : Vegetation Condition After Quarrying. Doc.govt.nz. 26 December 2018.
34. Web site: Basalt columns . chathamislands.co.nz . Tourism Chatham Islands . 11 February 2024.
35. Web site: New Zealand Tramper - A community for good, keen trampers and hikers. Tramper.nz. 26 December 2018.
36. https://web.archive.org/web/20161024194825/https://www.flickr.com/photos/purecaffeine/8351312880/ The Pinnacles, Mt Somers on flickr
37. Web site: Mars and Earth: Columnar Jointing. 10 June 2009. Earthobservatory.nasa.gov.