America’s Youngest Obsidian Field Glistens Black Within This Oregon Volcanic Monument

The Newberry National Volcanic Monument, Oregon

Central Oregon has a secret: a massive volcano that’s still cooking underground. At Newberry, you can climb cinder cones, float in hot lakes, and walk through tunnels carved by lava. Here’s your quick guide to Oregon’s wildest volcanic playground.

Walk the Obsidian Wasteland

This is a 700-acre field of black glass. The Big Obsidian Flow exploded 1,300 years ago, blasting ash all the way to Idaho. Local tribes mined this glass for tools and traded it across the West for thousands of years.

Some chunks of this shiny black rock stack up 65 feet thick. The stuff formed when silica-heavy lava cooled faster than a beer in a snowbank.

Wear real shoes, not those flimsy sandals – this glass can slice through thin soles like a sushi knife through tuna.

Crawl Through Earth’s Arteries in Lava River Cave

There’s something primal about walking into the earth’s guts. This 2-mile lava tube sits just 13 miles south of Bend, stuck at a permanent 42°F that’ll make you wish you’d brought another layer.

The whole thing formed when a river of molten rock hollowed out a tunnel that now houses bats hanging like tiny vampiric fruit. The cave floor drops 80 feet from one end to the other with patches rough enough to twist an ankle if you’re not paying attention.

You need a timed $2 permit that books up a day ahead.

Soak in Nature’s Hot Tub at Paulina Springs

These DIY hot springs on Paulina Lake’s north shore bubble up between 90°F and 115°F through beach rocks like nature’s own kettle.

The hot stuff seeps through layers of red and black volcanic gravel, minerals mingling like perfect cocktail ingredients.

It’s a simple 1.5-mile hike from Little Crater campground.

Stand Atop Paulina Peak Like a Conquistador

At 7,985 feet, this is where mere mortals get to feel like gods. The view stretches over twin blue caldera lakes, obsidian flows black as midnight, and a conga line of volcanoes marching to the horizon.

Take the rough dirt road (July-October) or earn your views with a lung-busting 6.1-mile hike climbing 1,600 vertical feet. On crystal days, you can spot California’s Mount Shasta to the south and Washington’s Rainier to the north.

Float Above a Volcano’s Watery Grave

Two alpine lakes now fill the Newberry Caldera like water in a massive skull – Paulina Lake spreading across 1,531 acres and plunging 250 feet deep, with East Lake sitting slightly higher like nature’s terraced pool design. A civilized 10 mph speed limit means no jet skis shattering the peace.

Rent kayaks or canoes at Paulina Lake Lodge by the hour or day like a true local. The north shore has black sand beaches that would make Hawaii jealous – pure volcanic ash under your toes.

East Lake’s lighter pumice sand actually floats on water like geological magic tricks. The water clarity in Paulina runs 20 feet deep on calm days. You’ll see fish swimming below you like you’re peering through glass.

Walk Through a Forest’s Ghost at Lava Cast

This is where worlds collided 6,000 years ago – molten rock swallowing an ancient forest but cooling just enough to create perfect molds of tree trunks. Now new pines grow among these stone coffins of their ancestors like some botanical reincarnation.

The short 0.9-mile paved loop shows how lava froze around trees, creating hollow tubes where wood once stood.

Some tree molds plunge 15 feet down with bark details preserved in the rock like fossil fingerprints.

Ride the Shuttle to Lava Butte’s Volcanic Throne

This perfect 500-foot cinder cone popped up 7,000 years ago while Crater Lake was having its own explosive drama. From this burnt summit, the Three Sisters, Mt. Bachelor and Broken Top stand like distant sentinels. Catch the shuttle from Lava Lands every 20 minutes during summer.

At the top, a quick rim trail circles a crater deeper than a swimming pool, passing a fire lookout that’s been scanning for smoke since 1913. Three bucks gets you a seat on this volcanic elevator that spirals up in 10 minutes like a geological carnival ride.

The cone lords over a 9-square-mile lava field stretching 6 miles to the Deschutes River like a frozen tsunami of rock. The crater dips 150 feet from rim to bottom – not a place you’d want to tumble into.

Witness Paulina Falls’ Twin Liquid Curtains

Here’s where Paulina Lake water makes its grand exit – an 80-foot double plunge over ancient basalt. It’s twin streams thundering down with enough force to make your sternum vibrate.

The cliff used to jut out another 200 feet until a flood tore it apart, leaving boulders at the base like discarded building blocks. View options include high overlooks or getting close enough at the base to feel the spray on your face.

The falls run strongest in May and June when snowmelt feeds them like liquid steroids. Winter transforms this water feature into frozen ice columns looking like some wizard’s crystal castle.

Circle Paulina Lake on Foot Like a Modern Explorer

The 7.5-mile Paulina Lake Loop Trail isn’t just a hike – it’s a moving slideshow of volcanic greatest hits. Each turn reveals another canvas. lake waters reflecting clouds, jagged peaks, and black rock flows while the path weaves through changing forest.

It passes those hidden hot springs and serves up postcard views of Paulina Peak and the obsidian flow. Want the express version? A 3-mile round-trip from Little Crater Camp takes you straight to the hot springs without the full commitment.

Southern sections tunnel through old growth pine and fir trees while the north side crosses open pumice fields like walking on the moon. Parts hug the shoreline close enough to dip your toes while others climb for views that’ll stop you mid-stride.

Grab a Bite at Paulina Lake Lodge

After burning calories in volcanic terrain, this lakeside lodge delivers what you crave. Grab a window seat for lunch and watch the lake shimmer while demolishing a burger.

Dinner requires planning ahead for their prime rib. Finish with homemade cobbler that tastes like someone’s grandmother is hiding in the kitchen, and maybe a drink from the full bar.

Try the local trout pulled from the very lake you’re staring at – doesn’t get fresher than that.

Winter turns it into a snowmobile destination, open weekends only, like a secret club for those willing to brave the elements.

Bomb the Crater Rim Trail on Two Wheels

For those who think volcanoes are best experienced with rubber tires and burning thighs, the 21-mile Crater Rim Trail delivers a full loop of Newberry’s caldera. It’s raw terrain with constant views of twin lakes and volcanic oddities.

Connecting trails offer bailout options for the less ambitious. The terrain shifts from smooth forest floors to technical rock gardens that’ll test your suspension and your nerve.

You’ll climb about 1,400 feet of elevation along the way – earned views through honest sweat. The west section flows fast and smooth while the east side throws rocky technical challenges at your front wheel.

Some blessed sections offer tree shade during summer heat, but bring more water than you think you need – the volcanic landscape bakes like an oven.

Hook Trophy Fish in Volcanic Waters

Both crater lakes host chunky rainbow trout, brown trout, and kokanee salmon fattened by rich volcanic nutrients. These waters consistently produce some of Central Oregon’s most brag-worthy catches.

Fish from shore or take a boat onto glass-calm water. The 10 mph speed limit means no wake-churning speedboats to spook your dinner.

East Lake has coughed up brown trout weighing over 22.5 pounds. Paulina holds the state record for kokanee at 7.8 pounds.

Hit the lakes in spring or fall when cooler water temps make fish more active and eager to strike.

Get Smarter at Lava Lands Visitor Center

Every great adventure needs context. This modest museum unpacks how Newberry rose, exploded, and evolved over 350,000 years without boring you to tears with scientific jargon.

Paved paths from the door let you stroll onto actual lava flows while rangers share tales of fire and stone. It’s like a geology class without the homework. The 3D model of the entire monument helps you grasp what you’re dealing with – a volcanic beast bigger than many small countries.