We like to visit Llama's mother in Prineville when we can. This works out very well for all concerned. We get to spend time with Mom and she with us. Plus we get free lodging and sometimes free food. I get to take pictures along the way, there and back. And we can usually work in a few hours in and around the nearby state parks.
We made an overnight trip just before the 4th of July holiday, and took the scenic drive up the old McKenzie Highway (Hwy 242). It is a beautiful drive, and if you're ever in the area during the summer, I definitely recommend it.
The drive goes through a large lava field, with the Dee Wright Observatory at the summit. The Observatory was built in the 1930s by Franklin D. Roosevelt's Civilian Conservation Corp, and was named after the crew foreman.
The utter desolation of the black lava is broken in places with new growth. I am especially fond of the vistas here, which also include sun-bleached tree trunks and a mountain or two in the background:
From the roof of the Observatory, you can use the bronze "peak finder" to help you identify the many mountains and peaks in view. Here is a shot from the roof, with the "peak finder" in the foreground, and two of the "Three Sisters" in the background, (North Sister and Middle Sister):
The following day we came back the same way, and we spent sunset on the roof. I'll be sharing some of those photos next time.
-Anita