Ice Age Floods Institute
4 States - 11 Chapters
Become a Member!
Ice Age Floods Institute
4 States - 11 Chapters
Become a Member!
Ice Age Floods Institute
4 States - 11 Chapters
Become a Member!
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Welcome to IAFI
The Ice Age Floods Institute

Ice Age Floods Institute is a non-profit organization dedicated to publicly sharing and promoting public awareness and education relating to the significance of the Ice Age Floods.
All article images on this website are used under Creative Commons license for educational purposes only and no profit is derived.

Ice Age Floods Introduction

Learn About the Ice Age Floods, and Much MORE!

During the most recent Ice Age (18,000 to 13,000 years ago), and probably in previous Ice Ages, the greatest known glacial-outburst floods in the America’s inundated portions of the Pacific Northwest. Huge Ice Age glacial-outburst floods occurred in other parts of the world as well, and even in our own times much smaller outburst floods have occurred in many places.. 
Could cataclysmic floods on this scale happen again?
With global warming now a serious concern, there is also concern that failures of the Antarctic or Greenland Ice Sheets may produce cataclysmic sea level changes. In the far distant future long-term climate cycles may cause large ice sheets to return. Then similar cataclysmic outburst floods may happen again, possibly even in this region. (Read More…)

Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail

The Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail is a network of marked touring routes extending across parts of Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon, with several special interpretive centers located across the region. 

The National Park Service is bringing together many interested partners to develop an interpretive program at remarkably low cost despite the extraordinary size of the region. The trail represents the largest, most systematic, and most cooperative effort yet proposed to bring the dramatic story of the Ice Age Floods to the public’s attention with potential to bring significant economic and cultural benefits to communities throughout the Northwest. 

The role of the National Park Service is to coordinate and manage the planning of the project and the telling of the story, not to manage any more land than it already is responsible for. The Trail is being developed on existing public lands with no changes in jurisdiction and no threats to private property rights. 

Click Here to read more.

Field Guides

Explore the Ice Age Floods

We have hand picked some of the best places along the
ICE AGE FLOODS NATIONAL GEOLOGIC TRAIL 
We present them for you to GO & DO, enjoy and explore!

Field Guides prepared for use by IAFI are hugely popular and a lot of fun to use when traveling. Most of our Field Guides are written for non-geologists, with information of a general nature.

Go to our IAFI Field Guide Page to see the full list!

New information comes in often, so be sure to check back. 

Ice Age Floods Interactive Map

Use our Interactive Map to find and explore Ice Age Floods & Glacial Features in great detail! The map includes descriptions and images for over 400 ice-age sites and features.

You can easily zoom in and out, and click markers to see detailed information about each site on the map. And since it is built on Google Maps, you can also easily get detailed directions to sites.

Use the map to plan a trip anywhere along the Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail, from the source in Montana and Idaho to the Pacific Ocean, where the flood waters ended their journey.

Field Trips - Hikes - Presentations

Field Trips, Hikes and Presentations play significant roles in understanding and visualizing the immense scope of the Ice Age Floods.

IAFI Chapters regularly offer Field Trips, Hikes and Presentations, providing opportunities for members and the public to learn about the Ice Age Floods.

Leaders are often joined by geologists from the USGS (United States Geological Survey) and local colleges and universities in conducting the Field Trips. 

Ride along as we travel portions of the National Geologic Trail stopping at unique and informative destinations. 

Geology Corner

Our experts provide answers to geologic questions and we post interesting news articles about geology and related topics, both current and pastStay up-to-date with information from our experts “on the ground” (Read More…)

IAFI Store

 You will want to have the latest “printed materials”, “merchandise” and “gear” before heading out to Go! and Do! or even take a simple “road-trip” to explore the Ice Age Floods for yourself!

Check out the IAFI Store for everything you need.

If we’re missing something, please
let us know about it. Thanks!

Quick Links

Quick Links to Some Other Key Pages

Go Places! Do Things!
Explore the Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail, there’s so much to see and do…

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Events!

Field Trips, Presentations and Other Events are fun and enlightening…

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The Trail

Explore the Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail, you’ll be amazed at what you find…

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Latest News

Floods-related articles about ancient and current day items of interest…

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Learn & Explore

A brief introduction to the Ice Age Floods …

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Our Chapters

11 local Chapters seeking to bring the Ice Age Floods story home to local communities…

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IAFI Store

Books, Maps, Brochures, DVDs, T-Shirts, Ball Caps and More…

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Field Guides

Self-service geological adventure is waiting for you here with our ready to go…

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Become A Member

Informative, fun and dare we say “adventurous”! Being an IAFI Member is easy, Join Today…

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Our Board

Board Members of the Ice Age Floods Institute put a lot of energy, time and…

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While following the Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail, you will need some
IAFI Gear and other Merchandise to make your trip complete!