Black Crater
Black Crater is a shield volcano in the Western Cascades in Deschutes County, Oregon. Located near McKenzie Pass, the volcano has a broad conical shape with gentle slopes. The volcano likely formed during the Pleistocene and has not been active within the last 50,000 years. Eruptive activity at the volcano produced mafic lava flows made of basaltic andesite and olivine basalt; it also formed a number of cinder cones. A normal fault occurs on the western side of the volcano, trending north–south. The volcano has been eroded by glaciers, which carved a large cirque into the northeastern flank of the mountain, forming its current crater.
| Black Crater | |
|---|---|
The mountain seen from the Dee Wright Observatory | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 7,257 ft (2,212 m) NAVD 88 |
| Prominence | 1,411 ft (430 m) |
| Coordinates | 44°15′58″N 121°44′55″W |
| Geography | |
Black Crater Location of Black Crater in the state of Oregon | |
| Location | Deschutes County, Oregon, U.S. |
| Parent range | Cascade Range |
| Topo map | USGS Black Crater |
| Geology | |
| Age of rock | Late Pleistocene |
| Mountain type | Shield volcano |
| Volcanic arc | Cascade Volcanic Arc |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Trail hike |
The area was settled c. 1862, when pioneers moved to the forested region south of Black Crater, near what is now the city of Sisters. The volcano is part of the Three Sisters Wilderness, which offers recreational activities. The Black Crater Trail runs one way for 3.8 miles (6.1 km) from a trailhead on Oregon Route 242, and the southeastern part of the trail can be skied. Some Arctic–alpine plants can be found on the volcano, including mountain hemlock, ponderosa pine, bitterbrush, and Pacific silver fir.