State Park Saturday #3

Pilot Butte State Scenic Viewpoint

Oregon has a bit of geological oddities that few other places in America have. One such oddity is that we have two cities that completely enclose an extinct volcano. One of those places is Mount Tabor in Portland, and the other is Pilot Butte in Bend. At Pilot Butte, many locals come here to bike up the road to the top; while many other locals hike up one of the three trails to the top. Most visitors to this cinder cone end up driving to the top on the road that spirals around it. Once on top of the extinct cinder cone, visitors have a panoramic view of Bend, the Cascade Mountains to the west, and the desert to the east. Mount Hood, Mount Jefferson, Black Butte, 3-Finger Jack, Mount Washington, the Three Sisters Mountains, and Mount Bachelor are some of the prominent peaks that you can see from this viewpoint. With an average of 300 days of sunshine, you will almost always have a view of the countryside, even if the mountains are hidden in clouds. If you plan on hiking or biking, bring water with you as there is none at the park. So far, this is one state-owned parkland that is free to the public.

A view of Bend and the Three Sisters from Pilot Butte.

So if you plan on going to Bend this year, and would like to take pictures of the Cascade Mountains, consider going to Pilot Butte and check out the Pilot Butte State Scenic Viewpoint website to find all the information on road closures and services. Until next Saturday, get outside and enjoy one of the many state parks in the great Oregon Outdoors.