Gray Butte is a volcanic butte in the southeast corner of Jefferson County,

Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. It is composed of

welded tuff Tuff is a type of rock made of volcanic ash ejected from a vent during a volcanic eruption. Following ejection and deposition, the ash is lithified into a solid rock. Rock that contains greater than 75% ash is considered tuff, while rock cont ...

and is a part of the

Crooked River caldera The Crooked River caldera is a large and ancient volcano that straddles three central Oregon counties. The diameter of the caldera is about and is notable for the welded tuff present at Gray Butte, Smith Rock, Powell Buttes, Grizzly Mountain ...

. A recreation trail for

hiking Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...

horseback riding Equestrianism (from Latin , , , 'horseman', 'horse'), commonly known as horse riding (Commonwealth English) or horseback riding (American English), includes the disciplines of riding, driving, and vaulting. This broad description includes the ...

, and

mountain biking Mountain biking is a sport of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, usually using specially designed mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and pe ...

leads up the side of the butte. The butte is located near the popular tourist site of Smith Rock.

References

Buttes of Oregon Landforms of Jefferson County, Oregon Mountains of Oregon Volcanoes of Oregon Volcanoes of the United States {{US-geology-stub