Lava Butte is a cute little volcano (cinder cone) 8 or 10 miles south of Bend with a spiral driveway all the way to the top. The last time I was up there was in 1966. Not a whole lot has changed, except maybe the $5 price tag.
I had never ventured up to the Paulina Lakes, again even though it's only a few miles off the main highway and I've driven past it innumerable times. While it's no Crater Lake, the region has its own distinctive beauty and features. The obsidian lava flow is amazing.
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| Monkey Flower | Lava Butte | View from Paulina Peak | ||
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| The obsidian lava flow | Paulina Lakes | Rainbow by the Sun | ||
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| Almost 8,000 feet! | 3D view from the summit | The obsidian lava flow | ||
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| Obsidian fractures | Lava flow | |||
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| Obsidian monolith | Monolith in 3D | |||
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| Lava jumbles in 3D | Paulina Peak |
