Glass Buttes facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Glass Buttes
Glass Buttes are a high desert landmark
Highest point
Elevation	6,385 ft (1,946 m)
Prominence	2,000 ft (610 m)
Geography
Glass Buttes Location in Oregon
Location	Lake County, Oregon, US
Topo map	USGS Glass Butte
Geology
Age of rock	5 to 5.8 million years
Mountain type	Silicic domes
Climbing
Easiest route	Rough dirt road

Glass Buttes are a group of volcanic mountains in central Oregon, United States. They have two main peaks and several smaller hills. These mountains are in a quiet, remote part of Lake County, between the cities of Bend and Burns.

Glass Buttes stand tall above the dry high desert plain. They were once a key landmark in what was called Oregon's Great Sandy Desert. They are named "Glass Buttes" because of the many large pieces of obsidian found there. Most of the land around Glass Buttes is managed by the Bureau of Land Management. You can do fun things there like collecting rocks, hiking, camping, and hunting.

Where Are the Glass Buttes?

Glass Buttes are in Oregon's high desert. They are about 70 miles (113 km) southeast of Bend. They are also about 50 miles (80 km) west of Burns. The closest small town is Hampton, Oregon. It is about 10 miles (16 km) northwest of the buttes.

Glass Buttes: Peaks and Height

The Glass Buttes area includes two main peaks and many smaller hills. The highest point is called Glass Butte. It is 6,388 feet (1,947 meters) above sea level. The mountains are steep, with large basalt rock formations on their slopes.

Southeast of the main summit is Little Glass Butte. It is 6,155 feet (1,876 meters) high. The buttes are a major landmark. They rise about 2,000 feet (610 meters) above the flat desert around them.

How Glass Buttes Were Formed

Glass Buttes were formed a very long time ago. This happened about 5 to 5.8 million years ago. They are what's left of ancient silicic volcanoes. Over time, wind and water have worn them down.

The mountains were created during three periods of lava flows. First, there were basalt flows. Then, rhyolitic lava flowed. Finally, more basalt flows covered everything. The main rock in the mountains is rhyolite. In some places, hot underground forces have added minerals to the rock. You can also find minerals like cinnabar, alunite, hematite, hyalite, and pyrite there.

Plants and Animals of Glass Buttes

Glass Buttes are part of Oregon's high desert. The area is very dry, with little or no natural water most of the year. This is why it was once called Oregon's Great Sandy Desert.

Plants

The ground around the mountains is mostly covered with sagebrush. You can also find green rabbitbrush and mountain mahogany. Grasses like Idaho fescue and bluebunch wheatgrass grow there too.

On the north and west sides of the mountains, and in some canyons, you'll see western juniper trees. There are also some pine groves. Under these trees, you'll find more sagebrush and mountain mahogany. In some areas where water flows seasonally, there are willow trees.

Animals

Many different animals live around Glass Buttes. Larger animals include pronghorn, mule deer, elk, coyotes, bobcats, and cougars. Smaller animals like American badgers, striped skunks, and different types of rabbits and squirrels are also common. You might also see rattlesnakes and several kinds of lizards.

Many birds live in the Glass Buttes area. These include the sagebrush sparrow, lark sparrow, and mountain bluebird. The area is also an important home for the greater sage-grouse. Larger birds like barn owls, great horned owls, prairie falcons, red-tailed hawks, and golden eagles fly overhead.

History of Glass Buttes

For thousands of years, Native Americans used obsidian from Glass Buttes. They made cutting tools, arrowheads, and spear points from it. Obsidian was also an important item for trading.

Ancient Obsidian Use

People used Glass Buttes obsidian at least 9,000 years ago. Some experts think Clovis people might have collected obsidian here as far back as 13,000 years ago. Glass Buttes obsidian has been found in many places. These include sites across the Pacific Northwest, from British Columbia to California and as far east as Idaho. Some reports even say Glass Buttes obsidian has been found at archeological sites as far east as Ohio.

Early Settlers and Mining

In the early 1900s, American homesteaders started to settle near Glass Buttes. Most arrived between 1910 and 1913. The only community nearby was Stauffer, located just south of Glass Buttes. Settlers used juniper logs from the buttes to build homes. They also decorated their homes with obsidian. By 1918, many homesteads were left empty because there wasn't enough water for farm animals.

In the 1930s, a local rancher and self-taught geologist named Percy L. Forbes explored the obsidian and mineral deposits. In 1934, a newspaper reported that Forbes had found many obsidian sites. He identified seven different types of natural glass. His discoveries included a special rainbow-colored obsidian with bands of blue, green, red, pink, and gold. This type was unique to Glass Buttes.

Mercury was mined in the Glass Buttes area from the mid-1940s to the early 1960s. Forbes first found these mercury deposits in 1933. By 1957, there were 25 mercury mining claims. The largest mine was producing a lot of mercury each month. However, mining mercury was expensive. All the mines closed by 1961 because the price of mercury dropped too low to cover the costs.

Modern Uses and Roads

In 2009, a company leased land around Glass Buttes for geothermal exploration. They believed they could find very hot water deep underground. This project involved building roads and drilling wells to test for hot water. An environmental study was finished in 2013. Based on this study, the Bureau of Land Management approved seven test wells. If enough hot water is found, the company plans to use it to make electricity.

Today, there is a rough road that goes to the top of Glass Butte. This road leads to several communication towers at the summit. In 2015, the Oregon Department of Transportation started a project to fix these towers. The towers are part of the state's radio network used by the transportation department and the Oregon State Police. Work on the Glass Butte towers began in 2016.

Fun Things to Do at Glass Buttes

Examples of Glass Buttes obsidian

The Glass Buttes area offers many fun activities. These include collecting rocks, hiking, camping, hunting, and studying nature. Rock collecting is the most popular activity.

Obsidian Collecting

Glass Buttes has one of the largest and most varied obsidian deposits in the world. The mountains are even named for the many obsidian deposits on their slopes. You can find many types of high-quality obsidian here. These include jet black, brown, green, red fire, pumpkin, mahogany, midnight lace, rainbow, gold sheen, silver sheen, and snowflake obsidian. There are also several double flow varieties.

Some rockhounds like to dig for special obsidian pieces. But there are also large areas where colorful obsidian is just lying on the ground, easy to pick up.

Rules for Collecting

Most of the land around Glass Buttes is owned by the United States Government. The Department of Interior's Bureau of Land Management manages these lands. Because there's so much good obsidian, the Bureau of Land Management has set aside 36 square miles (93 km2) as a free-use area. Here, the public can collect obsidian for their own use.

You don't need a permit to collect obsidian. However, each person can only take 250 pounds (113 kg) of obsidian per year. There is also some state-owned land and a few private obsidian claims in the area. These are usually not open to the public.

Important Tips for Visitors

The Glass Buttes area is very remote and rugged. The dirt roads are not well-maintained, so a four-wheel drive vehicle is recommended. Also, the scattered obsidian can cause flat tires. It's usually very dry, but if it rains, the roads can quickly become impassable, even for four-wheel drive vehicles.

There are no developed campsites or facilities in the area. However, you are allowed to camp in dispersed areas. During the summer, it's a good idea to check with the Prineville Bureau of Land Management office about fire restrictions before you visit.