After checking out the four campgrounds in the Newberry National Volcanic Monument, we decide to settle in at the last campground at the end of the lake, the Little Cinder Campground.
We make plans to explore the monument in the morning, so with coffee in hand we say “Let’s get going” first thing next day. Our first stop of the day is The Big Obsidian Flow.
There is a nice sized parking lot for cars and RVs which is a nice treat. There is a short walk up to a set of stairs. As we reached the stairs to our left we saw a small pond; Very picturesque.
We started up the stairs on to a huge mountain made up of obsidian. As we climb up and around this huge mountain it’s hard to imagine what kind of energy and heat made this amazing mountain of glass.
There is a strict warning at the begining of the trail about collecting any obsidian. Good thing because every jewelry maker would have truckloads as well as the average joe taking a piece. As we walk higher and higher the obsidian becomes so shiny it is almost blinding.
When you stop and look around it is hard to believe all of this came about only 1300 years ago. We walked the entire loop trail without slipping or heaven forbid, fall down. You will cut yourself; After all this is the rock that Native Americans used for tools and spear points. Do NOT take pets here as they will certainly cut themselves.
We spent a good hour wandering the black shiny pile of obsidian before desending to the trail for a last look at this monsterous flow of obsidian. Back to the rig for a stop at Paulina Peak at an elevation of 7,984 feet. As we drove down the road we could see the peak above us. We turned down the road and soon saw a sign that said no trailers and no RVs. What to do? We talked about it and decided to turn back and move on since we had to make it to Crater Lake National Park and then to Klamath Falls for the night. So onward we go to new destinations.
Scouting Destinations 