Lava Beds National Monument

Medicine Lake volcano lies in a strongly east-west extensional tectonic environment slightly east of the main Cascade Range arc axis on the Modoc Plateau in northern California.

At Medicine Lake Volcano, there is a 1 in 5,000 chance of an eruption producing enough tephra to accumulate to 1 cm (0.4 in) thick in any given year.

Lava Beds National Monument lies on the north slope of Medicine Lake shield volcano, and contains the highest concentration of lava tube caves in North America. There are up to 500 known lava tube caves within the boundaries of Lava Beds National Monument.

Lava Beds National Monument is located in northeastern California about 50 km (31 mi) south of Klamath Falls, Oregon. The monument, established in 1925, includes the sites of many important battles of the Modoc Indian War of 1872-73. It is also known for scores of lava-tube caves and for well preserved young volcanic features.

The north flank of Medicine Lake volcano was the site for many important battles of the Modoc Indian War of 1872-73.