We've lived in Bend for 14 years and Lava Butte is only about 15 miles east of us. Yet we had not visited there until this week when a friend from Arizona suggested we all go. Smart friend. Great place to explore. Spectacular volcanic outcroppings and mountain views and also trails of varying access and ease with lava caves in the mix too.
OVERVIEW: The new Lava Lands visitor center, opened this year, is a good start point to gather info about the Newberry National Volcanic Monument, of which Lava Lands, Lava Butte, Lava River Cave are all a part. Those are the sites that are in the immediate area of the visitor center. Other points of interest in the Newberry National Monument area are roughly 25 miles south / southeast of the Lava Lands visitor center. They include Paulina Falls, Peak and Lake and also the Big Obsidian flow. If you're planning to visit those too, you'll want to make a full day of the exploration.
We had a few hours to spare, so we limited our exploration to the visitor center and the sights immediately adjacent; Lava Butte and the Molten Lava Trail. The Lava River Cave is also in this same area and would have been an easy inclusion, but not a place the claustrophobic members of our merry band were inclined to want to visit. (Here's are tips if you do want to the lava cave; the surrounding area is warm, the cave is cold, take a warm jacket, wear study shoes, and you'll be required to carry two light sources with you.)
VISITOR CENTER: Great facility with exhibits, information on the Newberry National Monument area, a spectacular view of the Cascade mountains looking across the lava flow from the patio at the back, and jumping off point to a couple of paved trails; Whispering Pines and Molten Lava. More good news, the new visitor center has added large bathrooms with flush toilets and running water. Rangers working at the visitor center were most helpful in providing additional information on the area.More good news is the entire facility, from parking lot through all elements are equally accessible to people of all ages and physical abilities.
There is a $5 fee (as alternative National Park passes are honored) to enter the Visitor Center area which is the jump off point to access the Lava Butte cinder cone.
LAVA BUTTE: . A short drive up an 8% grade cinder road, during busy times you'll be assigned a 30 minute visit interval so that the limited parking and space at the top of the Butte can accommodate the visitors there. (As example, we arrived at the visitor center gate at 10:45 a and were assigned a start time of 11:15 a for the drive up and a return time of no later than 11:45a.) There is a paved parking lot (with one accessible parking stall) at the top and a steep paved trail to the very top of the Butte and the old fire lookout there. Folks with small children in tow may find it helpful to know that there are NOT railings all the way around the top. Also accessible from the parking lot is a roughly mile, steep cinder topped trail that loops around the Butte. Even if you decide not to brave either trail, the views from the parking level are amazing.
MOLTEN LANDS TRAIL: Trails immediately adjacent to visitor include Whispering Pines and Molten Lands. Both are paved, with the former being more level and in better repair and the latter being more steep and with some divots in the asphalt. (People who push strollers or use wheelchairs, as I do on trails, will know why that latter bit of info is important. ;-) ) We had time for only one trail and selected Molten Lands, which takes anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes to complete based on how much one wants to speed walk or saunter and gawk.
OTHER TIPS:
a) Right outside the entrance to the Lava Lands Visitor Center you'll find a drivable access road that is about 4 miles long and takes you to Benham Falls. Another beautiful place to visit.
b) Road changes off of Highway 97 that are intended to make entry in and access out of the Lava Lands area easier were supposed to be completed by July 2011 but were still a work in progress as of last week. As a result, you can expect to have to make a significant detour if you're trying to access Lava Lands coming from the south or if you are trying to exit to the north after leaving Lava Butte. read more