A Panoramic View From Atop Lava Butte, a 7000 Year Old, 500 ft High Cinder Cone. (Mid pan, I had to interrupt my photo shoot and go to the other side of the fire lookout tower.)
“Farther south we find a forest of scrubby trees, subdivided into ridiculous little lots. Some developer’s scheme apparently. and discover that the pine needles just barely cover what must be many feet of soft spongy dust.“ [A deep layer very fine volcanic dust cover a huge part of Oregon here!] “ I’ve never seen anything like it. We have to be careful not to kick up the needles or the dust flies up over everything. At one of the lots far off the main highway we spread out our sleeping bags. “
Deschutes National Forest, 14 Mi S of Bend, OR.This cinder cone erupted 7,000 years ago and covered over nine square miles with lava. The butte offers a panoramic view of central Oregon, including a spectacular view of the Cascade Range and the northwest flank of Newberry. The Lava Butte interpretive trail circles the crater rim. . Due to limited parking at the summit, must get “tickets: to take their vehicle up. Lava Butte rises 500 feet above the Lava Butte Visitor Center. (Text source, in New Browser)
Lava Butte and Newberry National Volcanic National Monument are within The Deschutes National Forest. The Monument includes 50,000+ acres of lakes, lava flows, and spectacular geologic features in central Oregon. The highest point within the Monument is the summit Paulina Peak (7,985 ft.), showcasing views of the Oregon Cascades and across the High Desert. The summit area of Newberry Volcano holds two sparkling alpine lakes full of trout and salmon. .It is hard to fathom as you drive through the summit area that you are within a 17 square mile caldera at the summit of a 500 square mile volcano, a volcano that remains very active to this day. Newberry is both seismically and geothermally active. Geologists believe the caldera sits over a shallow magma body only 2 to 5 kilometers deep. Visitors see numerous cinder cones (over 400 throughout the area), miles of basalt flows, as well as rhyolite flows of obsidian. Newberry National Volcanic National Monument (Text source, In New Browser)
A great view of Lava Butte Lookout Tower + OH-WOW Panorama from top nearby Paulina Peak. (In New Browser)
Scroll down for interesting “overhead” aerial view Lava Butte. (In New Browser)
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(Photo = 113-1338PanLg = 3.76 MB ...... ZMM Page = 294 ...... WayPt = 360 5063ft. Sign there said 5020ft)

Upload Date	:	Sat 01 Aug 2009 01:23:27 PM EDT
Capture Date	:	Wed 03 Jul 2002 07:20:04 PM EDT
Image Size	:	8364 x 1073 (3855k)