Volcanism took place during the Pliocene and latest Pleistocene but may have continued into the Holocene; legends of the Southern Paiute may reflect past eruptions.

[6] The volcanic field is on a plateau bordered to the south by the Pink Cliffs and to the west by the cliffs of Cedar Breaks National Monument,[4] and features lava flows and over 25 cinder cones[7] mostly between Panguitch Lake and Navajo Lake[8] although older volcanics occur south of Panguitch.

[11] Some recent vents formed along lineaments and faults; this includes the chain of over 19 cinder cones that generated the Henrie Knolls flows.

[18] As a consequence, water on the Markagunt Plateau flows underground through sinkholes[14] developed in limestone rocks, and the burial of surface drainages by highly permeable lava flows likely aided in their development;[9] some sinkholes have formed in basalt[19] and other karstic features are also found in the volcanic field.

It is a 60–80 kilometres (37–50 mi) wide fault-bounded block[7] and the basement underneath the volcanoes is formed by various Cretaceous to Miocene sedimentary or volcanic rocks.

[28] Mixing between crustal melts and primitive magmas may explain this tendency, while the presence of tholeiite may indicate the occurrence of rifting processes in western Utah.

[2] Most of the plateau is part of Dixie National Forest;[6] trees include aspen, spruce and fir with an understory consisting of juniper, Mertensia arizonica and mountain gooseberry[2] and the vegetation covers most surfaces except for the younger volcanoes and canyon walls.

[31] Additionally, in marshes vegetation includes hydrophilic plants such as cattails,[32] while juniper grows on lava flows.

The second stage occurred along the Sevier fault and in the southern part of the field between 800,000 and 500,000 years ago; its cones and lava flows are moderately eroded.

[45] Renewed activity may impact the reservoir[46] and popular recreation site of Navajo Lake less than 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) south of the Markagunt Plateau volcanic field as well as Utah State Route 14 and U.S. Route 89 which are constructed across lava flows from the volcanic field.