Michigan. The land of Great Lakes, lush forests, and—ancient lava flows? Yup, and before it became the outdoor destination we know today, Michigan was basically the stunt double for Mordor (we just lacked Hobbits and a ring).
About a billion years ago, the land that would eventually become Michigan wasn’t dotted with cherry trees or lighthouses; it was a hellscape of molten rock and erupting volcanoes. Does that sound dramatic? It was.
The Midcontinent Rift: Michigan’s Fiery Birthmark
A map of the Midcontinent Rift from the United States Geological Survey is seen extending from Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula in the UP to what is now Kansas.
USGV.gov / Canva…