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  • 21 Aug, 2019

  • By, Wikipedia

Barnes Butte

Barnes Butte is a rhyolite dome of volcanic rock in Crook County, Oregon, United States located partly within the city of Prineville. Barnes Butte is composed of welded tuff and is a part of the Crooked River caldera. It was the site of a 1940s mercury mine. In 2015, a BLM cleanup of mercury was done to reduce the health risk to residents of nearby IronHorse neighborhood and the Barnes Butte Elementary School.

The butte is a recreational area and includes the IronHorse hiking trail, a 4-mile (6.4 km) loop that includes a hike to the summit.

The butte is considered one of three popular landmarks near Prineville and has been set aside for scenic preservation.