High up above the desert floor, Pilot Butte once served as a landmark that guided pioneers in their wagon trains on their way to a safe crossing of the Deschutes River. This old cinder cone resulted from one of the explosions of the Newberry volcano and now serves as a spot from where visitors can watch absolutely spectacular sunsets, giving the snow on the nearby Cascade Mountains a golden glow.

You can see all around the high desert to the Three Sisters, Black Butte, Mount Hood, and Mt. Jefferson. There are three easy trails up the butte surrounded by sage and juniper.

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