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LAVA BUTTE

GEOLOGICA

L ARE A

DESCHUTE

S NATIONA L FORES T

A GUIDE

Unite d State s Department of Agriculture Fores t Servic e Pacific Northwest Region

LAVA BUTTE

Lav a Butte , a volcani c cinde r con e tha t rises 50
0 fee t abov e th e adjacen t forest-covere d country , overlook s a n are a o f spectacula r volcanism . T o th e sout h i s Newberr y Crater , a larg e shield-shape d volcan o covere d b y mor e tha n 40
0 cinde r cone s lik e Lav a Butte . T o th e wes t ar e th e majesti c Thre e Sister s an d Mt . Bachelo r volcanoes . Of f t o th e eas t ar e th e rims o f th e Hig h Deser t an d t o th e nort h ar e th e rugge d pinnacle s o f Smit h Rock . Bu t no t al l o f th e phenomena l feature s visibl e fro m th e summi t o f Lav a Butt e ar e i n th e distance ; som e ar e virtuall y a t th e spectator' s feet . Her e i s a volcani c crater , 15 0 fee t deep , fro m whic h fountain s o f molte n roc k erupte d t o buil d Lav a Butte .

Reachin

g wes t an d nort h fro m Lav a Butt e i s a n impressiv e lav a fiel d sprea d ove r 6,10 0 acres . Al l o f thi s lav a spille d fro m a gas h o n th e sout h sid e o f th e butte . Gutters , lav a ridges, radiatin g flow s an d th e rupture d con e tel l th e stor y o f th e escap e o f th e lav a an d it s sprea d wes t t o th e Deschute s Rive r an d nort h towar d th e presen t sit e o f Bend . Muc h o f th e dramati c volcanis m o f th e area , scen e o f earth' s unres t lon g ago , i s visibl e fro m th e summi t o f Lav a Butte . A t th e bas e o f Lav a Butt e i s th e Lav a Land s Visito r Cente r wit h display s o n geolog y an d ar chaeology . Fro m th e Visito r Center , th e Trai l o f th e Molte n Lan d lead s acros s th e lav a flow s t o th e bas e o f th e butte . (Cove r photo ) Aeria l vie w o f Lav a Butt e fro m south . 1 Lav a Land s Visito r Center .

HISTOR

Y

Prehistori

c inhabitant s probabl y witnesse d Lav a Butte' s eruptio n an d watche d molte n roc k spil l westwar d t o th e

Deschute

s River . Lav a Butt e wa s possibl y th e origi n o f som e legend s an d i t mos t assuredl y affecte d thei r choic e o f huntin g camp s later . Nort h alon g th e Deschute s River , Nativ e American s use d a roc k overhan g a s shelte r an d storag e fo r thei r seasona l hunt in g foray s int o thi s game-ric h area . Fro m thi s vantage , know n a s Lav a Islan d Roc k Shelter , the y woul d hav e ha d a perfec t vie w o f th e lav a fro m Lav a Butt e a s i t spille d int o th e channe l o f th e river. Archaeologist s i n 198
1 excavate d Lav a Islan d Roc k Shelte r an d foun d evidenc e fo r occupatio n o f th e sit e a s lon g ag o a s 7,00 0 years . Recen t researc h suggest s th e sit e ma y b e muc h younger , datin g perhap s t o 2CO O years . Artifact s fro m Lav a Islan d Roc k Shelte r ar e o n displa y a t th e Deschute s Historica l Cente r i n Bend . 2

Lava Island Rock Shelter.

I n 1961
, archaeologist s fro m Wash ingto n Stat e Universit y excavate d wha t appeare d t o b e a n ancien t huntin g cam p eas t o f Lav a Butte . Prehistori c hunter s occupie d thi s sit e seasonall y eac h yea r fo r thousand s o f years . Ther e i s evidenc e tha t th e hunter s se t u p a temporar y cam p eac h yea r o n a lav a ridg e overlookin g a majo r gam e trail . Whil e waitin g fo r deer , the y fashione d arrowhead s an d spea r point s fro m obsidia n (volcani c glass ) an d tosse d th e obsidia n chip s an d broke n point s int o a lav a crevasse . I n th e botto m o f th e cre vasse , unde r a dee p deposi t o f soil , th e archaeologist s foun d man y artifacts , som e o f whic h ar e no w o n displa y a t th e Sunrive r Natur e Center .

Nathanie

l Wyet h an d hi s trapper s possibl y wer e th e firs t non-Indian s t o se e Lav a Butt e when , lat e i n 1834
, the y passe d throug h th e are a i n searc h o f beaver . Wyet h an d hi s part y move d upstrea m alon g th e Deschute s pas t Dillion , Benham , an d

Pringl

e Falls , bu t mad e n o mentio n o f Lav a Butte . Joh n C . Fremont , wit h Ki t Carso n an d War m Spring s India n Bill y Chinoo k a s guides , followe d a simila r rout e i n 1843
, a s di d th e

Williamso

n Surve y part y i n 1855
. Neithe r grou p note d Lav a Butte , bu t thei r presume d route s mus t hav e take n the m clos e t o it . Durin g th e mi d 1850
s emigrant s fro m th e east , searchin g fo r quicke r route s t o th e

Willamett

e Valley , trie d t o shorte n th e tri p an d avoi d hostil e Snak e Indian s b y travellin g throug h Centra l Oregon . Fe w wer e pre pare d fo r th e harshnes s o f th e hig h desert , som e perishe d an d man y becam e lost .

Probabl

y th e mos t famou s o f th e los t wago n train s wa s th e Elliot t Cutof f Part y o f 1853
. The y passe d alon g th e rock y apro n o f Lav a Butt e o n thei r wa y sout h t o cros s th e Cas cade s sout h o f Diamon d Peak . Cattl e rancher s and , later , shee p rancher s wer e th e firs t t o settl e i n th e Ben d area . I n th e 1870
s thos e earl y settler s foun d Lav a Butt e muc h a s i t appear s today , wit h anima l trail s spiralin g th e cone . E n rout e t o rang e o n th e uppe r Deschutes , pionee r stockme n foun d th e lav a fro m Lav a Butt e blockin g th e direc t rout e south . Rathe r tha n mov e thei r herd s of f t o th e dr y countr y t o th e east , the y forde d th e rive r an d use d westsid e trails . B y th e tur n o f th e century . Ben d wa s gainin g populatio n an d Lav a Butt e becam e a n attractiv e viewpoint . Partie s frequentl y climbe d th e con e ove r a zigza g trai l t o vie w th e spectacula r Cascade s t o th e west . Roa d builder s als o recognize d Lav a Butt e a s a sceni c vist a an d natura l naviga tio n marke r an d buil t road s skirtin g th e lav a a t th e eas t bas e o f th e butte . Moder n U.S .

Highwa

y 9 7 eventuall y followe d thos e earl y routes . Som e o f th e lav a apro n wa s blaste d t o prepar e th e grad e fo r th e road . Lav a Butt e di d no t dete r railroa d builders , how ever . Grea t Norther n constructe d a grad e ove r th e lov a fiel d i n 1928
. I n th e 1930
s th e U.S . Fores t Servic e buil t a lookou t a t th e butte' s summi t an d a spira l roa d t o acces s th e structure . Ther e i s stil l a lookou t o n to p o f Lav a Butte , thoug h i t i s no t th e origina l one . Th e Secretar y o f Agricultur e officiall y designate d th e Lav a Butt e Geologica l Are a i n 1967
, an d th e Lav a Land s Visito r Cente r wa s dedicate d o n Septembe r 13,1975 . Th e are a i s mange d b y th e Deschute s Nationa l

Forest

, U.S . Departmen t o f Agriculture . 4 3 AGE Ho w ol d i s Lav a Butte ?

Oldtimer

s believe d tha t th e lava s coole d onl y yesterday . Thi s i s true , bu t i t i s th e geologi c yesterday , no t man' s 24-hou
r yesterday. O n th e flow s an d slope s o f Lav a Butt e severa l generation s o f tree s hav e probabl y grow n an d died . Toda y ther e ar e tree s whic h ar e severa l centurie s ol d strug glin g t o surviv e o n th e flow . Th e firs t geologist t o stud y Lav a Butt e wa s Israe l C . Russel l o f th e U.S . Geologica l Surve y i n 1903
. H e estimate d tha t Lav a Butt e erupte d a s recentl y a s 15 0 year s ago . Dr . Howe l William s i n hi s 194
8 publication . The Ancient Volcanoes of Oregon, specu late d tha t th e eruption s occurre d les s tha n 1,00 0 year s ago . Mor e recen t estimate s b y geologist s hav e range d fro m 2,00 0 t o 4,00 0 year s ago . However , i n 197
7 carbo n 1 4 datin g establishe d th e butte' s ag e a t 6,20 0 years . Tree s struggl e t o survive .

GEOLOGI

C STOR Y

Geologist

s agre e tha t volcani c activit y i n th e uppe r Deschute s countr y o f Orego n wa s a s spectacula r a s an y i n th e

Pacifi

c Northwest . Man y o f th e grea t peak s o f th e Orego n Cascde s ha d bee n buil t lon g befor e Lav a Butt e erupted , bu t no t all .

Symmetrica

l Mt . Bachelor , th e 9,060-foot - hig h con e o n th e wester n skyline , an d a lon g chai n o f cinde r cone s t o th e sout h cease d eruption s abou t 8,00 0 year s ago . Abou t 6,80 0 year s ag o Mt . Mazam a erupte d violentl y an d collapse d t o for m Crate r Lak e an d blanke t th e Lav a Butt e are a wit h tw o fee t o f pumice . T o th e sout h i n Newberr y

Crater

, severa l pumic e cone s an d obsidia n flow s erupte d abou t 6,70 0 year s ago . Th e Northwester n flan k o f Newberr y volcan o ha s lon g bee n a zon e o f geologi c weaknes s whic h i s show n b y dozen s o f cinde r cone s o f varyin g ages . Abou t 6,20 0 year s ag o magm a agai n bega n movin g u p dee p fracture s withi n thi s zon e o f weakness , no w calle d th e Northwes t Rif t Zone . Whe n th e magm a firs t reache d th e surfac e i t wa s highl y flui d an d gas-charged . Small , bubblin g eruption s forme d a serie s o f spatte r cone s an d thi n flui d flows . Fro m th e Lav a Butt e summit , example s o f thes e ar e visibl e acros s Highwa y 9 7 t o th e east . Th e are a ca n b e reache d i n a shor t hik e ove r a rugge d lav a terrai n (se e spatte r con e are a o n Figur e 1) . A s th e eruptio n continued , portion s o f th e fissur e seale d of f an d activit y concen trate d a t th e sit e o f Lav a Butte . Th e lav a wa s becomin g les s fluid , s o tha t escapin g gase s carrie d larg e quantitie s o f foam y lav a fragment s (cinders ) int o th e air . Blow n b y th e prevailin g southwes t wind s th e cinder s fel l bac k t o th e groun d t o buil d a con e wit h a hig h northeas t ri m an d ove r tw o third s o f th e cone' s volum e nort h o f th e crater . Als o a deposi t o f fine r cinder s wa s sprea d t o th e northeas t b y th e win d an d i s expose d i n th e highwa y cut s nort h o f Lav a Butte . 5 6

Figure 1 - Lava Butte Geological Area

7 8

With time the highly gas-charged

lav a wa s deplete d an d lav a bega n t o ris e u p int o th e cone , bu t th e thi n sout h sid e wa s no t stron g enoug h t o contai n th e lava . Th e lav a brok e throug h th e sid e o f th e con e an d forme d numerou s overlappin g flow s whic h sprea d t o th e wes t an d north , coverin g mor e tha n 9 squar e mile s (Figur e 1) . T o th e wes t th e flow s entere d th e channe l o f th e Deschute s Rive r a t severa l places . A t on e plac e th e flow s fille d th e river' s channe l wit h ove r 5 0 fee t o f lava , fro m abov e Benha m Fall s t o Dillo n Falls . A smal l lak e forme d tha t probabol y backe d u p a s fa r a s Sunriver . Whe n th e lak e filled , th e rive r foun d a n outle t acros s a lo w divid e i n a n ancien t lav a dom e nearl y tw o millio n year s old . Th e rive r toda y continue s t o cu t int o thi s dom e a t Benha m Falls . Belo w Benha m Fall s th e rive r wa s force d t o follo w th e edg e o f th e flo w until l i t coul d spil l int o it s ol d channe l a t Dillo n Falls . Th e duratio n o f th e eruptio n i s esti mate d t o hav e bee n fro m a fe w month s t o a coupl e o f years . Durin g th e nex t coupl e o f hundre d years , eruptiv e activit y occurre d severa l time s alon g othe r segment s o f th e North wes t Rif t Zon e (Figur e 2 ) t o for m Moks t Butt e an d associate d flows , th e flow s o f th e Lav a Cas t Fores t Area , an d severa l othe r post - Mazam a flow s alon g th e rift . Dillo n Falls . 9 Figur e 2 - Northwes t Rif t Zon e o f

Newberr

y Volcano . 1 0

NEWBERRY VOLCANO

Lav a Butt e i s on e o f thousand s o f smal l volcanoe s tha t mak e u p a muc h large r an d longer-live d volcano . Newberr y

Volcan

o i s a n enormou s shield-shape d volcano , wit h a basa l diamete r o f som e 2 0 t o 2 5 mile s coverin g 40
0 t o 50
0 squar e miles . I t ha s bee n buil t u p mainl y o f flui d basaf t flow s an d silici c ashflow s ove r a perio d o f nearl y a millio n years . A t th e summi t o f Newberr y Volcan o i s Newberr y Crater , a caldera , 4 t o 5 mile s i n diameter . Unlik e th e calder a o f Mt . Mazam a (Crate r Lake ) whic h forme d 6,80 0 year s ag o i n a singl e larg e eruption , th e calder a o f Newberr y ha s forme d durin g multipl e eruption s ove r a perio d o f a t leas t

500,00

0 years . Durin g th e buildin g o f New berry , larg e violen t eruption s ejecte d a s muc h a s 2 0 cubi c mile s o f materia l i n th e for m o f ashflows . Durin g eac h o f thes e larg e eruption s a sectio n o f th e summi t are a woul d dro p dow n severa l thousan d fee t int o th e cavit y emptie d o f molte n roc k b y th e eruption . Th e fina l resul t o f thes e eruption s i s today' s caldera , hemme d i n o n al l bu t th e wester n sid e b y cliff s a s muc h a s 1,50 0 fee t high .

Paulin

a Peak , accessibl e b y aut o durin g th e summer , offer s a n exceptiona l vie w o f Newberr y Crater , th e sout h flan k o f

Newberr

y Volcano , an d th e Cascades .

Betwee

n majo r eruption s an d sinc e th e fina l caldera-formin g eruption , th e calder a ha s fille d wit h 1,50 0 fee t o f volcanic , lake , an d erosiona l deposits . Ove r muc h o f th e histor y o f th e caldera , ther e ha s proba bl y bee n on e larg e lak e withi n th e caldera . A s th e calder a fille d wit h deposits , tw o basin s forme d whic h ar e occupie d toda y b y Eas t an d Paulin a Lakes . Th e outle t o f

Paulin

a Lak e i s t o th e west , throug h Paulin a Creek , wher e th e wate r tumble s int o a canyo n a t picturesqu e Paulin a Cree k Falls . Eas t Lak e ha s n o surfac e outlet . Abou t 6,70 0 year s ago , eruption s buil t th e Centra l Pumic e Con e an d severa l obsidia n flows . Finally , abou t 1,30 0 year s ago , th e Bi g Obsidia n flo w wa s formed , th e mos t recen t volcani c landfor m i n centra l

Oregon

.

Newberr

y Crate r fro m Paulin a Peak . 1 1

Paulin

a Cree k Falls . 1 2

Prehistoric native people visited

Newberr

y Crate r regularl y fo r thousand s o f year s t o collec t obsidia n fo r makin g tools . The y woul d wor k larg e piece s o f obsidia n int o crud e "bifaces " t o chec k th e qualit y o f th e piec e an d t o reduc e th e bul k an d weigh t fo r easie r transpor t dow n th e moun tain . A t mor e permanen t campsite s awa y fro m th e mountain , th e biface s woul d b e worke d int o tool s suc h a s points , blades , an d scrapers . Pete r Skee n Ogde n an d hi s trapper s wer e th e firs t whit e me n t o visi t Newberr y Crate r i n 1826
. POINT S O F INTERES T

Beside

s Lav a Butt e an d Newberr y

Crater

, ther e ar e a numbe r o f interestin g volcani c feature s nearby . Fou r mile s t o th e wes t i s Benha m Fall s Da y Us e Are a wher e a trai l fro m th e parkin g lo t lead s t o viewpoint s overlookin g Benha m Falls . On e mil e t o th e sout h o n Hwy . 9 7 i s Lav a Rive r Cave . Thi s mile-lon g lav a tub e fe d a muc h olde r lav a flo w fro m th e North wes t Rif t Zone . Stair s an d a trai l mak e thi s a relativel y eas y cav e t o explore . Lantern s ar e availabl e fo r rent . Fo r a mor e primitiv e cav e experience , as k fo r direction s t o Boyd ,

Skeleto

n an d Win d cave s southeas t o f Bend . Thre e an d a hal f mile s sout h o n Hwy . 9 7 an d the n te n mile s eas t o n F.S . Rd . 972
0 i s th e Lav a Cas t Forest . Her e eruption s o f lav a abou t 6,00 0 year s ag o spille d int o a stan d o f timber . Becaus e o f th e flui d characte r o f thes e flows , th e lav a flowe d aroun d th e tree s an d wa s chille d b y th e moistur e withi n th e trees . Th e hea t o f th e lav a eventuall y burn t th e woo d out , leavin g tre e molds . A self-guide d natur e trai l lead s t o man y excellen t example s o f thes e tre e molds . Benha m Fall s Lav a Rive r Cave . 1 3 Tre e mol d a t Lav a Cas t Forest . 1 4

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Lav a Land s Visito r Cente r 5820
1 Sout h Hwy , 9 7 (1 1 mile s sout h o f Bend ) Bend , Orego n 9770
7 (503 ) 593-242
1 Fores t Geologis t

Deschute

s Nationa l Fores t 164
5 Hwy . 2 0 Eas t Bend , Orego n 9770
1 (503)388-561 8

Deschute

s Historica l Cente r 12 9 N W Idah o Ave . Bend , Orego n 9770
1 (503)389-181 3

DEDICATIO

N Th e "Lav a Butt e Geologica l Area " brochur e i s dedicate d t o Phi l Brogan . Mr . Broga n wa s extremel y intereste d i n th e historica l geolog y o f th e

Centra

l Orego n region . Throug h incessan t foray s an d constan t searche s int o surroundin g areas , Phi l Broga n mad e significan t geologica l an d paleontologica l contributions . B y wa y o f hi s prolifi c writings , h e wa s instrumenta l i n providin g much o f th e present-da y knowledg e i n thes e subjec t areas . Th e branc h trai l t o th e overloo k i s name d i n hi s honor .

Publishe

d b y JOI L Th e Pacifi c Northwes t Nationa l ^ # Park s an d Forest s Associatio n Photo s fo r th e brochur e b y

Barbar

a Merli n an d Davi d Norri s