Built in the 1930's by the CCC, the Dee Wright Volcano Observatory is located on the very edge of Lane County on the McKenzie Pass - State Rt. 242 Highway, the observatory overlooks the lava fields that characterize the summit of the pass. In fact, the observatory is constructed entirely of lava rocks. From this vantage point, it is possible to see not just the nearby Three Sisters but more distant peaks including Mount Hood, Mount Adams and Mount St Helens.
The McKenzie Pass also defines the beginning of the "Rain Shadow". The lush western slopes of the Cascade Mountains range block the passage of rain creating a barren volcanic moonscape on the eastern slopes.
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Built in the 1930's by the CCC, the Dee Wright Volcano Observatory is located on the very edge of