Geosite · Orea

Ancient volcano of Orea: 270-million-year-old dacites

Near Orea volcanic rocks outcrop: roughly 270 million years ago, magma beneath this area reached the surface in two volcanic eruptions leaving dacites, prominent igneous volcanic rocks. One of the most surprising geological features in the Molina-Alto Tajo Geopark.

Lands and landscapes

From here, follow the memory of the territory

These readings connect Ancient volcano of Orea: 270-million-year-old dacites with the history, work, and villages around it.

This place across time

Which eras you can read here

A single place can preserve traces from different eras. These layers connect what you see with the stories in the atlas.

Before us · 450 million years ago – present

Municipality: Orea
Province: Guadalajara

Dacites
270 million years
Two eruptions
Igneous rocks

A volcano in the Alto Tajo

It seems surprising, yet geological evidence confirms it. Roughly 270 million years ago, this area overlay an active magma chamber. Crustal movements forced the magma upwards in two distinct eruptions.

What are dacites?

The rocks left behind are dacites: igneous, originating from magma, and volcanic, having cooled quickly at the surface rather than underground. They stand out sharply against the surrounding landscape.

You can inspect a hand sample of dacite alongside nine other core rock types of the Park at the La Tejera experimental area in Checa. The volcanic site lies near Orea.

Location

Atlas diagram. Ancient volcano of Orea: 270-million-year-old dacites: large reference point. Rivers: © OpenStreetMap. Approximate position: village centre.

● Reference point · ● Villages · ● Places

Location diagram. Detailed map with tracks and names loads on zoom.

Approximate position: village centre.

Reference villages: Orea · Checa · Alcoroches · Alustante.

Open the full map and historical layers →

Directions (Google Maps) OpenStreetMap View on 1930s map

More geology and geosites nearby

View all →

Geosite · ≈ 2.6 km straight-line distance away

Nearby routes

All routes →

Route · ≈ 400 m straight-line distance away

Trail 18: Arroyo del Enebral and San Cristóbal (Orea)

18.8 km · 4.5 h · Circular

Route · ≈ 2.1 km straight-line distance away

Geotrail 9: the Sierra de Orea

21 km · 5 h · Circular

Route · ≈ 3 km straight-line distance away

Trail 17: Laguna de la Salobreja (Orea)

13.5 km · 5.5 h · Circular