OPINION Lotz: Two Lovers Point and Guam's other geological features

Our island has four geological features that have been designated as National Natural Landmarks.

The National Natural Landmarks Program are sites that contain outstanding biological and geological resources and are designated by the Secretary of the Interior for their condition, illustrative character, rarity, diversity, and value to science and education and are worthy of protection.

Guam’s unique National Natural Landmarks should interest us, the residents, in addition to our visitors.

Our most prominent National Natural Landmark, Puntan dos Amantes or the Two Lovers Point, is already a prime tourist attraction for the remarkable scenic vista of Tumon and beyond. The designation is because Puntan dos Amantes is a geological formation with a 370 feet high cliff of impressive massive exposed limestone.

In our island’s south is more of our National Natural Landmarks. Two are geological formations on the rim of a long extinct volcanic crater. The crater rim can be traced from Cocos Lagoon inland to the southern mountains and then back to the coastline at Facpi Point.

Facpi Point is a National Natural Landmark because of the volcanic pillow lava and dikes, along with massive sea stacks.

Our highest point, Mount Lamlam, is also a National Natural Landmarks as a feature of this caldera, but also because of the uniqueness of a limestone cap upon the volcanic rock of the southern mountains.

For those headed to Mount Lamlam, the summit is not the noted concrete base with the flags, but a quarter of a mile further north and 12 feet taller.

At the base of this limestone cap of Mount Lamlam, the water seeps out of the permeable limestone in a series of springs since the underlying volcanic rock is impenetrable. The most notable spring is Almagosa deep in the lush vegetation of the Naval Magazine.

Within the volcanic caldera is Fouha Point, a National Natural Landmark, with its volcanic pillar, Lalas Rock, a noted legendary feature of our CHamoru heritage.

In addition to National Natural Landmarks, Guam has numerous geological features worth exploring. At the base of the mountains east of Humåtak is volcanic columnal basalt in a gorge of the Astaban River plunging off Mount Bolanos. In California, a similar formation is a national monument, Devils Postpile.

Guam has several unique geological natural arches of the Keyhole at Talo’fo’fo’ Caves, north of Double Reef Beach in Dededo, and at Mati Point in Yigo. All are worth adventure journeys to explore.

In Utah, several natural arches are preserved in Arches National Park and Natural Bridges National Monument. National parks and monuments are known to attract millions of tourists.

Sinkholes have been a topic of interest recently. Perhaps Guam’s most notable is Devil’s Punchbowl at the western end of Tumon. Unfortunately, we cannot view Devil’s Punchbowl because it is fenced off. A safe viewing platform should be constructed for all to enjoy this unique feature of our island.

Additional sinkholes are scattered around our island at Pagat, Mangilao; Talofofo Caves; Asiga in Malojloj; and just east of Eagles Field in Mangilao.

While many will say that geology may not attract many visitors, our uniqueness of geology will attract adventure tourists, which is a plus to our ailing tourism. Explore our island and make our uniqueness known to our visitors.