Last updated: November 6, 2021
Place
Bunchgrass Overlook
NPS Photo Allison Blair
Quick Facts
Amenities
2 listed
Parking - Auto, Scenic View/Photo Spot
The juniper and sagebrush that can be seen (and smelled) are a part of a juniper woodland community, one of three plant communities found at Lava Beds. The northern third of the monument is dominated by bunchgrass, sagebrush, and rabbitbrush, while the higher elevations to the south harbor ponderosa pine forest. Immerse yourself in all three to discover the subtle and not so subtle differences.
Lava Beds National Monument is a refuge for a variety of species that live together in few other places on earth. Visit in the parching heat of summer or the blustery cold of winter and you may wonder how any animal could survive in this rugged volcanic terrain. But with patience and luck, it is possible to spot a wide variety of animals that do not merely subsist here, but make a comfortable home in this land of extremes. These animals are specially suited to the unique range of habitats here, and they depend on this protected environment for their survival.