Olallie Butte

Olallie Butte is a steep-sided shield volcano in the Cascade Range of the northern part of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is the largest volcano and highest point in the 50-mile (80 km) distance between Mount Hood and Mount Jefferson. Located just outside the Olallie Scenic Area, it is surrounded by more than 200 lakes and ponds fed by runoff, precipitation, and underground seepage, which are popular spots for fishing, boating, and swimming. The butte forms a prominent feature in the Mount Jefferson region and is usually covered with snow during the winter and spring seasons.

Part of a stretch of shield volcanoes in Oregon with an unusually low elevation, meaning they have undergone less erosion over time than surrounding volcanic centers, Olallie has been excavated by glacial erosion on its northeastern flank. Its central volcanic plug has also been exposed. Comparisons of its morphology with Mount Jefferson suggest an age for the butte between 70,000 and 100,000 years; there is no evidence that it has erupted within the past 25,000 years. Olallie Butte has a steep, conical shape that serves as a transitional morphology between steep, mafic (rich in magnesium and iron) volcanoes like Mount McLoughlin and Mount Thielsen and flatter, mafic shields. It is made of basaltic andesite.

A Forest Service fire lookout tower was built on the summit in 1915 but abandoned in 1967; the summit also had a cupola cabin from 1920 until its roof collapsed in 1982. Olallie gets its name from the Chinook Jargon word klallali, which means berries. Today, the butte lies within the Warm Springs Indian Reservation. The Pacific Crest Trail passes over the western side of the butte, and there are other trails that reach the mountain's summit. Although the main trail to the summit is not well maintained, it still remains open to hikers.