A Trip To Lava Butte

We're moving southward bit by bit making the 130 miles drive to the Bend Sunriver Thousand Trails about 20 miles south of Bend, OR.

We really like this park.  It feels more like a state park with enormous sites and each rv site in this section is lined with trees on both sides.  We had no problem getting satellite reception since there is a vacant field next to us on the other side of the trees where Jim was able to just set our dome out there.  We even have cell service (ATT) and Verizon wifi.

We decided we would just take it easy today.  Jim played pickle ball with the 9:00 o'clock group.

Later this afternoon we went over to the Newberry National Volcanic Monument which is only about 10 miles from here.

We planned to take the drive up to Lava Butte.  We stopped at the Visitor's Center to pick up a pass to go up to the top.  It wasn't very crowded as we were able to walk in, pick up the pass and head up to the top.

We took the narrow road with 8% grade that winded around the volcano.

Lava Butte is a cinder cone volcano created during a two phase eruption just over 7,000 years ago.

This is why you need a pass to drive up to the top, there are only 10 parking places.  You have 30 minutes to spend at the top.

We made the climb to the top of the volcano edge.

Here's a view of the inside of the caldera.

Looking down further, you can see the lava flow from the volcano.

We also got a bird's eye view of the Trail of the Molten Lands which winds through the hardened volcanic flow below.
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There is a 1/4 mile trail that goes around the volcano.  We walked it and on the other side you could see how one side is higher than the other.  You can see the fire lookout tower on the top right.

There were some pretty good views from up there too.

When we made it back to the parking lot, it was time to drive back down.  We went back to the Visitor's Center to look at the exhibits.  I have always been fascinated by volcanoes.

We went out back to walk part of the Trail of the Molten Lands.  Here's a view of Lava Butte from its lava flow.

We have lots more of this park to explore and will be back soon.

See ya' later, little guy.