Trap rock of Russia. Trap rock Trap rock, also known as either trapp or trap, is any dark-colored, fine-grained, non-granitic intrusive or extrusive igneous rock. Types of trap rock include basalt, peridotite, diabase, and gabbro. Trapp (trap) is also used to refer to flood (plateau) basalts, e.g. the Deccan Traps and Siberian Traps. The erosion of trap rock created by the stacking of successive lava flows often created a distinct stairstep landscape from which the term "trap" was derived from the Swedish word "trappa", which means "stairway". The slow cooling of magma either as a sill or as a thick lava flow
Lava Cast Forest 1942, the United States Forest Service designated 5,120 acres as part of the Lava Cast Forest Geological Area and were promoted as a tourist attraction. In 1963, scientists from NASA became interested in the lava fields because they had very little erosion and they suspected it might be what they would find on the surface of the Moon. From 1964 to 1966, at least 46 astronauts trained for lunar missions in the area. James B. Irwin delivered a rock from one of Oregon's lava flows to the lunar surface to commemorate NASA's experiences in central Oregon. Lava Cast Forest Lava