17 min
Overview
Lava Butte is a 7,000-year-old red cinder cone, part of the Newberry volcanic field. The cone was formed when hot cinders were thrown up by a central vent, forming a ring of deposited material. The black lava flows you see around the cone issued from a vent at the base of the cone, flowing mainly to the west several miles as far as the Deschutes River. The lava formed a dam across the Deschutes, behind which a lake existed for 4,000 years. Eventually the river carved a chasm, draining the lake and creating Benham Falls. Visitors can hike the short trail up to the lookout and then around the cone’s rim. Access is via a narrow road, sometimes open to vehicles, but at busy times visitors must take a shuttle ($5). You can take the shuttle up and then walk the 1.6 miles back down along the road to the Lava Lands Visitor Center . Do NOT add to the scarring of the cone’s flank by taking a user path.
Trail Stats
0.8 km
32 m
1529 m
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Photos
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