1963 Map of Lava Butte

About this map

Volcanic landforms and early water management infrastructure dominate this mid-century survey of the Oregon high desert. The prominent cinder cone of Lava Butte, topped by its lookout station, serves as a central landmark overlooking the extensive lava fields that define the local topography. To the south, Lava River Caves State Park preserves the subterranean passages left by cooling basalt. The Great Northern railroad cuts a straight north-south line through this terrain, paralleling the arterial highway as it moves through the Deschutes National Forest.