Pillow Basalt view at Morse Creek Overlook

The pillow basalt alongside Hurricane Ridge Road. Photo by E. Goode/NPS.

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Across the road from the Morse Creek overlook, you may notice interesting rock formations, called "pillow basalt." From the U.S. Geological Survey: Basalt "pillows" form when lava cools quickly under water. The lack of bubbles in the lava suggests that the rock crystallized on the ocean floor under the pressure of deep water (preventing bubbles from forming in the lava).