|  September 2007
We stopped before reaching the Obsidian Flow and took the short walk to see Paulina Falls, which was formed when a lava flow reached the Deschutes River.
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September 2007
This lava flow happened about 1,300 years ago, making it one of the newest geologic events in Oregon.
Everywhere you look, you see the black glass Obsidian rocks and only occasionally a little tree, growing very slowly in some small bit of accumulated soil.
All the rocks here are Obsidian but the ones containing the least bubbles are the smooth shinny ones, often piled in big jumbled heaps. The surface of the lava flow cooled the quickest, forming a glass layer which then broke into many fractured chunks as the flow continued to cause ground movement.
Paulina lake sits in the background.
It is very easy to keep taking picture after picture, as each time you walk around a turn in the path you are presented with another display.
A close up of a large boulder with a section fractured off.
The whole flow is full of this sort of thing.
The forest was buried and the landscape is incredibly rugged and barren.
On the way up the stairs the effect of the 6,000 foot altitude is definitely noticed by those who might be used to living much closer to sea level. The stairs are steep, of course, but the trail around the top of the flow area is relatively easy.
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