Pilot Butte (Oregon)

Pilot Butte
Elevation	4,142 ft (1,262 m) NAVD 88
Prominence	480 ft (146 m)
Location
Location	Deschutes County, Oregon, USA
Range	Cascades
Coordinates	44°03′38.0″N 121°16′59.6″W
Topo map	USGS Bend
Geology
Type	Cinder cone
Volcanic arc/belt	Cascade Volcanic Arc
Climbing
Easiest route	Road

Pilot Butte is an extinct volcano located in Bend, Oregon. It is a cinder cone butte which rises nearly 500 feet (150 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 acres (40 ha) 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 (150 m) to reach the summit. 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 prominent are the Three Sisters, Broken Top, and Mount Bachelor which are located about 20 miles (32 km) to the west. The City of Bend launches 4th of July fireworks from Pilot Butte each year.^{[citation needed]} Pilot Butte was named in 1851 by Thomas Clark, leader of the first party of European settlers to camp on the future site of Bend. The Clark wagon train approached the area from the east after recovering from the Clark Massacre.

The view of Bend from Pilot Butte.

External links

• "Pilot Butte". Geographic Names Information System, U.S. Geological Survey. http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=gnispq:3:::NO::P3_FID:1147672. Retrieved 2008-04-02. 
• "Pilot Butte State Scenic Viewpoint". Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_42.php. Retrieved 2008-04-01. 
• "Pilot Butte, Oregon". USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory. http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Volcanoes/PilotButte. Retrieved 2008-04-01. 
• Pilot Butte State Scenic Viewpoint, from the Oregon Encyclopedia