Lava Lands Visitor Center — Attraction in Oregon

A great place to learn about the Newberry National Volcanic Monument and to hike though ancient lava flows.

The Trail of Molten Lands starts at the back of the Visitor Center and connects to the Trail of the Whispering Pines.

The paved trail takes you through a basalt lava flow with interpretive signs on the history of the flow.

You will have great views of the surrounding mountains as the trail climbs up to the summit.

You will see lava channels and tubes with interpretive signs on your hike.

The climb to the top is steep and ends in with a viewpoint of Mt. Bachelor, the Three Sisters and other Cascade Mountains.

You can return to the Visitor Center or continue to the Trail of the Whispering Pines.

Lava Butte and the Lava River Cave were both closed.

A parking fee is required for the Visitors Center.

The bathrooms are in the Visitors Center and there are picnic tables to use.

Located about eleven miles south of Bend on Hwy 97.

A nice hike through an amazing basalt flow from Lava Butte with great views of the...

Heaven for a geology buff. Driving south on the main drag out of bend, a large unusually steep sided hill will appear on your right that is conspicuously surrounded by huge quantities of A'a basaltic lava. This is the cinder cone volcano dubbed "lava butte". Usually you take a shuttle to the top but today we were allowed to drive ($5 entry fee) to the top. A 1/4 mile trail around the main crater is at the top and an amazing view of the surrounding territory. Mt Bachelor, South sister and Newberry all easily viewable even on a stormy day like today. On the ground the visitor's center was nice. Bathrooms available. A gift shop and an exhibit hall (currently closed) were available. Behind the gift shop are two paved accessible trails. We took the molten earth trail which circled around one mile through the lava fields and ended at an epic overlook. Walk over and through the main lava channel and envision standing there 7000 years ago in a literal hellscape of molten rock. Epic stop....

This is a part of the Newberry National Volcanic Monument, along with its sister site just a bit southeast of here (the Newberry Caldera and lakes).

Expansive lava fields go in all directions from the visitor center, with many snow- and glacier-capped Cascade peaks visible in the far distance. The Lava Butte at the visitor's center can be hiked to from the visitor's center, or you can grab a shuttle up to the top of the Butte for even better views.

The fields of lava have very sparse trees and foliage, even now that it's been a few thousand years since eruption. Be careful hiking around here and wear tough shoes. Ground squirrels have turned the fields into home, as the jutting rocks have created many small spaces for these tiny critters to enjoy.

There's a decent trail system thru this park as well, which connects with the Deschutes River and Sunriver areas. These paved paths are great for bicycling.

There's a $5 fee for parking, which is worth supporting the park for the time...