While I had no trouble driving my three-quarter ton pickup with a large slide-in camper to Lava Beds Natl Monument, the road was somewhat rough. Here's what the USPS website says: "[The] south entrance into the park is paved, but in very poor repair. Drive slowly and carefully around the potholes. The Forest Service is hoping to repair it if funding is available." See 1st link below for more info.
[Photos taken 13-14 Jun 2011]
One of the many lava tube caves. The lava came from the Medicine Lake Shield Volcano to the south. [See the 2d link below]
This arch was formed by the different rates of cooling of the lava flow. The Spanish in New Mexico call barren lava malpais whereas the Modoc Indians called the many lava formations in Lava Beds National Monument "burnt-out fires." [Richard H. Dillon gave his 1973 book on California's Modoc Indian War that title.]
Schonchin Butte (5302'), a cinder cone for the Medicine Lake Volcano, is named for the Modoc Indian Chief. As is usually the case the chief is an older leader whereas the war chief is younger; the Modoc War Chief was Kientpoos, but he was known principally by his nickname: Captain Jack.
A forest fire in the distance; incidentally, there is a fire lookout atop Schonchin Butte.
Another of the lava tube caves near the Visitor Center.
The Modoc Indian War began in 1872 when the Modocs felt they were being mistreated by the Klamath Indians on a reservation near Klamath Falls, OR. The Modocs left twice before taking refuge in volcanic formations just south of Tule Lake, CA; those formations became known as Captain Jack's Stronghold.
A view of Schonchin Butte from the southwest with the lookout clearly visible.
A look up the trail from the east, which the Rangers had to climb to the lookout carrying supplies for their overnight stays in their backpacks; hwr, the current lookouts no longer stay overnight.
A snow-capped peak in Central Oregon's Cascade Mountains.
A portion of "Captain Jack's Stronghold."
Tule Lake as seen from atop Captain Jack's Stronghold.
Tule Lake again as seen from the trail through Captain Jack's Stronghold. [N.B. Wear shoes or boots which protect your ankles; though I did walk the half-mile route in low-cuts, I had to be extremely careful to avoid hitting my ankle bones.]
Canby's Cross, erected by Major Gen Canby's troops near the spot where Captain Jack shot and killed Canby under a white flag of truce. Captain Jack had been shamed into the act by younger hotheads who in essence called him a "Squaw Woman."
The inscribed text reads "Gen Canby USA[rmy] was murdered here by the Modocs April 11 1873."
Canby was the only Army General killed during the Indian Wars. (George Armstrong Custer, while at least a brevet [battlefield] brigadier general during his last stand, but had a permanent rank of Lt Colonel.)
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Links:
- National Park Service web pages for Lava Beds National Monument Actual
- Wikipedia aricle on the Medicine Lake volcano
- Schonchin Butte article on Wikipedia
- Wikipedia article on Modoc War Chief Captain Jack
Routes:
T 3 Feb Actual Route: Sherwood Way W/M - Lib - S/A VA Clinic - Sherwood Way W/M
W 4 Feb Actual Route: Sherwood Way W/M - Lib - Sherwood Way W/M
Th 5 Feb Actual Route: Sherwood Way W/M - Lib - Sherwood Way W/M
F 6 Feb Actual Route: Sherwood Way W/M - Lib - Visitor Ctr - Sherwood Way W/M
Sa 7 Feb Actual Route: Sherwood Way W/M - Lib - Visitor Ctr - Sherwood Way W/M
Su 8 Feb Actual Route: Sherwood Way W/M - Lib - Visitor Ctr - Big Lots - Sherwood Way W/M
M 9 Feb Actual Route: Sherwood Way W/M - Lib - Sherwood Way W/M
T 10 Feb Actual Route: Sherwood Way W/M - Lib - Sherwood Way W/M
W 11 Feb Actual Route: Sherwood Way W/M - Lib - Sherwood Way W/M
Th 12 Feb Route: Sherwood Way W/M - Lib - Sherwood Way W/M
Finding Campgrounds:
- RV Campgrounds from TrailerLifeDirectory.com
- Family Camping Directories from Woodalls.com
- Free campsites website
- Info on finding BLM Campgrounds
