Although Nevada’s geologic history is replete with volcanic activity, evidence of recent historical activity is absent—except for the Soda Lakes craters. They certainly have erupted since Pleistocene Lake Lahontan, as they’re cut into Lahontan sediments, and recent evidence suggests they may have erupted within the last 1,500 years. Big Soda Lake (or just “Soda Lake”) is about 0.7 by 0.9 miles (1.1 x 1.5 km) across, while Little Soda Lake, to the southwest, is about 1,000 feet (300 m) across. The craters are maars (German dialect for “lake”), which form when…
