Central Oregon Volcano Action

Central Oregon is a land of endless diversity and fascination.  Sculpted by volcanism, the landforms are beautiful and bizarre.  This lake is near Mount Bachelor.

South Sister looms over farmland near the town of Sisters, a former farming outpost turned swish and chic.  The volcano erupted until about 25 thousand years ago.

This lava flow surged through McKenzie pass about 3 thousand years ago.  Belknap Crater, in the background, was responsible for some of the lava but other sections of a'a originated from other vents nearby.

Mount Washington looms over vast lava fields and dead forests.  The trees somehow eked out a living as patches of soil drifted into the lava, then succumbed to harsh weather, insects, or both.

A kipuka near Belknap Crater.  Kipuka is a Hawaiian term that has come to mean any island of older vegetation surrounded by more recent lava flows.

When you travel west of the Cascades, the landscape becomes gentler.  This is the 1932 covered bridge at Crawfordsville, in the Willamette Valley between Eugene and Albany.