Newberry was once part of the Deschutes National Forest, but in 1990 it was designated a National Monument, which affords it greater protections. National Monuments are areas of particular natural or historical importance, and resource extraction and building are banned. However, this does not mean that there are no conflicts over the use of the land. Newberry is the site of over a dozen forms of recreation, from hiking and camping, to horseback riding and biking, water sports like boating and swimming, and winter sports like snowmobiling and cross country skiing. Some of these forms of recreation interfere with each other, and part of her job as Lead Ranger is managing the monument in a way that lets all recreators interact peacefully.
After touring the visitors center and the base of Lava Butte, we had learned a little bit about the formation of geological formations on the monument. The giant Newberry volcano has erupted over hundreds of thousands of years, forming a caldera where the main mountain erupted explosively and then collaped, numerous buttes over offshoot vents that spewed cinders, and a lava tube, which we walked through to conclude our visit. A walk through the 42 degree cave was a perfect way to beat the afternoon heat.
A big thank you to Christina Peterson and everyone at Newberry National Volcanic Monument for an action packed second day!
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