There are many kinds of public lands in the United States: some public lands are managed by the federal government through agencies such as the Forest Services, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and the Army Corps of Engineers. Public lands differ from private lands in that they are, at least in theory, available for use by the general public. Private lands, on the other hand, are much more restricted, often available only to the elite or to customers who can afford them.
Just south of Bend, Oregon, the Lava Lands Visitor Center is the interpretive hub for the Newberry National Volcanic Monument. From the visitor center, there are self-guiding interpretive trails leading to the 7,000-year-old lava flow from Lava Butte and a trail through the young ponderosa pine forests. These public lands are managed by the National Forest Service, a part of the Department of Agriculture.
The Volcanic Cone and Lava Flow
Trails and Forest