United States
37.6150°, -119.0870°
1911
3.2
Devils Postpile National Monument protects a rare formation of columnar basalt created by volcanic activity approximately 100,000 years ago. The monument features nearly vertical basalt columns that rise up to 60 feet high, formed when lava cooled and contracted in a uniform pattern. Managed by the National Park Service, the site also includes Rainbow Falls, a 101-foot waterfall on the San Joaquin River that creates spectacular rainbows in its mist. The monument is accessible only during summer months due to heavy snowfall and offers hiking trails through pristine Sierra Nevada wilderness.