Are There Any Active Volcanoes in Michigan?

With all the history popping up about Michigan, a few have asked “are there any volcanoes in Michigan?”...and the answer is YES. At least, there were volcanoes over 2.5 billion years ago, one in particular that helped form Lake Superior.

Not only that, but volcanoes are to thank for the veins of copper and iron ore in the Upper Peninsula. The extreme lava-flows brought down minerals that became veins of ore millions of years later.

Any active volcanoes in Michigan now? 'Fraid not. In fact, there are none in the entire Midwest and due to the land's old age, its difficult to even locate volcanoes that existed.

The Upper Peninsula has evidence that there were “lofty peaks of active volcanoes” that caused many bedrock formations where rare rocks, minerals, and even fossils are found.

According to michigan.gov, “After great thicknesses of the iron formation and associated deposits were laid down, the district became the site of a profound crustal disturbance. The beds were contorted and broken, high mountains were formed, and great masses of molten rock surged within the earth's crust and broke out to the surface in the form of volcanoes”. Cool, huh?

In the center of Lake Superior, there was a massive volcano that spewed forth an infinite amount of lava. Satellite photos clearly show the huge fissures on the lake floor caused by the hot lava, and in the midst of all those ridges is an enormous smooth surface that is said to be the top of the giant volcano. You can see that satellite photo and read about it HERE.

So to re-iterate the answer to the question, yes, there are volcanoes in Michigan, but they are all inactive. Let's hope the scientists are correct, and that they stay inactive.

Take a look at the gallery below to see some of the beautiful Michigan landscape that was formed by ancient volcanoes!