Flaming Geyser State Park
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Flaming Geyser State Park
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 The Flaming Geyser burned significantly higher before the 1960s. |
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| location | King County in Washington (USA) | |
| surface | 190 ha | |
| Geographical location | 47 ° 16 ' N , 122 ° 1' W | |
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| administration | Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission | |
The Flaming Geyser State Park is located on the Green River in southwestern King County in the State of Washington near the town of Black Diamond . The park was named after a flame that burns in a concrete pool. It is fed by a methane pocket about 1,000 ft (300 m) below the surface of the earth. When this bag was discovered by miners mining coal in the early 1900s, the test hole spat out gas and salt water and hurled water and fire 25 ft (8 m) into the air. The same methane pocket presses gas through a mud hole, creating a “bubble geyser” nearby. Both “Geysers” can be reached via a short hiking trail, but the “Flaming Geyser” has not been burning since 2016 because its methane source is exhausted.
In addition to seeing this unique feature, most park visitors come to tubing and rafting in the river in summer . Flaming Geyser State Park is also a designated area for the operation of remote-controlled model airplanes.
history
The Flaming Geyser was privately operated from the 1920s to the 1960s, but the operating company went bankrupt. When the land threatened to be built on with residential buildings, Washington State Parks acquired it and has operated the state park ever since. A modern legend in park history describes how miner Eugene Lawson tried to capitalize on the ignited methane emission. While Lawson is a real-life historical person who owned the Lawson Mine between 1895 and 1898 before two catastrophic explosions (1902 and 1910), there are few reports of its reference to the Flaming Geyser.
In March 2009, the Washington State Parks and Recreation Department announced that it was planning to close and "mothball" several state parks due to serious financial cuts. As of January 2011, the closure was still possible, although the state had invested in repairing the electrical infrastructure. Officials give license fee renewal donations little chance of success.
Park management
The park is managed by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission as part of the Green River Gorge State Park Conservation Area. This reserve occupies 2,008.02 acres (813 hectares) and 18 mi (29 km) of the riverfront bounded by Flaming Geyser to the west and Kanaskat-Palmer State Park to the east. The area also includes the Black Diamond Heritage Area , the Old Town of Franklin Heritage Area , the Hanging Gardens Recreation Area , the Walter A. Jellum Recreation Area, and Nolte State Park .
Natural resources
The park is 480 acres (194 hectares) with more than 3 mi (4.8 km) of the river's shoreline. The area is known for its coal and mercury deposits. About 14% of Washington's coal production comes from the Black Diamond area.
The Green River is a popular winter spot for steelhead trout fishing. The barrier-free Salmon Interpretative Trail in the park provides extensive information on ecological conditions.
Individual evidence
- ^ Karen Sykes: Hike Of The Week: Natural wonders bubble up from the ground here . In: Seattle Post-Intelligencer , Roger Oglesby, March 24, 2004. Retrieved May 12, 2011.
- ^ A b Covington Reporter: Flaming Geyser State Park to be closed for two years for repairs . In: Seattle Post-Intelligencer , Roger Oglesby, January 10, 2010. Retrieved May 12, 2011.
- ↑ Flaming Geyser State Park . In: Day Hiking: Snoqualmie Region . Washington Trails Association. Retrieved April 15, 2012.
- ↑ a b c Green River Gorge State Park Area Management Plan . Washington State Parks. Archived from the original on August 21, 2014. Retrieved April 15, 2012.
- ↑ a b c d e Complete park information . In: Flaming Geyser State Park . Washington State Parks. Retrieved January 24, 2016.
- ↑ James Hicks: Flaming Geyser State Park . In: Strange Destinations . Archived from the original on December 25, 2016. Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved April 15, 2012.
- ↑ Ken Jensen: Remembering the 1910 Lawson Mine disaster . In: Maple Valley Reporter , November 5, 2010. Retrieved April 15, 2012.
- ↑ Flaming Geyser State Park near Black Diamond faces possible closing: Friends of Flaming Geyser group formed . In: Covington & Maple Valley Reporter , King County Journal, January 26, 2011. Archived from the original on February 1, 2011. Retrieved May 12, 2011.
