Western edge of the Big Lava Bed from the Pacific Crest Trail (bobcat)

View to Little Huckleberry Mt. and Mt. Adams over the Big Lava Bed, Grassy Knoll Trail bobcat)

• Hikes to this destination:
  • Big Huckleberry Mountain from Crest Camp Hike   (TH | <—   —> | LOG)

• Weather forecast: NWS/NOAA
• Maps: Oregon Hikers Maps Google Maps
• Latitude, Longitude: 45.91097, -121.75094
• Elevation: 4195 feet at the top of the crater

Description

The Big Lava Bed is one of the most impressive volcanic features in the southern Gifford Pinchot National Forest. The lava flows originated from an unnamed cinder cone in the north-central section of the flows about 8,200 years ago. It is part of the Indian Heaven volcanic field and was that field's most recent eruptive event. The lava bed has been colonized by conifers, primarily lodgepole pine but also noble fir, ponderosa pine, and mountain hemlock.

There are forest roads along the northwestern and eastern boundaries of the 100,000 cubic yard field. There are no trails inside the lava flow. The Pacific Crest Trail runs up the western boundary, north from Big Huckleberry Mountain. Picking a route into the flow is tricky and compasses do not always operate accurately due to the magnetic properties of the rock.

More Links

• Big Lava Bed (Washington Trails Association)
• Big Lava Bed (Oregon Hikers)
• Romancing the Cone in the Big Lava Bed 28-Jun-2013 (Oregon Hikers)

Contributors

• bobcat (creator)