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The
Lava
Lands
Visitor
Center
is the interpretive hub for
Newberry
National
Volcanic
Monument
and is located just off U.S. Hwy. 97, 13 miles south of
Bend
. Lava Lands offers nature walks,
interpretive programs, visitor information, displays on geology, volcanology
and the cultural history of
Central Oregon
. A small book shop offers books on the
Central Oregon
area.
Behind
the
Visitor
Center
there are two self guided interpretive trails, to explore at your own pace.
One, the Trail of Molten Land, meanders over the 7000 year-old lava flow from
Lava Butte, the imposing cinder cone behind the
Visitor
Center
.
The other, Trail of the Whispering Pines, wanders through a young ponderosa
pine forest.
Lava
Lands
Visitor
Center
hours:
9:00
a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
A one-hour guided tour begins at
11:00
AM
on Saturday, for which you can pre-register.
Lava
Butte
rises 500 feet above the visitor center. 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, there is "Controlled Access". Each
day is divided into 15 different 30-minute time slots. There are 14 tickets
issued for each half hour time slot. Visitors can choose the next available
slot or pick one later in the day. When their half hour time slot begins they
can take their vehicle up.
ACCESS:
from
Bend
,
11.2 miles south on Hwy. 97
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