Table Mountain (Tuolumne County, California)

Table Mountain is a mountainous landform in Tuolumne County, California. Ten million years ago, high-potassium lava erupted from the east and filled an ancient river bed. Subsequently, the surface around the river eroded, while the hard lava protected the river from erosion. As a result, Table Mountain is an inverted valley, a river valley that is above the surrounding topography, rather than below it.A variety of flora and fauna are found on Table Mountain; included in these are many wildflowers, among which is the Yellow Mariposa Lily, Calochortus luteus.