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Geological · United States

Newberry Caldera

A vast volcanic caldera in Oregon holding two crater lakes, obsidian flows, and a geothermal landscape that feels primordially raw.

When
Jun — Oct, peak Jun — Sep
Best viewing
Explore a drive-in volcanic caldera with crater lakes, a striking obsidian lava flow trail, and sweeping Cascade views across an open, high-desert volcanic landscape.
Category
Geological
Status
Returns Jun 2026

About this spectacle

Newberry Caldera crowns the summit of Newberry Volcano in central Oregon, one of the largest shield volcanoes in the continental United States. Inside the caldera, two scenic lakes — Paulina Lake and East Lake — fill ancient depressions amid a dramatic landscape of obsidian flows, pumice fields, and lava domes. The Big Obsidian Flow, a gleaming black expanse of volcanic glass deposited roughly 1,300 years ago, creates an otherworldly visual contrast against the surrounding pine forest. Visitors hiking the caldera rim are rewarded with sweeping panoramas of the Cascade Range, while the crater floor's geothermal hot springs maintain elevated water temperatures year-round. The scale of the volcanic architecture — collapse scarps, cinder cones, and obsidian ridges — conveys the immense energy of the earth's interior in an accessible, open setting.

When to go

Jun — Oct, peak Jun — Sep

Getting there

Nearest airport: RDM. Nearest city: Bend.

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