FREE RECREATION GUIDE OF THE DESCHUTES NATIONAL FOREST 1988 A Landscape To Explore The natural forces of volcanism, glaciation, and day to day weather have been hard at work for the last 45 million years in central Oregon. These forces have created a unique landscape. Think of it as a giant sculpted playground created for your pleasure! The Cascade Range, a great north- south chain of volcanoes, has been growing on and off for the past 45 million years. The last two episodes of volcanism occurred from about 13 to 5 million years ago, and from about 2 million years to the present. During the earlier episode several hundred feet of sana, gravel, ash, pumice, and lava accumulated from eruptions and erosion in the nearby mountains. The most recent episode produced the high volcanic peaks crest such as the Three Sisters, Bro­ ken Top, and Mount Jefferson. Gla­ ciers then bulldozed their way across this mountain range shaping our present day peaks and valleys. Glaciers have created many of the present day lakes, rivers, and ponds found throughout the forest. Glacial action slowly builds a pile of loose rock and fine sand at the base of the glacier forming a terminal moraine. This moraine acts as a rock dam and as the glacier continues to melt a lake is formed. Your Forest Crescent Lake was formed by a glacial moraine. Other high mountain With so many places to explore in 97, offers a large variety of informa­ lakes formed by glaciers include central Oregon where do you start? tion. There are displays and exhibits Forest personnel are managing Green Lakes, and Todd Lake. Let us help you get your bearings. which give you an idea of the ongo­ the Forest like a business, consider­ Some lakes are of volcanic origin, Stop at Lava Lands Visitor Center or ing geologic processes that are creat­ ing soil, water, air quality, aesthetic formed when subsurface water filled one of our Forest Services Offices ing this unusual landscape. Using values, fish and wildlife, and pro­ in craters. Blue Lake is set in a deep located in Bend, Sisters and Cres­ only a little imagination, one can duction of timber and forage (for 300 foot pit believed to have formed cent. Our information specialists create vivid images of the once mol­ deer and livestock) in developing during recent (1500 B.C.) volcanic have an abundance of orientation ten rivers of rock. and implementing management explosions of great violence. Two materials which will make planning A short drive up Lava Butte al­ plans. other lakes that occupy a volcanic your visit a breeze. lows visitors one of the finest views You, as owners of the National crater are Paulina and East Lakes Lava Lands Visitor Center, locat­ of the Cascades and surrounding Forests, have a stake in all of this. located in Newberry Crater. ed 11 miles south of Bend on U.S. areas. We must manage for your concerns Thousands of years ago, lava Interpretive services are also and needs along with those of in­ came surging up from fissures along available in Newberry Crater. Camp- dustries dependent on the forests. the earth^ surface. As the surface of fire talks and nature walks are of­ the lava cooled it formed a crust of fered Friday through Sunday. A hardened lava sometimes several feet proached the surface, along a weak small Visitor Center with special thick. The interior, still molten lava spot in the Earth's crust, it came in displays and brochures is also open would leak out of the crust leaving contact with the ground water. from June to September for your lava tubes, or caves. Many caves are Steam was formed. You may visit convenience. open for you to explore, including both Hole-in-the-ground and Fort All of these points of interest are Lava River Cave, Wind Cave, Arnold Rock today. open daily during the summer sea­ Ice Cave, and Skeleton Cave. Giant bubbling springs gush forth son. Many special activities are Hole-in-the-Ground, located near from a secret passage below the old scheduled at the Visitor Center. the town of Fort Rock, was created volcano now known as Black Butte to Schedules for these special events by a massive explosion, which oc­ become the Metolius River. This are posted at Lava Lands and local curred 13-18,000 years ago. The blast spectacular work of nature is pre­ Forest Service Offices. generated pressures as nigh as 7500 served in its natural primitive setting. It is your National Forest. All pounds per square inch. There was Many stretches of the Metolius River National Forests are public land. abundant ground water just below are open for flyfishing. There are also Congress has directed that forests be the surface along the shore of an fish feeding stations at Wizard Falls managed in a coordinated wav con­ ancient lake. As molten rock ap- Fish Hatchery and Camp Sherman. sidering all resources and public de- we've seen seven within an hours time. But, as we Sparks Lake can potentially bog us down, but on venture further into the "backcountry" the fre­ this journey we find the waters at a navigable A Historical Drive quency lessens. depth for the reliable Model T. One of our first stops is at Big Springs to fill The precarious climb to Devils Lake is well Let us take a journey into the Cascades past our water jugs with the crystal fresh and cool worth the sight of the aqua colored, crystal clear pristine mountains, streams, and lakes. The route is liquid. From here we climb steadily towards Swam­ waters. From the lava flow in this area a basalt rock nearly identical to the present day Cascade Lakes py Lakes and beyond to Bachelor Butte. As we was taken to the moon, to be exchanged for a few Highway leading out of Bend; the difference is that ascend, the road gets increasingly windy in an moon stones and dust. It's hard to imagine this day we have stepped back into an era when there were attempt to find the feast trees and rocks. (1920's) that man would someday be riding the few cars and even less roads. The date is August Once we reach Dutchman Flats, we break for "celestial road" to the moon. 18, 1921 and the route later called Century Drive lunch in the midst of scenic Cascade splender and The last four miles to Elk Lake takes the form of because of the hundred mile loop it form from serenity. Views of Bachelor Butte, Broken Top and a gradual descending rutted road that is a combina­ Bend, had just opened. During this time, the high the Three Sisters are further complimented by a tion of pummie dust and mud. Here it follows a country of the Cascades was a place visited by the warm blue summer sky. We have reached the straight line through lodgepole pine and hemlock few hearty trappers, hunters and fishers willing to highest point in our journey in merely three hours. forests to the shores of our destination, Elk Lake. A make an adventure. Compare this with the thirty minutes it takes today! trip of 5 hours covers approximately thirty-five We've loaded our 1920, Ford Model T with the On the dusty and muddy road once again, we miles through some of the most Scenic back country standard camping gear of the time, for a three day descend the narrow and dangerous grade to Sparks in Central Oregon. campout on the snores of Elk Lake. As we head Lake. Pullouts on this section of the early single We could venture further down this lesser west and south out of Bend, the main two way dirt lane road were far too few. Curves were taken at a trodden road to Lava Lakes, the upper Deschutes road soon turns into a single lane double rutted, snails pace to avoid a serious mishap. River, Cultus Lake, Crane Prairie Reservoir, and dirt track that winds like a snake around large Around 1909, there were plans to develop a Devis Lake but, that would involve several more ponderosa pines and rock outcrops. Our speed at summer resort at Sparks Lake, but for some hours of this rough and dusty track. Instead, why this point averages ten miles per hour as a plume unknown reason this plan faded into the Cascade not get back to the year 1988 and motor along the of lung choking pummie dust raises behind us and sunset. modern version of the Cascade Lakes Highway, the kidneys receive an aerobic workout due to the After a check of the Model T's brakes and tires, spending a little time at the numerous recreation endless pounding from chuckholes. we cross Sparks Lake meadow with inspiring views sites found along this modern highway. Let the For the first hour the traffic is somewhat heavy of South Sister and Broken Top and head towards imagination run tor awhile and picture yourself and with other cars and horses. A good day might see the Devils Garden and Devils Lake area. The family motoring down that pioneer track of a time up to 35 cars traveling this stretch of road. Today fording of Soda and Fall Creeks which feed into not so long ago. While in the Crescent Area Fishing Land a big one at Odell, Davis (fly fishing) and Crescent Lakes or at Crescent Creek Campground Paddle your own canoe Summit Lake, Big Marsh and Wickiup Reservoir Straddle your own horse Diamond Peak Wilderness and Oregon Cascades Recreation Area (Whitefish Horse Camp) Water skiing and boating Make waves at Crescent Lake (Tranquil Cove, Spring Campground, Contorta Point, Simax Beach and Bay and Crescent Lake Campgrounds) Camping Developed sites Crescent, Odell and Davis Lakes Roughin' it Backpack in to Diamond Peak Wilderness, Mt.