McKenzie River Volcanic Area

The McKenzie River Scenic Highway’s National Volcanic Monument provides a stark testiment to the Cascade volcanoes which formed much of central Oregon. These lava beds are about 13,000 years old and include flows from the Three Sisters and neighboring mountains. The top picture shows, well, a whole lot of lava, as well as a few scraggly trees that have managed to grow in the many centuries since. Two of the Sisters are shown in the middle photo. The lower photo shows the stone overlook at the Monument, which includes a paved 3/4-mile walking trail through the lava fields. This highway and monument are closed in winter due to snow, so you’ll want to visit preferably sometime between May and October.