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High
Lava Plains
Photo: a crack in the ground near
Christmas Valley. This month’s region of focus is called the High Lava Plains. It is the smallest of all the eastern Oregon geologic regions, yet it still has some very interesting features in its own right. Location The High Lava Plains runs east to west in a narrow strip from roughly Bend to east of Burns. The Blue Mountains to the north and the Basin and Range province to the south border it. It is the only geologic province in Oregon that does not touch the border of the state. History
The high lava plains formed as a chain of volcanoes 14 to 16 million years ago in far eastern Oregon. The chain gradually moved westward, leaving a trail of lava behind. Today, the newest volcano is the Newberry caldera, southeast of Bend. The most recent eruption there took place in roughly 690 A.D. An interesting side note: this province may actually have passed over the Yellowstone hot spot many millions of years ago before entering Oregon. Climate Most of the region is high desert, with some small mountain ranges that contain coniferous forest. As with every part of eastern Oregon, this area sees hot summers and cold winters, with snow and thunderstorms being the primary sources of water. Ecosystem Shrubs dominate lower elevations. Higher elevations have coniferous forests. Midrange elevations contain Juniper mixed with shrubs. During wet periods, dormant grasses will appear and then die off within several days. There are not many large animals in the lower elevations, wild horses being the exception. Higher up, the mountains contain the usual mountain lions, deer, sheep, and so forth. Smaller animals, such as birds and coyotes, are the dominant species in this region. The exception to this is Malheur Lake, a fresh water lake east of Burns. The lake is surrounded by wetlands that contain large numbers of a wide variety of species. Human Activity This portion of Oregon sees mostly cattle ranching, with some areas of farming via irrigation. As with everything else in the High Lava Plains, the exception is the mountain ranges. Here can be found many hiking and hunting opportunities. Rock hounding is also a popular pastime in some areas. Things to See The size and remoteness of this part of the state make for a smaller list of interesting things to see. Even so, there is plenty to keep busy over a long weekend or two. Here are a few examples:
Glass
Buttes (a
large area of
obsidian, open to the public)
Malheur
Lake and National Forest Newberry
Naional Volcanic Monument If You Go: As always, be sure to have a current map that displays public and private land. Check with local Forest Service and BLM offices for closures and restrictions. Winters can be harsh and summer thunderstorms appear suddenly. Be sure to have a plan for staying overnight if you leave the main highways. Some areas have no cell phone coverage. That's the High Lava Plains province of Oregon. There are two more regions to explore before I focus on specific features beginning in June.
 Original text © 2010 S. Skiles |
