Pilot Butte (Oregon)
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Pilot Butte | |
---|---|
Elevation | 4,138 ft (1,261 m) |
Location | Oregon, USA |
Range | Cascade Volcanic Arc, Cascades |
Prominence | 480 ft (146 m) |
Coordinates | |
Topo map | USGS Bend 44121-A3 |
Easiest route | Road |
Pilot Butte is an extinct volcano located in Bend, Oregon. It is a cinder cone which rises nearly 500 ft (152 m) above the surrounding plains. Bend is one of the very few cities in the United States with volcanoes located within their boundaries. Others include Portland, Oregon, which lies within the Boring Lava Field, and Honolulu, Hawaii, which includes several volcanoes such as Diamond Head within its city limits.
The 100 acre Pilot Butte State Scenic Viewpoint, acquired by the city in 1927, nearly covers the butte. Pilot Butte itself is a popular hiking destination and requires an ascent of about 500 feet (152 m) to reach the top, which is 4,138 ft (1,261 m) above sea level. A scenic road also winds up and around the cone and saw 900,000 vehicle visits in 2004 and 2005 according to the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department.[citation needed] From the top, the entire city of Bend is visible, as well as several major Cascade peaks, most prominently the Three Sisters, Broken Top, and Mount Bachelor located about 20 mi (32 km) to the west. Pilot Butte is also the location where the Bend 4th of July fireworks are launched from.
[edit] External links
- Pilot Butte State Scenic Viewpoint
- Pilot Butte, Oregon USGS/Cascades Volcano Observatory
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps or Yahoo! Maps
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
- Satellite image from Google Maps or Microsoft Virtual Earth