# Lava Cast Forest

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**Lava Cast Forest** is a visitor destination within the [Newberry National Volcanic Monument](/source/Newberry_National_Volcanic_Monument) near [Bend](/source/Bend,_Oregon), in the [U.S. state](/source/U.S._state) of [Oregon](/source/Oregon). It is a [geologic](/source/Geology) feature containing a 6,000 year old [lava](/source/Lava) flow that created [lava molds](/source/Lava_tree_mold) of ancient trees.[1] It's located about 25 total miles south of Bend and is accessible via a 9-mile (14 km) gravel road from [U.S. Highway 97](/source/U.S._Route_97).[2] The site includes paid parking and a paved interpretive loop trail, with some sections too narrow or steep for wheelchairs.[3]

## Geology

The Lava Cast Forest area includes [cinder cones](/source/Cinder_cone) and various lava flows, with the youngest flow at 6,000 years old.[4] It created molds around preexisting tree trunks when the lava flowed around them.[5] The molds were created when hot lava came into contact with trees, chilling the lava and created a protective covering, or mold.[1] The trees then burnt completely out leaving a hollow interior.[1] The molds can be vertical or horizontal, with some horizontal casts being up to 50 to 60 feet long.[1] In some of the molds, the imprint of tree bark can be seen.[1] Even ancient charcoal are still in some of the molds, and rings of annual tree growth can be seen in some.[1] Originally, [lumber](/source/Lumber) company employees thought the molds were lava gas blowouts, until Walter J. Perry discovered the imprints of lava bark.[1] Lava "drippings" found in freshly formed molds were created when lava dripped into the interior cavity.[1]

## History

The area surrounding Lava Cast Forest was used heavily for lumber in the early 1900s.[1] After Perry's discovery, the area received attention from all over the west part of the United States in 1928.[1][4] At one point, vandals used dynamite to destroy some of the best casts as well as removing some for personal keeping.[1] In 1942, the [United States Forest Service](/source/United_States_Forest_Service) designated 5,120 acres as part of the Lava Cast Forest Geological Area and were promoted as a [tourist attraction](/source/Tourist_attraction).[4]

In 1963, scientists from [NASA](/source/NASA) became interested in the lava fields because they had very little erosion and they suspected it might be what they would find on the surface of the [Moon](/source/Moon).[4] From 1964 to 1966, at least 46 [astronauts](/source/Astronaut) trained for lunar missions in the area.[4] [James B. Irwin](/source/James_B._Irwin) delivered a rock from one of Oregon's lava flows to the lunar surface to commemorate NASA's experiences in [central Oregon](/source/Central_Oregon).[4]

## References

1. ["Visitor Information Service - Deschutes National Forest"](https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/downloads/gf06g4195). Retrieved 2018-01-19.

1. ["Newberry National Volcanic Monument - Deschutes NF - Lava Cast Forest Day Use Interpretive Site"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160127220229/http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/!ut/p/c4/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gDfxMDT8MwRydLA1cj72BTJw8jAwjQL8h2VAQAzHJMsQ!!/?ss=110601&ttype=recarea&recid=38388&actid=119&navtype=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&position=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&navid=110000000000000&pnavid=&pname=Newberry+National+Volcanic+Monument+-+Deschutes+NF+-+Lava+Cast+Forest+Day+Use+Interpretive+Site). *www.fs.usda.gov*. Archived from [the original](http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/!ut/p/c4/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gDfxMDT8MwRydLA1cj72BTJw8jAwjQL8h2VAQAzHJMsQ!!/?ss=110601&ttype=recarea&recid=38388&actid=119&navtype=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&position=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&navid=110000000000000&pnavid=&pname=Newberry+National+Volcanic+Monument+-+Deschutes+NF+-+Lava+Cast+Forest+Day+Use+Interpretive+Site) on January 27, 2016. Retrieved 2016-11-28.

1. ["Lava Cast Forest Trail"](http://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/deschutes/recreation). *FS.USDA.GOV*. Retrieved 2018-01-19.

1. ["Lava Cast Forest"](https://oregonhistoryproject.org/articles/historical-records/lava-cast-forest/). *OregonHistoryProject.org*. Retrieved 2018-01-19.

1. ["Lava Cast Forest Day Use Interpretive Site"](https://web.archive.org/web/20180120125747/https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/deschutes/recarea/?recid=38388). *FS.USDA.GOV*. Archived from [the original](https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/deschutes/recarea/?recid=38388) on January 20, 2018. Retrieved 2018-01-19.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Lava Cast Forest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lava_Cast_Forest) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lava_Cast_Forest?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.