Oregon's Other Crater Lake--Newberry Crater

While Crater Lake National Park gets the lion's share of attention, Newberry Crater National Monument Is spectacular Oregon wonder, boasting of things even the great one doesn't have.

Newberry Crater National Monument is found near Highway 97 between the cities of Bend and La Pine, Oregon.  A very informative visitor's center is located right off the highway just south of Lava Butte.  You'll recognize Lava Butte, even if you miss the signs pointing to Lavalands Visitor Center  just off the highway.

From the visitor center you can hike through the lava fields at the base of the butte, or take a shuttle to the top and walk down into the crater of the cinder cone.

Though the volcano covers a huge area, 500 square miles, the most often viewed portion of the monument is the caldera itself.  A paved two-lane road takes you right inside the crater and throughout that portion of the monument.  More daring motorists can continue on through the crater and exit the east side into even more 4-wheel drive roads.  A partially paved road goes to the highest point in the monument, Paulina Peak, a respectable 7984 Ft. above sea level.  According to Forest Service officials, this point is about 3500 ft. above the surrounding plain.

Two lakes, Paulina and East Lake are, are inside the caldera.  Both are fairly large and fishermen find them productive at certain times of the year.  On the south of the lakes is the huge obsidian flow where 7 million cubic yards of the molten material flowed and cooled into glass.

This big flow is just one of several within the crater.  Next to the Obsidian and right under Paulina Peak is a flow of ash that created Pumice.

There is a lodge at the lake with boat rentals and food and drink.  Nearby is Paulina Creek which forms a side-by-side waterfall just about 1/4 mile below the lodge.  From the highway, the falls is a short, easy hike where visitors can get a close-up view.

The High Desert Museum is another attraction in this land of rock and Ponderosa Pine.  Situated north of Lava Butte and right on Highway 97, the center draws thousands of visitors every year.  Lava River Cave is yet another interesting stop in this land with so many outstanding physical features.  The cave is approximately 1 mile long.  It was formed by a lava flow.  The outside cooled and left a pipe-line.  The inside, still molten, continued to flow and emptied the now hollow tube.

Lodging is available in both Bend and La Pine and restaurants abound in Bend.