the glaciered Three Sisters peaks
Warm Springs and Lower Deschutes River
WARM SPRINGS INDIAN RESERVATION
Smith Rock State Park.
Central Oregon is one of the most magnificent natural playgrounds in this part of the world, with a scenic collage of green forest and black basalt outcroppings topped by extinct volcanic cones covered with snow. Lakes, rivers, and waterfalls provide a sparkling contrast to the earth tones. It’s easy to find ways to explore these natural areas: hiking, biking, and cross-country ski trails abound, as do resorts both luxurious and rustic, waterways teeming with fish, and, increasingly, good restaurants and shopping.
The central Oregon Cascades, and especially Mount Bachelor, are a haven for winter sports that range from skiing to snowmobiling, snowboarding, and snowshoeing. Skiing here can be a special treat for west-side Oregonians accustomed to Mount Hood’s fierce weather and frequently dense heavy snow. Of course, Bachelor is in Oregon, so don’t expect all powder all the time.
Central Oregon has gained recognition for world-class golf. With over a dozen courses, this region offers just about every kind of golf challenge. The warm sunny days, cool evenings, and spectacular mountain scenery make every shot memorable.
With respect to everything except rain, the climate is more extreme here than on the west side of the Cascades. Expect it to be fairly dry, though not constantly sunny—that snow on Mount Bachelor has to come from somewhere. It’s cold in the winter and hot in the summer, with cool to cold evenings year-round.
Plan to spend a few days exploring this part of the state. A long weekend will do for a taste or if you’re very focused on skiing or a particular hiking or fishing destination. Bend is a natural base in the area, but it’s also worth considering Sunriver, especially if you’re visiting with family or a group of friends. Both of these places allow easy access to the Deschutes River, the High Desert Museum, and the Lava Lands sights.
If you plan to do a bit of hiking in the national forests, pick up a Northwest Forest Pass (www.fs.usda.gov, $5 one-day, $30 annual), which is required for parking at most trailheads and will get you into sites such as the Lava Lands Visitors Center. Passes are sold online and at trailheads, ranger stations, visitors centers, most local resorts, and many sporting goods and outdoors stores.
Look for S to find recommended sights, activities, dining, and lodging.
S High Desert Museum: This indoor-outdoor museum has exhibits on contemporary Native American life, the development of the West, photography, and wildlife (click here).
S Mount Bachelor: When weather permits, you can ride the Summit Lift all the way to the top of the mountain (click here).
S Deschutes River Trail: This trail ushers runners, walkers, and bicyclists along the Deschutes. Cyclists can ride from downtown Bend all the way to Benham Falls (click here).
S Metolius River: At the headwaters of the Metolius, the water emerges from hillside springs and immediately becomes a full-sized river (click here).
S Smith Rock State Park: Famed for its rock climbing, Smith Rock has just as much to offer hikers, who can search for golden eagles on the cliffs (click here).
S Museum at Warm Springs: Not only does this museum display a wide variety of Native American artifacts, it also features audio and visual exhibits portraying the cultures of the Paiute, Warm Springs, and Wasco peoples (click here).
S Rafting the Deschutes: Sign on with an outfitter and float from a put-in upstream of the town of Maupin (click here).
In the summer, camping is a good option. There are few campgrounds prettier than the ones along the Cascades Lakes Highway, and most have good places to fish and hike nearby.
However, if fishing is going to be your main activity, don’t overlook Prineville; the Crooked River offers outstanding fly-fishing and a string of campgrounds below the Prineville Reservoir.
Several premier resorts in Deschutes County have helped transform it from a primarily agricultural area to the Aspen of the Pacific Northwest. Golf, horseback riding, tennis, swimming, biking-jogging-hiking trails, saunas, and hot tubs grace these year-round playgrounds, along with first-rate lodgings and restaurants. Ski packages and other special offers are also available at each establishment. Among the best resorts are Black Butte Ranch near Sisters, Brasada Ranch outside Prineville, Sunriver Lodge in Sunriver, Mount Bachelor Village and Tetherow resorts on the outskirts of Bend, Eagle Crest Resort near Redmond, and Kah-Nee-Ta on the Warm Springs Reservation.
A great way to explore central Oregon in depth is through Wanderlust Tours (61535 S. U.S. 97, Bend, 541/389-8359, www.wanderlusttours.com), where the focus is on the area’s geology, history, flora, fauna, and local issues. Wanderlust has been in this business for years and really does it right; it’s considered the best tour company east of the Cascades. Canoe lakes in the high Cascades ($75 adults, $55 under age 12), or take a hike that’s selected for your group’s interests and abilities. Snowshoe tours ($75 adults, $55 under age 12) are available in winter, and special moonlight trips can be arranged. All-day trips include lunch; vegetarian meals are available on request. Wanderlust Tours also offers guided lava tube tours to a different lava tube than the Lava River Cave near U.S. 97. These naturalist-led tours (half-day, $75 adults, $55 under age 12) include all necessary gear and equipment. In town, Wanderlust offers bus tours of Bend’s breweries, with behind-the-scenes tours at four of them ($75). Bicyclists can sign on with Cog Wild (541/385-7002, www.cogwild.com) for single- or multiday mountain bike tours.
There are two important things to know about Bend (pop. 91,000). First, it’s a fantastic place to visit. The recreation is top-notch and the downtown is lively, with good restaurants and lovely places to stay. The Old Mill District, a huge housing, office, and shopping area just south of downtown, opens up access to the Deschutes River in this formerly industrial part of town. The old mill smokestacks now soar above an REI store, a fitting symbol of Bend’s transformation from mill town to recreational hot spot.
Second, Bend is changing fast, with surging growth that has made it more upscale. Visitors will notice that a massive road-building effort has installed traffic circles rather than stoplights. Slow down and drive carefully—be sure to signal your exits—and you may be surprised how well this system works. Once you’re used to the circles, take a closer look at them; each one contains a piece of art.
The Deschutes River has a dam and diversion channel just above downtown Bend. It provides valuable irrigation water for the farmers and ranchers of the dry but fertile plateau to the north and creates a placid stretch of water called Mirror Pond that is home to Canada geese, ducks, and other wildlife. Drake Park (777 NW Riverside Blvd.) is on the east bank of this greenbelt and is a nice place to relax, have a quiet lunch, or walk the dog. Be careful where you step, as the birds leave behind numerous land mines. The neighborhoods around the park have older homes surrounded by lawns and trees and are also good places to walk.
Six miles south of Bend is the High Desert Museum (59800 U.S. 97 S., 541/382-4754, 9am-5pm daily May-Oct., 10am-4pm daily Nov.-Apr., $15 adults, $12 seniors, $9 ages 5-12, free under age 5, rates reduced off-season). Although the admission may seem steep, this is an excellent indoor-outdoor museum that will take half a day to explore in detail. Observe otters at play, porcupines sticking it to each other, and birds of prey dispassionately surveying the scene.
The High Desert Museum is a sprawling indoor/outdoor museum.
Perhaps the most joyful part of the museum is the Autzen Otter Exhibit, especially during the Otter Encounter (1:30pm daily), when the animals are typically at play. Another highlight is the Donald M. Kerr Bird of Prey Center, with resident bald and golden eagles, a great horned owl, and more. During the summer, the raptors put on a flight show (12:30pm daily, $5 adults, $3 children) in a more natural setting a short walk away from the main exhibit area.
Inside the museum’s main building, you’ll find rotating exhibits, galleries, and pioneer history demonstrations. The “desertarium” is populated by native plants and 37 small critters whose nocturnal lifestyles often keep them from view in the wild. Bats, lizards, mice, toads, snakes, and owls reveal that the desert is more alive than its superficially barren landscape might suggest.
The Earle A. Chiles Center exhibit on the spirit of the West features eight life-size dioramas. This walk through time begins 8,000 years ago beside a still marsh and takes you to a fur brigade camp, into the depths of a gold mine, and down Main Street in a boisterous frontier town. The Spirit of the West Gallery has representative arts and artifacts of the early American West, as well as tools, clothing, and other personal belongings from the 19th century. The Bounds collection of Native American artifacts and the Hall of Plateau Heritage balance out the museum’s coverage of the peoples of the high desert, while the Changing Forest exhibit addresses old-growth life cycles and other issues of forest ecology. The scope and interactive nature of this facility make it appealing for people who don’t usually like museums. Stop for lunch or a snack at the museum café.
Along the many trails that wind through the 150-acre facility are replicas of a sheepherder’s cabin, a settler’s cabin, forestry displays, and other historical interpretations.
About 11 miles south of Bend on U.S. 97 are Lava Butte and the Lava Lands Visitors Center (58201 S. U.S. 97, 541/593-2421, www.fs.usda.gov/centraloregon, 10am-4pm Thurs.-Mon. May, 9am-5pm daily late May-Labor Day, call for hours Sept., $5 per vehicle or NW Forest Pass). The center has some interpretive exhibits that explain the region’s volcanic history, as well as a small selection of good local geology books. Summertime ranger talks introduce the Lava Lands and the Newberry National Volcanic Monument, which encompasses Lava Butte, Lava Cast Forest, Lava River Cave, Newberry Caldera, Paulina Peak, and other local sites. Admission to all these sites is covered by the same $5 pass.
After your orientation, take the steep drive to the top of 500-foot-high Lava Butte, just behind the visitors center (in summer, you can take the $2 shuttle to the top). The observation platform on top of this fire lookout (established in 1928) offers the best viewpoint. Nearly one mile above sea level, the butte affords a commanding panorama of the Cascade Range. On a clear day you can see most of the major peaks, with Mounts Jefferson and Hood looming prominently on the northern horizon. These snowcapped turrets form the backdrop to a 10-square-mile lava field.
Two short trails start from the visitors center: the 0.3-mile Whispering Pines trail is a short paved path along the edge of the lava flow; the paved but steep Trail of the Molten Land traces a one-mile loop across the lava. Don’t be surprised to see blue-tailed lizards sunning themselves alongside these trails. You can also see kipukas, small islands of green trees surrounded by a sea of black lava, and what geologists call splatter. You’ll know it when you see it, as it looks exactly like what it sounds like.
Benham Falls is four miles down Forest Road 9702 from the Lava Lands Visitors Center. Give other cars a wide berth and plenty of following distance, as the road’s pumice and fine dust are hard on paint jobs and engines. The road leads to a small picnic area in a grove of old-growth ponderosa pines on the bank of the Deschutes River. Be sure to bring your own water; there is none here.
The hike to the falls is an easy half-mile jaunt downstream. Take the footbridge across the river and enjoy your stroll past a spectacular section of untamed white water. While the water in the Deschutes is much too cold and dangerous for a swim, it’s ideal for soaking your feet a little after you’ve completed your hike. Benham Falls was created when magma from Lava Butte splashed over the side, flowing five miles to the Deschutes. When the molten rock collided with the icy water, the churning rapids and crashing waterfall were created.
When you reach the falls, you’ll see another parking area. If you want to forgo the hike, reach the falls by heading south from Bend on the Cascade Lakes Highway and turning east (left) onto Forest Road 41, shortly after the Seventh Mountain Resort.
About 12 miles south of Bend on U.S. 97 and one mile south of Lava Butte is Oregon’s longest known lava tube, the Lava River Cave (541/593-2421, 10am-4pm Thurs.-Mon. May, 9am-4pm daily Memorial Day-Labor Day, 10am-4pm daily Sept., $5 per vehicle or NW Forest Pass). The cave is a cool 42°F year-round, so dress warmly and wear sturdy shoes—the walking surface is rocky and uneven in many places. Bring a strong flashlight to guide you through this lava tube or rent a lantern ($5) at the entrance.
To protect the resident bats, the cave is closed during the winter. To prevent the bats from acquiring white-nose syndrome, take care to wear clothing and shoes that you’ve never worn into another cave. Parking is limited at this popular site; try to get here early or toward the end of the day, but leave about an hour for the two-mile round-trip hike.
A couple of miles south of Lava River Cave on U.S. 97 is an easterly turnoff for Lava Cast Forest. From here, follow the very rough Forest Road 9720 for nine miles to an unusual volcanic feature, where a one-mile trail traverses an unreal world created when lava enveloped a forest 6,000 years ago. The lava hardened, leaving behind a mold of the once-living trees, much like how the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in Italy left casts of Pompeii’s residents.
About 12 miles west of downtown Bend, the 89-foot Tumalo Falls ($5 day-use or NW Forest Pass) plummets down a sheer cliff. Although the falls are visible from the parking area, a short walk leads to better views, and a slightly longer walk takes you to the top of the falls. From here, follow the trail up Tumalo Creek, where there are a couple of smaller waterfalls. Several other hiking and mountain biking trails leave from the area; it’s possible to make a loop, but part of the loop falls in an area where the watershed is protected and dogs and bikes are prohibited.
From downtown, head west on Franklin Street, skirt Drake Park, and continue west on Galveston Avenue. At the traffic circle, continue west; the street becomes Skyliners Road. After 10 miles, follow the signs for the falls and turn onto Tumalo Road. The last couple of miles are on a good gravel road.
On the east side of Bend is Pilot Butte, a 511-foot-high volcanic remnant. A road and a trail to the top offer a sweeping view of nine snowcapped Cascade peaks and their forests. It is also pretty at night, with the twinkling lights of the city below and the stars above. Full moons are especially awesome, illuminating the ghostly forms of the mountains as icy light-blue silhouettes. The scent of juniper and sage adds to the splendor. Bring water if you’re hiking.
The Pacific Northwest’s largest and most complete ski area is Mount Bachelor (541/382-2607, hours and snow report 541/382-7888, www.mtbachelor.com, $96 ages 19-64, $78 ages 13-18 and 65-69, $54 over age 70 and ages 6-12, discounts online). Located 22 miles southwest of Bend on Century Drive at nearly 9,000 feet elevation, this venue has 12 ski lifts, including 7 high-speed quads, and trails that range from beginner to expert. This is the winter training grounds for the U.S. Olympic Ski Team. If you’re at the other end of the expertise spectrum, note that the beginners lift, the Carrousel, is free.
snow-capped Mount Bachelor
The Summit Express lift takes you to the top of the mountain, yielding great sunny-day views of the neighboring Cascade peaks. You may also see puffs of steam coming off the slopes, which serve as reminders that Bachelor is a still-active volcanic peak. Although central Oregon is known for its clear skies, storms pass through regularly, making the snow deep enough on Bachelor for the ski season to extend into late spring, but it can mean skiing or boarding in high wind and flying snow pellets. Conditions are often best in late winter and early spring. Avoid skiing after 1pm in May and June, when conditions become slushy; the west-side snowfields hold up better in the late-afternoon light.
Expert skiers and boarders should ride the high-speed Northwest Express quad lift to the mountain’s Northwest Territory, with trees and bowls. The Summit lift is a must, both for the views and the trails, which include some blue runs. Another good area is the part of the mountain served by the Outback Express; runs here are mostly blue. Snowboarders and freestyle skiers head to the mile-long terrain park at Bachelors Park or the 400-foot-long super pipe. When conditions are wicked on the west side of the mountain, ride the Cloudchaser lift, which opens up territory on the east side of the mountain, which is often less stormy.
Skip skiing and join Trail of Dreams Sled Dog Rides (Sunrise Lodge parking area, 541/382-1709 or 800/829-2442) for a one-hour sled dog ride ($130-150 over 80 pounds, $50-60 under 80 pounds) with Jerry Scdoris and his daughter Rachael, an Iditarod finisher. A daylong tour ($600 for 2 people) goes to Elk Lake.
Even when ski season is over, chairlift rides (541/382-1709, 11am-5pm Mon.-Thurs., 11am-8pm Fri.-Sun. July-Labor Day, $19 adults, $16 seniors, $13 ages 6-12, less for evening rides) give visitors a chance to travel 15 minutes from the West Village base area to the Pine Marten Lodge, perched at 7,775 feet, with tremendous views of Cascade lakes and peaks and access to mountain bike trails ($19-39, rentals available) and disc golf. Sunset dinners (5pm-8pm Fri.-Sun.) are offered at the Pine Marten Lodge restaurant. Unlike most ski resorts of its size, Mount Bachelor has no slope-side lodging. The closest lodging is down the hill at the Seventh Mountain Resort. Sunriver is also about a 20-minute drive.
Just west of downtown Bend on the road to Mount Bachelor are two excellent cross-country ski areas. The Virginia Meissner Sno-Park is about 13 miles west of town; Swampy Lakes Sno-Park is about two miles farther up the road. The two trail systems join together for more than 25 miles of ski trails dotted with strategically placed warming huts. There are also snowshoe trails leading from each Sno-Park. Dogs and motorized vehicles are prohibited at both. Sno-Park permits are required. In the summer, these trails are good for mountain biking.
The Bend area has an excellent cross-country ski trail network.
Up the mountain at Dutchman Flat Sno-Park, what you gain in elevation and early-season snowpack you’ll lose in peacefulness. Almost directly across from the turnoff to Mount Bachelor’s Sunrise Lodge, Dutchman Flat has trails for both skiers and snowmobilers and can be extremely busy on weekends and holidays. Snowmobilers can use this spot to access roughly 150 miles of trails; skiers find about 19 miles of trails, including some fairly challenging ones. In addition to all the downhill skiing and boarding, Mount Bachelor grooms trails at its Nordic Center ($19 adults, $12 ages 6-18 or over age 64, $3 less afternoons). These trails are especially good for families with inexperienced skiers.
A trail system at Edison Butte is a good alternative for cross-country skiers with dogs. It’s south on Forest Road 45 from the Cascades Lakes Highway. Travel four miles to the trailhead; snowmobilers access trails from the same parking area, which can be very busy on snowy weekends.
Self-guided but supported three-day hut-to-hut backcountry ski trips start at Dutchman Flat and trace the eastern edge of the Three Sisters Wilderness Area to the Three Creeks Sno-Park near Sisters. Three Sisters Backcountry (http://threesistersbackcountry.com, $225 pp) will set you up with maps, hut lodging, food to make your own meals, and shuttles.
The area in and around Bend boasts a rich network of hiking and mountain biking trails, ranging from short barrier-free interpretive walks in town to strenuous wilderness treks. The best hiking is on trails accessed by the Cascade Lakes Highway. Snow can lock up many of these high-elevation trails until as late as June or July, so you’ll want to inquire locally before heading out fall-spring. The offices of the Deschutes National Forest (63095 Deschutes Market Rd., 541/383-5300, www.fs.usda.gov/centraloregon) can provide information. Parking at most trailheads in the national forests requires a Northwest Forest Pass (www.fs.fed.us/r6/passespermits, $5 one-day, $30 annual), available at most outdoor stores and resorts as well as at trailheads.
For mountain bikers, the Central Oregon Trail Alliance (www.cotamtb.com) is a good resource. This volunteer group works with the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and others to enhance mountain biking in and around Bend. Their website briefly describes area trails and shows current conditions.
The best thing about Bend’s early-2000s boom years was the development of the Deschutes River Trail (map at www.bendparksandrec.org). The trail, which will ultimately run 19 miles from Tumalo State Park north of town to the Meadow Picnic Area near Widgi Creek Golf Course, offers excellent river access to walkers, runners, and cyclists (mountain bikes or cruisers are best, though bikes aren’t permitted on the west side of the river near Mount Bachelor Village). Pick up the trail downtown in Drake Park or in the Old Mill District, from Farewell Bend Park on the east side of the river (lots of parking on Reed Market Rd.), or from the Les Schwab Amphitheater on the west side. The trail is a patchwork of paved and unpaved surfaces. It’s also easy to access from Mount Bachelor Village Resort.
Trails run for miles along the Deschutes River; this stretch is below the Seventh Mountain Resort.
If you want to keep going when you reach the trail’s southern terminus, hop up onto Century Drive and head past the golf course and the Seventh Mountain Resort to the turnoff for Dillon Falls. This road will quickly reconnect you with riverside hiking and mountain biking trails that go all the way to Benham Falls. This section of the trail runs 9.1 miles through riverside pine forests and lava flows. It is actually a set of three parallel trails—one each dedicated to hikers, cyclists, and horseback riders—beginning about seven miles southwest of Bend. To get here via the road, follow Century Drive southwest, then turn south onto Forest Road 41 (Conklin Rd.), which has several access points to the trails at Lava Island, Big Eddy, Aspen, Dillon, Slough, Benham West, and Benham Falls day-use areas. The season is spring-fall, although most of the trails may remain open in winter during years with low snowfall. A Northwest Forest Pass is required for parking along Road 41, and dogs must be leashed. Four trail sections—at Big Eddy Rapids, Dillon Falls, Benham Falls West, and Benham Falls Picnic Area—are wheelchair accessible. They’re surfaced with crushed gravel and are of intermediate difficulty.
About three miles west of town, Shevlin Park (year-round, free) lures both hikers and mountain bikers with an easy five-mile loop through the pines along the Tumalo Creek gorge and along a ridge burned in the Awbrey Hall fire of 1990. Several picnic areas offer quiet spots for lunch. To get here, follow Greenwood Avenue west from U.S. 97 in Bend; Greenwood becomes Newport Avenue after a few blocks, then changes again to Shevlin Road as it angles northwest.
A trail close to town that’s very popular with mountain bikers is Phil’s Trail, an eight-mile segment of a larger network of eponymous bike trails (Kent’s, Paul’s, Jimmy’s—named for the riders who established or popularized them) among the canyon and butte country just west of Bend. Difficulty is generally easy to moderate, with some steep climbs to challenge your lower gears the farther west you ride. To get to the trailhead, head 2.5 miles west on Skyliners Road, then turn left on the first paved road to the south and travel 0.5 miles. A little farther west, Forest Roads 4610 and 300 also intersect the network. A Northwest Forest Pass (www.fs.fed.us, $5 one-day, $30 annual) is required for parking.
Farther afield, Mount Bachelor beckons hikers in the summer and fall to walk the four-mile Mount Bachelor Summit Trail (2-3 hours one-way) to the mountain’s top. It can take a while for the snow to melt here, but trails are usually clear by midsummer. This is one of the easiest and safest routes to the top of any Cascade peak, requiring no climbing skills or equipment. An even easier way is to take the Pine Marten lift (which runs in the off season) to the mid-mountain level and trek from there.
To get to the trailhead, follow signs for the upper (east) parking lot at the ski area. The trail begins at the western end of the lot and climbs to a forested ridge on the mountain’s northeastern side to the upper station of the first section of the ski lift. From there, the trail climbs steeply through the timberline area and continues up to a talus ridge leading to the mountain station of the second lift segment. It’s a short hike from this lift station to the summit.
Plaques at viewpoints along the way identify lakes and mountains visible from this 9,000-foot vantage point, including Diamond Peak to the south and the Three Sisters, Broken Top, Mount Jefferson, and sometimes even Mount Hood, 100 miles away, to the north. The hike involves an elevation gain of 2,600 feet. Mountain bikes are not recommended on the trail.
Rent a mountain bike at Pine Mountain Sports (255 SW Century Dr., 541/385-8080, www.pinemountainsports.com, 4 hours $20-50, 24 hours $30-75). Upstairs from Pine Mountain are the offices for Cog Wild (255 SW Century Dr., 541/385-7002, www.cogwild.com), which leads mountain bike tours that include short family cruises ($75 adults, $60 under age 13), vigorous daylong tours (about $110), and multiday trips ($700-1,100).
If your bicycling style is a little more easygoing, rent a cruiser (or a tandem, kids’ bike, trailer, or tagalong) or a surrey from Wheel Fun Rentals (603 SW Mill View Way, 541/408-4568, 10am-8pm daily mid-June-Labor Day, hours vary off-season, $12-50 per hour) near the Deschutes River Trail in the Old Mill District. Bend’s bike share program is still small, but growing rapidly. Download the Zagster app to see the most current map of bike locations and unlock a bike, which you can ride for $3 per hour and return to any Zagster station.
With over 100 mountain lakes and the Deschutes River within an hour’s drive of Bend, your piscatorial pleasures will be satisfied in central Oregon. The high lakes offer rainbow, brown, and brook trout as well as landlocked Atlantic and coho salmon. The Deschutes River is famed for its red-sided rainbow trout and summer steelhead. Not surprisingly, the best fishing is outside of the Bend metropolitan area, near Sunriver, Cascade Lakes, and Prineville. If you’re stuck in town, head over to the Old Mill District, where you’ll find the Confluence Fly Shop (375 SW Powerhouse Dr., 541/678-5633, www.confluenceflyshop.com) and a clever 18-station fly-fishing course on the edge of the Deschutes (think miniature golf with a fly rod). The fly shop teams up with Deep Canyon Outfitters (541/323-3007, www.deepcanyonoutfitters.com), a well-established guide service.
A full-service pro shop with everything for the fly-fisher is The Patient Angler (822 SE 3rd St., 541/389-6208, www.patientangler.com), where you can stock up on information as well as gear; a guide service is also part of this business.
Deschutes River Outfitters (503/529-9784, www.deschutesoutfitters.com) features float trips, walk-in lake trips, and steelhead fishing trips that can be customized into single-day or multiday excursions. Check their outstanding website for specifics.
Float or paddle through town on a stretch of the Deschutes that’s mostly quiet, but with a potential for some thrills. Put in at Riverbend Park (799 SW Columbia St., on the river’s west bank) and take out at Drake Park, where a Ride the River shuttle bus (www.cascadeseasttransit.com, 11:30am-6:30pm daily mid-June-Labor Day, $3 all day) will ferry you back to the starting point. Just past the Colorado Avenue bridge, the Bend Whitewater Park has three channels; stay far to the left for a normal level of thrill. The middle channel is for whitewater experts (you’ll see surfers falling off their boards as they attempt to ride the standing waves here), and the far right channel is closed to preserve habitat. If you’re with kids, get out of the water before the Colorado Bridge and walk around the short stretch of whitewater.
Rent a paddleboard and take it to the river in Bend’s Old Mill District.
Experienced whitewater kayakers, surfers, and paddleboarders can practice their skills at the Bend Whitewater Park. Access it from the downstream side, at the McKay Park beach (166 SW Shevlin Hixon Dr.) or Miller’s Landing Park (80 NW Riverside Blvd.). The center channel of the river here has been engineered to form four waves; the easiest is the farthest downriver and the most difficult is upstream, closest to the bridge.
Rent a kayak ($40 for 2 hours), canoe ($70 for 2 hours), float tube ($15 for 2 hours), or stand-up paddleboard ($40 for 2 hours) at Tumalo Creek Kayak & Canoe (805 SW Industrial Way, 541/317-9407, www.tumalocreek.com, 9am-7pm Mon.-Sat., 9am-6pm Sun.), where you can also sign up for paddling lessons.
Float the river on a specially designed river tube available for rent from Sun Country Tours (541/382-1709, www.suncountrytours.com, 10am-5pm daily, $15 adults, $10 under age 13). Find the rental location at Riverbend Park (799 SW Columbia St.).
A couple of products of Bend’s upscale turn are the lavish semiprivate golf courses at Pronghorn (65600 Pronghorn Club Dr., 866/372-1009, www.pronghornclub.com, $100-215), which has courses by Jack Nicklaus and Tom Fazio, where the eighth hole features a lava canyon; and Tetherow (61240 Skyline Ranch Rd., 541/388-2582, www.tetherow.com, $120-175), a links-style course designed by Davis McLay Kidd, known for his work at Bandon Dunes. Both Tetherow and the Nicklaus course at Pronghorn are regularly mentioned as being nearly the same caliber as the courses at Bandon Dunes.
Widgi Creek (18707 Century Dr., 541/382-4449, www.widgi.com, $29-89, reserve online), just north of the Seventh Mountain Resort, was designed by Robert Muir Graves. The course’s strategically placed trees, lakes, and sand traps have given this place the reputation as the “mean green” golf course of central Oregon. Close to town along the Deschutes River, the hillside River’s Edge Golf Course (400 NW Pro Shop Dr., 541/389-2828, www.riversedgegolfbend.com, $39-59) is a convenient and pretty alternative.
One of the finest aquatic and fitness centers east of the Cascades is Juniper Aquatic and Fitness Center (800 NE 6th St., 541/389-7665, www.bendparksandrec.org, $7-8). Part of the Bend Metro Park and Recreation District, the center is located in 20-acre Juniper Park and features two indoor pools and a large 40-yard outdoor pool. An aerobics room, a weight room, group exercise classes, a jogging trail, and a tennis court offer other exercise options. A sauna and a whirlpool tub provide you with yet another way to sweat it out.
The Deschutes River offers some of the finest white water in central Oregon. The numerous lava flows have diverted the river to create tumultuous rapids that attract raft, kayak, and canoe enthusiasts. From short rafting trips to multiday adventures, you’ll find many options available to enjoy the exciting Deschutes River. You will need swimwear, footwear, sunblock, and sunglasses for all rafting trips. It’s also advisable to have a set of dry clothes handy at the end of the voyage. The prime spot for daylong trips is actually the Lower Deschutes, out of the town of Maupin, but there are a couple of spots close to Bend that’ll satisfy that urge to be on the river on a hot summer day.
A few miles upstream from town, the Big Eddy section of the river offers a few white-water thrills. Several outfitters lead trips on this section of the Deschutes: The Seventh Mountain River Company (18575 SW Century Dr., 541/693-9124, http://seventhmountainriverco.com, $45) offers a 1.5-hour raft trip down a three-mile section of the Deschutes that takes in some Class I-IV rapids. With names like Pinball Alley and the Souse Hole, you can be assured of a good ride. Transfer between the inn and the river is included. Sun Country Tours (531 SW 13th St., 541/382-1709, www.suncountrytours.com, $59 adults, $49 ages 6-12) runs a 1.25-hour three-mile Big Eddy Thriller that takes in Class I-III rapids on the Deschutes River.
Downtown Bend’s striking art moderne Tower Theatre (835 NW Wall St., 541/317-0700, www.towertheatre.org) hosts music, films, and other performances. This nonprofit venue is a good place to see some relatively big-name acoustic musicians. Bend’s biggest music venue, the Les Schwab Amphitheater (Shevlin-Hixon Dr. between Simpson Ave. and Columbia St., 541/322-9383, www.bendconcerts.com), is on the edge of the Old Mill District. This is the place to see performers such as Pink Martini, the Avett Brothers, or Michael Franti. It’s also the site of events such as the Bend Brewfest.
Bend has seen an explosion of good local brewers in recent years. Many are alumni of central Oregon’s first brewery and brewpub, Deschutes Brewery and Public House (1044 NW Bond St., 541/382-9242, www.deschutesbrewery.com, 11am-11pm daily, $10-28), which still serves fresh handcrafted ales and decent food ranging from burgers and pizza to steak. The pub’s 19 taps include always-satisfying stalwarts like Mirror Pond pale ale as well as a number of specialty beers that you won’t find in grocery stores. The main Deschutes Brewery (901 SW Simpson Ave., 541/385-8606, 8am-5pm Mon.-Fri., noon-5pm Sat.-Sun.) is in the Old Mill District, where tours and tastings are offered.
A visit to the tasting room at Crux Fermentation Project (50 SW Division St., 541/385-3333, http://cruxfermentation.com, 11:30am-10pm daily, $6-12) is a real treat, especially for beer nerds, who can appreciate the nontraditional brewing methods such as decoction mashing, open fermentation, and the use of wild yeast strains and hops from all over the world. Here the beer flows directly from the finishing tanks to the taps (24 last time we counted), and hops scent the building, a former auto shop. Pub grub consists of good salads, cheese and meat platters, and snacks, except on Monday evenings, when the kitchen is closed and food trucks pull up to make sure no one goes hungry.
Perhaps the hottest brewpub in town is 10 Barrel (1135 NW Galveston Ave., 541/678-5228, www.10barrel.com, 11am-11pm Sun.-Thurs., 11am-midnight Fri.-Sat.). Wash down good pizza with an award-winning S1NIST0R black ale. Another pub is now open at the 10 Barrel Brewery (62950 NE 18th St., 541/241-7733, 11am-11pm Sun.-Thurs., 11am-midnight Fri.-Sat.).
Although it only has a tasting room, not a full brewpub, Boneyard Brewing (37 NW Lake Place, 541/323-2325, www.boneyardbeer.com, 11am-6pm daily), just a short walk from downtown, is worth a visit. Taking its name from scavenging old equipment from larger breweries, it also scavenged some excellent brewers, and their beers are first-rate. Boneyard brews are on tap at local restaurants. There’s more good beer and noteworthy fish tacos at Silver Moon Brewing (24 NW Greenwood Ave., 541/388-8331, www.silvermoonbrewing.com, 11:30am-10pm Mon.-Thurs., 11:30am-2am Fri.-Sat., 11:30am-8pm Sun.), a normally low-key sports bar that kicks into gear several nights a week with live music.
The Bend Brewing Company (1019 NW Brooks St., 541/383-1559, www.bendbrewingco.com, 11:30am-10:30pm daily, $9-14) a local staple with a popular happy hour (4pm-6pm Mon.-Fri.) and a fantastic setting on Brooks Street, a pedestrian-oriented street just to the river side of downtown. Come for the good beer, the nice waitstaff, the great patio, and good food—grilled tacos, pizza, sandwiches, and excellent fish-and-chips.
GoodLife Brewing (70 SW Century Dr., 541/728-0749, www.goodlifebrewing.com, noon-10pm daily, $9-14) opened in 2011 in a warehouse with a 30-barrel brewing system and quickly established itself as a major player in the Bend beer scene, with Descender IPA winning raves. The brewpub (they prefer to call it a bierhal) serves decent pub fare (try the chicken wings with a Sweet as Ale habanero sauce); during the summer, you and your dog can enjoy it by the fire pit out back.
Branch out at Atlas Cider (550 SW Industrial Way, 541/633-7757, www.atlascider.com, 11am-11pm Wed.-Sat., 11am-7:30pm Sun.-Tues.) for award-winning hard cider (try the apricot) and arcade games. Find handcrafted spirits at Crater Lake Spirits (1024 NW Bond St., 541/318-0200, www.craterlakespirits.com, 11am-9pm Mon.-Sat., 11am-7pm Sun.). This downtown tasting room isn’t a bar and doesn’t serve food, but it’s close to many restaurants.
Recreational cannabis is easy to come by in Bend. For a DIY tour of dispensaries, pick up a copy of the Inhale Trail map at the visitors center or at www.inhaletrail.com. To learn more about cannabis in central Oregon, sign on with Blazing Trails (30 SW Century Dr., 541/318-6488, www.blazingtrailsbend.com, $59).
Quintessentially Bend, the mid-May Pole Pedal Paddle (541/388-0002, www.pppbend.com) is a relay or, for the exceptionally tough, a single-person event that starts at the top of Mount Bachelor and ends at the Les Schwab Amphitheater in Bend’s Old Mill District. Between the two points, participants downhill ski, cross-country ski, bike, run, and canoe or kayak to the finish line. Although some participants take the event quite seriously, most enter in a spirit of fun.
The Bend Summer Festival brings out food booths, Oregon wine and microbrews, art exhibits, and live music all in one big downtown block party the second weekend in July. Contact the Bend Visitors Information Bureau (541/382-8048, www.c3events.com) for more details. In mid-August, the Les Schwab Amphitheater (Shevlin-Hixon Dr.) is home to the Bend Brewfest (541/322-9383, www.bendbrewfest.com), with over 80 craft beers available for tasting.
The scenery around Bend feeds the soul, and restaurants here do the rest. While area restaurants run the gamut from fast-food franchises to elegant dinner houses, many travelers also want something between those extremes. Some alternatives for every budget are listed below.
S Chow (1110 Newport Ave., 541/728-0256, www.chowbend.com, 7am-2pm daily, $6-16), in a charming little house across from the Newport Market, is a deservedly popular breakfast spot. Chow’s aim is to keep their business sustainable and true to the food, and this care is evident: One of the top picks on the menu is always the locavore omelet, made with whatever is in season. Farro and eggs is a good breakfast-for-lunch option; there are also inventive sandwiches. In nice weather the deck seating is great.
Just outside downtown, diners linger at the Victorian Café (1404 NW Galveston Ave., 541/382-6411, www.victoriancafebend.com, 7am-2pm daily, $8-16), one of the few breakfast and lunch joints that has a full bar. Bloody Mary or no, breakfasts here are an extravaganza; for a real treat, order any of the eggs Benedict options.
Drop by S Jackson’s Corner (845 NW Delaware Ave., 541/647-2198, www.jacksonscornerbend.com, 7am-9pm daily, $6-17) almost any time of day for a casual meal. The pizzas are excellent, as are the sandwiches and the salads. It’s a casual neighborhood place where you order at the counter and may possibly share a big table with others. The side yard has a place for kids to play and adults to lounge at picnic tables.
Rockin’ Dave’s Bistro and Backstage Lounge (661 NE Greenwood Ave., 541/318-8177, http://rockindaves.com, 7am-2pm Mon.-Sat., 8am-2pm Sun., $4-11) is a popular local spot for sandwiches on Bend’s best bagels as well as breakfast burritos. Come back in the evening to dine at the Backstage Lounge (4pm-close Tues.-Sat., $13-18), where Dave’s commitment to fresh, healthy food shows up in the jambalaya bowl and other interpretations of comfort food.
On a corner in the heart of downtown, S 900 Wall (900 NW Wall St., 541/323-6295, www.900wall.com, 3pm-9pm or 10pm Mon.-Fri., 10:30pm Sat.-Sun. summer, earlier close winter, $15-34) fairly pulses with energy, and the food is delicious and reasonably priced. Try a wood-fired pizza (the prosciutto and arugula pizza is drizzled with truffle oil and is absolutely delicious) or some high-class comfort food, such as duck confit or flatiron steak, prepared with just enough inventiveness to keep them interesting. The selection of wines by the glass is huge and well chosen.
Drake (801 NW Wall St., 541/306-3366, http://drakebend.com, 11am-9pm Sun.-Thurs., 11am-10pm Fri.-Sat., $12-19) offers upscale comfort food in a bright and airy dining room. While the menu seems to offer many classic American dishes, look again: The fish-and-chips features ale-battered Pacific cod with dried cherry coleslaw, and the cheeseburger can be accessorized with roasted bone marrow or pear kimchi.
S Jackalope Grill (750 NW Lava Rd., 541/318-8435, www.jackalopegrill.com, 4:30pm-9:30pm daily, reservations recommended, $17-39), around the corner from the Oxford Hotel, is more upscale than its name. Main courses range from steak or salmon to pork osso buco, but don’t skip the starters. The soup du jour is invariably good, whether it’s a rich butternut squash topped with chanterelles or a smooth concoction made from beets. During the summer, diners can sit in an intimate outdoor courtyard.
Also downtown, The Pine Tavern Restaurant (967 NW Brooks St., 541/382-5581, www.pinetavern.com, 11am-10pm daily, shorter hours in winter, reservations recommended, $15-32) has been in business since 1936, and although it isn’t a trendy place, it keeps current enough to continue drawing crowds. It’s in a garden setting overlooking Mirror Pond, with an ancient ponderosa pine that’s been growing up through the floor since it opened. Prime rib, meat loaf, and hot sourdough scones with honey butter are among the many specialties.
Find shockingly good barbecue on the road to Mount Bachelor at Baldy’s (235 SW Century Dr., 541/385-7427, www.baldysbbq.com, 11am-9pm daily, $10-24). Be warned: If you’re a rib lover, once you eat here, you’ll be spoiled for any other restaurant in town. If ribs aren’t your thing, the hickory-smoked chicken and the pulled pork are also delicious. A good selection of local beers is on tap. If you’re headed out of town toward Burns, stop at the eastside Baldy’s (2670 NE U.S. 20, 541/388-4227, 11am-9pm daily, $10-24) near the Safeway.
Head west of downtown to find S Trattoria Sbandati (1444 NW College Way, 541/306-6825, www.trattoriasbandati.com, 5pm-close Tues.-Sat., reservations recommended, $15-31), a small family-run Italian restaurant that manages to be simultaneously romantic and homey. Go with the intention of making a night of it; this is not a dine-and-dash spot. Start with a salad of gorgonzola and golden beets, move on to homemade pasta or gnocchi, perhaps try some polpette (meatballs), and make sure to take advantage of the excellent wine list. If you are in a hurry, stop by for a good selection of deli cheeses and cured meats.
Just out of downtown in a small bungalow, Ariana (1304 NW Galveston Ave., 541/330-5539, www.arianarestaurantbend.com, 5pm-9pm Tues.-Sat., reservations recommended, $21-39) is one of the most appealing and intimate dinner restaurants in town. The Mediterranean-influenced cuisine is prepared with care, elevating dishes as simple as beet salad to remarkable heights. To fully experience Ariana, go for the five-course tasting menu ($65). In the summer, seating expands to a deck.
Zydeco (919 NW Bond St., 541/312-2899, www.zydecokitchen.com, 11:30am-2:30pm Mon.-Fri. and 5pm-close daily, $12-30) is one of the hottest spots in town. In the summer, its fun, bright atmosphere spills out from the open kitchen to tables on the sidewalk and rooftop. Inside, a good selection of wine is stored behind glass-fronted cabinets, and strategically placed mirrors give views of the crowd—a mix of young partiers and older serious diners—and the open kitchen. The food, not surprisingly, has Creole and Cajun influences, but also includes other good options, such as pan-roasted steelhead trout in a lemon-caper sauce.
Spork (937 NW Newport Ave., 541/390-0946, 11am-9pm Mon.-Thurs., 11am-10pm Fri.-Sat., $5-12) is a busy restaurant with a hip and casual atmosphere. There are no reservations, and you order at the counter without a table assignment—but it always seems like a table opens up before the food arrives. The food is a small-plates selection of delicious Asian and Latin American dishes, with excellent tacos, Chinese sweet and spicy pork noodles, and amazing spicy fried chicken with sambal sauce. Spork also does a big take-out business, so it’s a good place to grab food for a picnic.
Just down the street, Bethlyn’s Global Fusion (1075 NW Newport Ave., 541/617-0513, http://bethlynsglobalfusion.com, 11am-8pm Sun.-Thurs., 11am-9pm Fri.-Sat., $9-12) is another casual counter-service place with inspired and healthy food, including a bibimbap bowl, Japanese tacos with salmon, and the improbable but delicious fried avocado tacos.
Downtown coffee lovers head to Thump (25 NW Minnesota Ave., 541/388-0226, www.thumpcoffee.com, 6am-5:30pm Mon.-Fri., 7am-5:30pm Sat., 7am-4:30pm Sun.) for small-batch-roasted coffee, good pastries, and friendly conversation. If you’d rather sip a cup of tea, try Townshend’s (835 NW Bond St., 541/312-2001, www.townshendstea.com, 9am-10pm Mon.-Sat., 9am-9pm Sun.), which serves high-quality teas and kombucha in an atmosphere that’s more hip than stuffy.
Downtown by the river, stop into bike-centric Crow’s Feet Commons (875 NW Brooks St., 541/728-0066, http://crowsfeetcommons.com, 8am-8pm Sun.-Thurs., 8am-10pm Fri.-Sat.) for a Stumptown coffee or a beer (there’s usually a Boneyard on tap) and a hang on the patio overlooking Mirror Pond. South of downtown, near the Old Mill District, Strictly Organic Coffee (6 SW Bond St., 541/330-6061, www.strictlyorganic.com, 6am-8pm Mon.-Fri., 6am-6pm Sat., 7am-6pm Sun.) is a great place for coffee or tea and a snack.
Check a map to find the tiny S Sparrow Bakery (50 SE Scott St., 541/330-6321, www.thesparrowbakery.net, 7am-2pm Mon.-Sat., 8am-2pm Sun., sandwiches $7.50-8.50). Although it’s just off the Bend Parkway near the Colorado Street exit, it can be tricky to locate this gem. The cardamom-scented “ocean rolls” make the search worthwhile, as do the fantastic sandwiches, which can take surprisingly long to make. If the weather’s nice, sit at a table on the patio, which is surrounded by local artisans’ studios and shops. Sparrow’s pastries are sold downtown at Crow’s Feet Commons.
Bend is the largest full-fledged resort town in the state. On holidays or ski weekends, it’s hard to find a room, much less an affordable one, although during the shoulder seasons of spring and fall, deals often abound. For a comprehensive list of motels, see www.visitbend.org.
A longtime Bend favorite, the Seventh Mountain Resort (18575 SW Century Dr., 541/382-8711 or 877/765-1501, www.seventhmountain.com) was sold in 2013 to Wyndam, which has added it to its stable of WorldMark timeshare developments. Many of the condo units at Seventh Mountain are privately owned and available for rent. If you want to stay at the closest location possible to Mount Bachelor and trails to the Deschutes, it’s worth checking the website or looking at VRBO (http://vrbo.com) to see if any units are available for rent. The entire resort is oftentimes booked months in advance.
Most of the least-expensive motels are along 3rd Street; except during busy weekends in the middle of the summer, you can just drive the street to check out these older, basic, but perfectly adequate lodgings. One reasonable bet is the Cascade Lodge (420 SE 3rd St., 541/382-2612, www.bendvalueinn.com, $64), which has microwaves and fridges in the rooms.
Hostel in style at the Historic Lucas House Bunk and Brew (42 NW Hawthorne Ave., 458/202-1090, www.bunkandbrew.com, $39-109), a 1910 brick house right downtown. The lowest prices are for a bunk in a dorm; the top-end room sleeps four. Guests can use the kitchen (stocked with breakfast fixings) or the outdoor grill and fire pit; beer and coffee are also available. The hostel is well run by an enthusiastic and friendly crew.
Just south of downtown, on the edge of the Old Mill District is the Mill Inn B&B (642 NW Colorado Ave., 541/389-9198, www.millinn.com, $105-175). Originally an early 1900s hotel and boardinghouse, it has been remodeled into a 10-bedroom inn. Some rooms share a bath down the hall, but many have private baths, and some rooms adjoin to accommodate families. All rates include a full breakfast and access to a washer and dryer, barbecue grill, hot tub, and cocktail deck. On busy 3rd Street, not far from downtown, Three Sisters Inn (721 NE 3rd St., 541/382-1515, www.bendthreesistersinn.com, $129-199) is a tidy place with an included breakfast buffet, a pool, and family suites.
Up the road toward Mount Bachelor, the Entrada Lodge (19221 Century Dr., 541/382-4080, www.entradalodge.com, $111-154) is a standard, somewhat dated motel—but in an exceptional setting, nestled among the ponderosa pines at a nexus of hiking and mountain bike trails that can take you to the Deschutes River (about a 20-minute walk). A small pool, a large hot tub, a basic breakfast buffet, and in-room microwaves and fridges are the amenities. It’s a good place to bring the dog. Even though Wi-Fi is free, it doesn’t work very well.
The Riverhouse on the Deschutes (3075 Business U.S. 97 N., 541/389-3111 or 866/453-4480, www.riverhouse.com, $149-299) is situated along the Deschutes River at the north end of town. Although this hotel features a conference center and other business amenities, it’s also a good place for vacationers. The rooms are well kept and equipped with Wi-Fi, microwaves, and fridges. Pets are permitted, and guests have access to indoor and outdoor pools, an exercise room, and tennis courts. There’s also a golf course on-site.
S Mount Bachelor Village Resort (19717 Mount Bachelor Dr., 541/452-9846 or 800/547-5204, www.mtbachelorvillage.com, $179-545) is a couple of miles from downtown, just off Century Drive. Some of the units, which include a wide variety of condos with fully equipped kitchens and hotel rooms with mini fridges, overlook the Deschutes River. It’s easy for guests to get onto the Deschutes River Trail, and they can also use the adjacent Athletic Club of Bend, the most upscale gym in town.
Wall Street Suites (1430 Wall St., 541/706-9006, http://wallstreetsuitesbend.com, $169-230), a beautifully converted courtyard motel on the edge of downtown, has a couple of standard but quite comfortable guest rooms and fifteen suites with kitchens. A fenced yard makes it a handy place to stay with a dog; there’s also a pet-free zone.
S McMenamins Old St. Francis School (700 NW Bond St., 541/382-5174 or 877/661-4228, www.mcmenamins.com, $205-300, pets $15) is right downtown but is in its own little world, surrounded by gardens with quiet sitting areas. Rooms in this historic 1936 Roman Catholic school are nicely appointed with TVs, phones, Wi-Fi, blow-dryers, private baths with showers only, and comfy bathrobes to wear on the way over to the wonderful Turkish-style soaking pool. In addition to the standard rooms, a house ($515) is available that sleeps up to 10. Guests also get admission to movies at the school theater and easy access to the four bars on the premises; we recommend the fire pit outside O’Kane’s pub, located behind the main hotel in a former garage.
Stay in downtown Bend at McMenamins Old Saint Francis School.
Close to downtown, Drake Park, and Mirror Pond is Lara House (640 NW Congress St., 541/388-4064 or 800/766-4064, www.larahouse.com, $215-280), a large three-story house built in 1910 that features six large bedrooms with private baths. All rooms are furnished with graceful and charming antiques. A delicious homemade breakfast is served in the bright solarium overlooking the colorful gardens and Drake Park.
Downtown, the gorgeous S Oxford Hotel (10 NW Minnesota Ave., 541/382-8436 or 877/440-8436, www.oxfordhotelbend.com, $299-569) is a stylish and eco-friendly boutique hotel in a great location. From the subtle tree motif decor to the French-press coffee (locally roasted and grounds composted), everything is designed to make you feel good about relaxing in luxury. The latex Natura beds are comfortable and breathable; even the pull-out sofa beds have Tempur-Pedic mattresses. All rooms have a microwave and fridge and suites have a full kitchen, including a dishwasher. At seven stories, the Oxford is Bend’s tallest building, and the top-floor fitness center has some of the best views this side of the Bachelor summit chairlift. It also has a steam room, a sauna, and a saline hot tub. Inquire about gaining access to private golf courses in the area. This block of Minnesota Avenue bustles with coffee shops, restaurants, and galleries, including a good restaurant in the hotel’s basement. Your pet is welcome for $55.
A 10-minute drive from downtown and bordering the Deschutes National Forest, the Tetherow Lodge ($279-404) is a new and luxurious hotel set above the links-style course at Tetherow Golf Club. The rooms are large and beautifully furnished, most with a fireplace, spa-like bath, balcony or patio, and sumptuous bedding. Though the setting and exteriors feature a Western lodge look, the rooms themselves are coolly modern and sophisticated—anything but woodsy. The lodge also features a restaurant and bar, while hotel guests get special pricing on greens fees.
Pine Ridge Inn (1200 SW Century Dr., 800/600-4095, www.pineridgeinn.com, $269-319) is a small romantic inn above the Deschutes River near the foot of Century Drive, not too far from downtown. Guest rooms are spacious suites and mini suites and are well decorated.
With the Three Sisters Wilderness and the Deschutes National Forest flanking Bend, there are many wonderful spots to enjoy camping out under the stars. Closer to civilization, Tumalo State Park (64120 O. B. Riley Rd., 541/382-3586, 800/551-6949, or 800/452-5687, www.oregonstateparks.org, year-round, $21 tents, $33 hookups, $46-56 yurts), five miles northwest of Bend, off of U.S. 20 along the banks of the Deschutes River, is convenient and not overly urbanized, with 54 tent sites, 23 sites for RVs up to 35 feet long, and showers. A couple of decent RV parks can be found near Bend. Crown Villa (60801 Brosterhous Rd., 541/388-1131, http://crownvillarvresort.com, $69-99), southeast of town, is well maintained and has lots of amenities.
Around the corner from the Oxford Hotel, Visit Bend (750 NW Lava Rd., 541/382-8048 or 877/245-8484, www.visitbend.com, 9am-5pm Mon.-Fri., 10am-4pm Sat.-Sun.) has an exceptionally helpful visitors center. The Central Oregon Visitors Association (705 SW Bonnett Way, 541/389-8799 or 800/800-8334, http://visitcentraloregon.com, 8:30am-5:30pm Mon.-Fri., 9am-5pm Sat.-Sun.) is in the Old Mill District.
The Bend and Fort Rock Ranger Station (63095 Deschutes Market Rd., 541/383-4000, www.fs.usda.gov/centraloregon) is the place to go for permits and information on the vast array of lands in central Oregon managed by the U.S. Forest Service. Passes are also available online; NW Forest Passes for hiking are sold at trailheads where they are required, and Sno-Park passes can be purchased at many local businesses, including ski shops and some grocery stores. The public library (507 NW Wall St., 541/388-6677) is a good place to get Wi-Fi.
With flights from Portland, Seattle, San Francisco, Denver, Los Angeles, and Salt Lake City, access to central Oregon is quite good from Redmond’s Roberts Field (RDM, 2522 SE Jesse Butler Cir., Redmond, 541/548-0646), 16 miles north of Bend and east of U.S. 97. Alamo, Avis, Budget, Hertz, National, and Enterprise have car rental offices in the terminal. Taxis, limos, and shuttle buses connect the traveler to Bend at nominal cost. Redmond Airport Shuttle (541/382-1687 or 888/664-8449, www.redmondairportshuttle.net) offers door-to-door service to and from the airport.
The Central Oregon Breeze Shuttle (541/389-7469 or 800/847-0157, www.cobreeze.com, $52 one-way, $95 round-trip) serves Bend to and from Portland International Airport and the Portland train station. Pacific Crest Bus Lines (541/923-1732, www.pacificcrestbuslines.com, $35) runs between Eugene and Bend and east as far as Ontario, Oregon.
Get to and from the airport or the Chemult Amtrak station on High Desert Point (541/382-4193, www.highdesert-point.com) buses, which also travel between Bend and Eugene.
The closest you can get to Bend via Amtrak (800/872-7245, www.amtrak.com) is Chemult, 60 miles south on U.S. 97. Amtrak can assist you in scheduling your transfer to Bend.
U.S. 97 and U.S. 20 converge on Bend, much as the Native American trails and pioneer wagon roads did 150 years ago when this outpost on the Deschutes River was called Farewell Bend. Portland is 175 miles away via U.S. 97 and U.S. 26; Salem is 130 miles away via U.S. 20 and Highway 22; and Eugene is 121 miles away via U.S. 20 and Highway 126. Crater Lake National Park is 91 miles (about two hours) south on U.S. 97. There are also many loops worth investigating, including the Cascade Lakes Highway, Newberry Crater, and the Lava Lands.
You can rent a car starting at around $40 per day from Hertz (2025 NE U.S. 20, 541/388-1535; Redmond Airport, 541/923-1411) or Budget (519 SE 3rd St., 800/527-0700).
The Bend Parkway (U.S. 97) moves traffic fairly smoothly north and south through town. It parallels 3rd Street. On the road up to Bachelor and in some of the newer developments, including the area around the Old Mill District, traffic circles are used instead of stoplights. Your awareness of other vehicles should naturally heighten as you approach a traffic circle; traffic slows but doesn’t stop at these junctions.
Ride Bend (2pm-10pm daily mid-June-Labor Day, free) is a shuttle that runs between downtown and the Old Mill District. Catch a bus at Franklin Avenue and Wall Street downtown, on Powerhouse Drive and Bond Street in the Old Mill District, on Century Drive at Simpson Avenue, or at Galveston Avenue and 13th Street. Another bus comes along every 15 minutes.
Cascades East Transit (541/385-8680, www.cascadeseasttransit.com) is a city and regional bus system with lines running to Mount Bachelor, Redmond, Prineville, Madras, Sisters, and La Pine. During the winter, Cascades East partners with Mount Bachelor to run a ski shuttle (park-and-ride lot at SW Columbia St. and Simpson Ave., $9 round-trip) to West Village on the mountain.
Bend Cab (541/389-8090) can always haul you around if you need a ride, as can Uber and Lyft drivers.
The seeds of growth were planted in central Oregon in the mid-1960s, when a onetime military encampment a dozen miles south of Bend was transformed into the Sunriver Resort community. The resort, with its mix of private houses, rental units, and a lodge, has an increasing number of year-round residents, but it is still largely a hub for families looking to rent a house in central Oregon. And indeed, this is an ideal spot for a family get-together, with miles of bike paths, swimming pools, tennis courts, and the lovely Deschutes River. It’s also an easy base for exploring the nearby volcanic landscape and sites along the Cascade Lakes Highway and, in winter, for skiing Mount Bachelor.
Newberry Volcano, a vast shield volcano that reached to about 10,000 feet before it blew its top about 1,500 years ago, covers 500 square miles. Its caldera alone is five miles in diameter and contains Paulina and East Lakes. A 1981 U.S. Geological Survey probe drilled into the caldera floor and found temperatures of 510°F, the highest recorded in an inactive Cascade volcano.
The volcano itself is at the southeastern end of the area designated the Newberry National Volcanic Monument, which extends in a swath from Newberry Crater, south and east of Sunriver, all the way north to Lava Butte, on the highway between Bend and Sunriver. It preserves the obsidian fields, deep mountain lakes, and lava formations left in the wake of a massive series of eruptions. While lacking the visual impact and depth of Crater Lake, this preserve is more accessible and less crowded than its southern Cascades counterpart.
the lava flow at Newberry National Volcanic Monument
The main focus of interest here are the two lakes in the caldera: Paulina Lake and East Lake. A 9,500-year-old circular structure called a wickiup, excavated at Paulina Lake, dates well before the latest eruptions and indicates that indigenous people used this area through various stages of volcanic activity. Several campgrounds and two resorts are located along the shores of these lakes, which are noted for their excellent trout fishing, best in the fall. In Paulina Lake, fisherfolk can troll for kokanee, a gourmet’s delight, as well as brown and rainbow trout. Paulina’s twin, East Lake, features a fall run of German brown trout that move out of the depths to spawn in shoreline shallows. Some locals claim that these lakes have the region’s best fishing.
The summer-only four-mile Forest Road 500 leads to the top of 7,985-foot-high Paulina Peak, the highest point along the jagged edge of Newberry Crater, towering 1,500 feet over the lakes. A clear day on the peak allows a perspective on the forest, obsidian fields, and basalt flows in the surrounding area. To the far west, a palisade of snow-clad Cascade peaks runs the length of the horizon.
The other must-see site on the volcano is the Big Obsidian Flow, which was formed 1,300 years ago and served as the source of raw material for Native American spear points, arrowheads, and hide scrapers. Prized by the original inhabitants of the area, the obsidian tools were also highly valued by other Native American nations and were exchanged for blankets, firearms, and other possessions as far away as Taos, New Mexico. These tools and other barter items helped spread Newberry Volcano obsidian across the West. Centuries later, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) sent astronauts to walk on the volcano’s pumice-dusted surface in preparation for landing on the moon. A 0.9-mile trail now crosses the obsidian flow. Find the trailhead on the road between the two lakes.
Newberry National Volcanic Monument is managed by the Deschutes National Forest; contact the Lava Lands Visitors Center (58201 S. U.S. 97, Bend, 541/593-2421, www.fs.usda.gov/centraloregon) for more information. During the summer, a U.S. Forest Service guard station is staffed at Paulina Lake. A Northwest Forest Pass or a three-day monument pass ($10), available at Lava Lands Visitors Center or at the monument entrance, is required for day-use.
To reach Newberry Crater, head south from Sunriver about 12 miles, or 27 miles from Bend, on U.S. 97 to the turnoff to Paulina and East Lakes. The 16-mile paved but ragged County Road 21 twists and turns its way up to the lakes in the caldera of Newberry Crater.
Educational programs and interpretive exhibits, including a nature trail and a botanical garden, help orient visitors to the high desert ecology of the area around Sunriver. Programs at the Sunriver Nature Center (River Rd., Sunriver, 541/593-4394, www.sunrivernaturecenter.org, 9am-5pm daily late May-Labor Day) include nature walks, classes, and summertime day camps for kids.
For many visitors, a trip to Sunriver is a chance to ride a bike. The gentle off-street bike paths provide the perfect way to get around the resort area. Sunriver’s Bike Barn (541/593-3721), near the Great Hall, can set you up with a rented bike. Village Bike and Ski (541/593-2453), in the Sunriver Mall, is another good place to rent a bike. Be sure to pick up a map of the local bike trails. A popular ride from Sunriver is the easy eight-mile loop to Benham Falls on the Deschutes River.
If you like to bike but would rather have gravity do all of the work, consider the Paulina Plunge (541/389-0562 or 800/296-0562, www.paulinaplunge.com, May-Oct., $65-70), a six-mile downhill mountain bike ride. The outfitter provides high-quality bikes, helmets, guides, and the shuttle transfer from Sunriver and back. The action starts at Paulina Lake, where you begin your coast down forested trails alongside Paulina Creek. You’ll pass by 50 waterfalls on your 2,500-foot descent, as well as abundant wildlife and varied vegetation. Three short nature hikes are necessary to experience the waterfalls and natural waterslides that make this trip famous. You will want to plunge into the water! You may bring your own bike, but this will not get you a discount from the tour price. A sack lunch ($10) and water ($2) are available, or bring your own.
About an hour south of Sunriver near Fort Rock is Cabin Lake Campground (Deschutes National Forest, 541/383-5300), an exceptional spot for viewing a wide variety of birds and wildlife. There is no lake at Cabin Lake, and the campground is pretty marginal, but the U.S. Forest Service has built two small ponds that blend in with the natural surroundings. Permanent wildlife-viewing blinds made of logs, built and donated by the Portland Audubon Society, are adjacent to the small 12-site campground and give close visual access to the ponds. In fact, the blinds are so close that binoculars aren’t really needed.
Since there is little water in this 3,000-foot-high meeting of desert and mountain biomes, both mountain and desert birds are regularly attracted, usually in large numbers. The red crossbill, an increasingly rare member of the finch family, is a regular visitor to this avian oasis. The pinyon jay is another fairly uncommon bird that can be seen here with frequency. Woodpeckers, including Lewis’s woodpecker, the common flicker, the white-headed woodpecker, and the hairy woodpecker, are also often sighted. Best viewing times are in the morning, but birds can usually be seen all day long.
Although some people do fish the Upper Deschutes River from the bank in the area around Sunriver, most anglers use drift boats. If you don’t have a boat, consider fishing the Fall River, off Highway 43 (Century Dr.) southwest of Sunriver. You can get equipment, licenses, advice, or a fishing guide at the Sunriver Fly Shop (56805 Venture Lane, Sunriver, 541/593-8814, www.sunriverflyshop.com, 9am-5pm Mon.-Sat., 9am-3pm Sun.), near the Chevron station in the business park and shopping area across the road from the entrance to Sunriver. Families are catered to by Garrison’s Fishing Service (541/593-8394, www.garrisonguide.com), which features pontoon boats with padded swivel chairs that cruise the lakes and rivers of central Oregon looking for the big ones.
Three 18-hole courses and a family-oriented nine-hole course are found at Sunriver Resort (541/593-4402 or 800/801-8765, www.sunriver-resort.com). The Meadows Course ($49-119) is many golfers’ favorite. The Woodlands Course ($49-119) has water, abundant bunkers, and constricted approaches to the greens, making club selection and shot accuracy very important. The private Crosswater Course ($69-199) is only for resort guests and is touted by the management as the best course north of Pebble Beach. The nine-hole Caldera Links ($49 adults, $19 ages 12-17) is the newest course, designed to introduce new players to the sport; it’s also limited to resort guests.
A nearby and economical golf course is Quail Run (16725 Northridge Dr., La Pine, 541/536-1303 or 800/895-4653, http://golfquailrun.com, $35-55), an 18-hole championship course in La Pine. Sand traps, ponds, and tree-lined fairways challenge golfers of all levels without seriously threatening their pocketbooks.
During the spring and summer, the Sunriver Stables (57215 River Rd., 541/593-6995, www.sunriver-resort.com, $40-90) offers short pony rides ($15) and two-hour trail rides; riding lessons are also available. During the winter, horse-drawn sleigh rides ($100) travel along the Deschutes River and through the forest.
The Sunriver marina (541/593-3492, 9am-4pm daily, weather permitting), on the Deschutes River west of Circle 3, rents canoes, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and rafts; offers kayak classes; and leads float trips and shuttles on the Deschutes. Aspiring anglers can also rent a fishing rod here.
The Cove at Sunriver (541/593-1000, 10am-10pm daily) is an expansion of the Lodge Village pool complex, with a new restaurant and bar, a vast pool, a hot tub, a waterslide, private cabanas, and nature trails. Sunriver Resort guests have exclusive and complimentary access to The Cove. Also for resort guests is the Sage Springs Club and Spa (541/593-7890) indoor lap pool, located just across from the Great Hall.
Sunriver guests can also swim at SHARC (57250 Overlook Rd. off Circle 2, 541/585-5000, www.sunriversharc.com, $25 over age 3, less in winter), a huge two-acre aquatic and recreation center with large indoor and outdoor pools, two waterslides, and an outdoor hot tub reserved for adults as well as playgrounds and basketball and boccie courts. Passes are available with many Sunriver rentals; ask about this when you’re booking.
During the winter, the ice-skating rink (541/593-5948, sunrivervillagefun.com, $14 adults, $10 under age 13) at Sunriver Mall is a big draw, and has skate rentals available.
The mid-August Sunriver Music Festival (541/593-1084 or 541/593-9310, www.sunrivermusic.org), held in the magnificent log-and-stone structure called the Great Hall at Sunriver Resort and in Bend’s Tower Theatre, has been pleasing capacity crowds since the festival’s inception in 1977. The concert series features top performers from around the world. Highlights include the gala pops concert and the gourmet dinner as well as four traditional classical concerts and a family concert.
There are a number of casual eateries in and around Sunriver’s main shopping area as well as a well-stocked grocery store. Food isn’t really one of the high points of a visit here, but it’s fun to stop by the Twisted River Tavern (541/593-3730, www.sunriver-resort.com/dining, 11:30am-midnight daily, $11-22), the lounge in Sunriver Resort’s main lodge, to enjoy a drink, pub food, and great views. Kids are allowed until about 8pm. Next door in the lodge, Carson’s American Kitchen (www.sunriver-resort.com/dining, 541/593-3740, 7am-9pm daily, $18-37) offers steak, pasta, fried chicken, and burgers. For Sunriver’s fine-dining option, head to The Grille at Crosswater (www.sunriver-resort.com/dining, 541/593-3400, 11:30am-9pm, $16-53), in a pretty golf course location, where you can dine simply on tacos or crab macaroni and cheese, or go all out for rack of lamb with Bing cherry chutney or thyme-honey-glazed grilled salmon. You’ll need to meet the “country club casual” dress code.
Beyond the resort itself, in the cluster of shops at the Village, you’ll find the area’s most interesting dining at South Bend Bistro (57080 Abbot Dr., Bldg. 26, 541/593-3991, www.southbendbistro.com, 4pm-9pm daily, $19-33). The menu is influenced by the chef’s years in Florence and his immersion into Oregon’s bounty, with charcuterie, pasta courses, and entrées ranging from tuna niçoise to braised rabbit with prosciutto, roasted fennel, and provolone-stuffed risotto croquettes.
There are great Deschutes River views, a casual atmosphere, and decent Mexican-Peruvian food at Hola! (57235 River Rd., 541/593-8880, www.holabend.com, 11am-9pm daily, $12-19), next to the Sunriver marina. The menu includes dishes such as braised pork with yams, onions, and tomatoes, or wild prawns with fried bananas, red onion, and spicy mole sauce.
The Pacific Northwest’s most complete resort, S Sunriver Lodge (800/801-8765, www.sunriver-resort.com) not only has proximity to Mount Bachelor skiing, Deschutes River canoeing and white-water rafting, and hiking and horse trails in the Deschutes National Forest, but also boasts golf courses, pools, tennis courts, 35 miles of paved bike routes, and a nature center with an astronomical observatory. There’s pretty much something for everybody.
Sunriver Lodge has rooms ranging from up-to-date guest rooms ($289) to relatively large suites ($319) featuring a large fireplace, a fully equipped kitchen, a sleeping loft, and tall picture windows that open onto a patio. Nearby “river lodges” ($309-325) are even more elegant. About two miles south of the lodge, in the newer Caldera Springs development, are swank three- to four-bedroom cabins (from $440). Deals are often available on the resort’s website.
Note that it can be a much better bargain to rent a condo or a house. Sunriver Resort’s website allows you to set your criteria and browse available properties, which start at about $200. Condo rentals are also available through Mountain Resort Properties (541/593-8685 or 800/346-6337, www.mtresort.com). All units have a fully equipped kitchen, linens, a washer and dryer, TV, and a barbecue, as well as access to the SHARC pool and fitness center. Since these are privately owned units, other amenities like hot tubs, saunas, and use of bicycles will vary. Most of these condos do not allow pets or smoking, but there are exceptions; inquire when making reservations. Other agencies brokering vacation house rentals include Village Properties (541/593-1653, www.village-properties.com) and websites such as Vacasa (www.vacasa.com). Many houses have hot tubs, and quite a few allow pets; rates are all over the map but can be as low as $150 for a two-bedroom condo.
Up on Newberry Crater, Paulina Lake Resort (541/536-2240, www.paulinalakelodge.com, year-round, $110-290) has 14 rustic log cabins. Although all cabins have kitchenettes or full kitchens, hearty lunches and dinners (11am-7pm Wed.-Sat., 11am-5pm Sun. summer, 11am-8pm Fri.-Sat., 11am-5pm Sun. winter, dinner reservations required in winter, dinner $11-26) can be had in the resort’s log-paneled dining room. Boat rentals and a general store are also on-site. Although the road to the resort is snowed in December-March, the resort is open to cross-country skiers and snowmobilers, giving access to over 330,000 acres of designated snowmobile areas.
East Lake Resort (541/536-2230, www.eastlakeresort.com, mid-May-mid-Oct., $85-210) offers 16 cabins, most with full kitchens and some with more rudimentary cooking facilities. A snack bar, a general store, and boat rentals are on-site, and the nearby RV park ($32) and tent sites ($25) have a laundry and pay showers. The lake itself is stocked with trout and Atlantic and kokanee salmon. The cold water and abundant freshwater shrimp make for excellent-tasting fish.
The nicest campgrounds near Sunriver are in the Newberry Volcano area. The creek-side McKay Crossing (541/383-5300, www.fs.usda.gov/centraloregon, $10), about three miles east of U.S. 97 on the road up to Newberry Volcano, has no drinking water. Paulina Lake, Little Crater, Cinder Hill, and East Lake (reservations 877/444-6777, www.recreation.gov, late May-mid-Oct., $18) all have drinking water and are located at the top of the Newberry Volcano.
La Pine State Park (541/536-2071 or 800/452-5687, www.oregonstateparks.org, year-round, $24 tents, $28-32 RVs, $44-54 rustic cabins, $97 deluxe cabins) is a large campground south of Sunriver. Look for a sign on the west side of the highway marking the three-mile-long entrance road, eight miles north of La Pine off U.S. 97. This park also claims Oregon’s tallest ponderosa pine tree (162 feet) and offers easy access to the Cascade Lakes Highway and an array of volcanic phenomena. The campground has firewood, showers, and flush toilets.
The Cascade Lakes Highway, a.k.a. Century Drive or Highway 46, is an 89-mile drive leading to more than half a dozen lakes in the shadow of the snowcapped Cascades. These lakes feature boating, fishing, and other water sports, and almost every lake has at least one campground on its shore. Hiking, bird-watching, biking, and skiing also attract visitors. From Bend, drive south on Franklin Avenue, which becomes Galveston Avenue, about a mile to the traffic circle at 14th Street. Take the exit for Century Drive. The route is well marked, and the road climbs in elevation for a significant portion of the drive.
Although there are many places to stop and explore along the highway, the stretch between Mount Bachelor and Crane Prairie Reservoir is the most spectacular. The area around the Cascade Lakes Highway is part of the Deschutes National Forest (541/383-5300, www.fs.usda.gov). A Northwest Forest Pass ($5 one-day, $30 annual) is required to park at most trailheads; passes are sold at the trailhead for exact change or a check.
Just past the Seventh Mountain Resort at the national forest boundary, the Cascade Lakes Welcome Station (18500 Cascade Lakes Hwy., milepost 7, 521/383-5300, www.fs.usda.gov, 8am-4pm daily summer, shorter hours Apr. and Sept.-Nov.) has both a visitor information and a trail hub, providing mountain bikers access to Phil’s and Wanoga trail systems. It’s across the highway from the turnoff to Forest Road 41, with access to hiking and biking on the Deschutes River Trail. Park here to hike or bike, buy a trail pass, or get a free map. The station closes down in the winter so as not to disturb migrating elk.
Shortly after you pass Mount Bachelor, you’ll find the turnoff to the exceptionally beautiful but equally rustic U.S. Forest Service campground (June-Oct., depending on snow, NW Forest Pass, no extra camping fee) at Todd Lake. It’s a short walk up the trail from a parking area to the campsites at this 6,200-foot-high alpine lake. Tables, grills, and a vault toilet are provided, but you will need to pack in your own water and supplies, as no vehicles are allowed, preserving the grandeur of this pristine spot. You’ll find good swimming and wading on the sandy shoal on the south end of the lake, and you can’t miss the captivating views of Broken Top to the north. Hardy explorers can portage a canoe up the trail for a paddle around Todd Lake. The resident western toad and Cascade frog are threatened by habitat loss. Because of the lake’s high elevation, it is often socked in by snow until about the Fourth of July.
Clear and shallow Sparks Lake, about 25 miles west of Bend, is a favorite stop for photographers; most visitors can’t resist trying to capture views of Mount Bachelor, South Sister, and Broken Top reflected in the lake. Broken volcanic rock forms the lake bed, and water slowly drains out during the course of the summer, leaving not much more than a marsh by late in the season. Rather than a formal trail, this is a good place just to explore the lakeshore on foot or in a canoe. There is a campground, Soda Creek (June-Sept., $10); bring your own drinking water or a filter to use lake water. The lake is open to fly-fishing only for the local brook trout and cutthroat trout, and the use of barbless hooks is encouraged.
Begin a hike into the Three Sisters Wilderness Area from the Green Lakes Trailhead, 27 miles west of Bend. It’s about 4.5 miles from the trailhead along waterfall-studded Fall Creek, past a big lava flow, to Green Lakes. From Green Lakes, the trail continues to the pass between Broken Top and South Sister. This trail is extremely popular, so it’s best to hike it on a weekday.
The eerily green Devils Lake, 29 miles west of Bend, has a very nice walk-in campground (June-Oct., NW Forest Pass required) with no piped water and an easy lakeside trail. Just across the highway from the lake is a popular trailhead used to climb 10,358-foot South Sister, Oregon’s third-highest peak. Many choose to do this challenging but not technical 11-mile round-trip as an overnight backpacking trip. Many more hike the trail as far as the pretty Moraine Lake area (about 3.5 miles), then return along the same route.
A resort and a marina mean that this is not the quietest lake in the Cascades. Elk Lake is just about the only place along this road that you’ll see sailboats, and it’s also a good swimming lake by August. Elk Lake Resort (541/480-7378, www.elklakeresort.net) makes a good base for exploring the local trails if you are not camping, and are open during the winter for cross-country skiers and snowmobilers. Accommodations range from small rustic cabins ($58) to larger but still rustic cabins ($139-199) and modern homes ($399-459). An on-site restaurant is surprisingly good. During the summer, the resort offers a marina and campsites ($15-35); in addition, there’s a U.S. Forest Service campground ($14).
Just off the highway and 39 miles from Bend, Hosmer Lake is a favorite fishing and canoeing lake. It’s stocked with Atlantic salmon, but don’t count on eating them. Fishing is limited to catch-and-release fly-fishing with barbless hooks. It’s worth visiting Hosmer Lake for its spectacular views of Mount Bachelor, South Sister, and Broken Top. Of the two campgrounds on the lake, South (mid-June-late Sept., $12) has the best views and the best lake access but no drinking water.
Hosmer Lake is known for its good fishing.
Lava flows formed a dam that created Lava Lake, which is fed largely by underground springs. Rainbow trout, brook trout, whitefish, and illegally introduced tui chub live in the lake, which is 30 feet deep at its deepest point and open to bait fishing as well as fly-fishing. A lakeside lodge (541/382-9443) rents boats and operates an RV park; there is also a U.S. Forest Service campground (early June-mid-Oct., $16) with drinking water near the resort.
Make a pilgrimage to Little Lava Lake and stand at the headwaters of the Deschutes River. Groundwater from the snowpack percolates down from the Mount Bachelor and Three Sisters area to fill the lake (it’s thought that a large groundwater reservoir exists upstream); the Deschutes exits the lake as a meandering stream, flowing south about 8.4 miles to Crane Prairie Reservoir. Little Lava Lake shares a highway turnoff with Lava Lake. The campground here (June-Sept., $14) has water.
Glacier-formed Cultus Lake is popular with campers, swimmers, boaters, water-skiers, Jet Skiers, and windsurfers. Anglers go for the big lake trout, also called mackinaw. An easy hiking trail follows the northern shore of the lake and then heads north along the Winopee Lake Trail to Teddy Lakes. From the trailhead to Teddy Lakes is about four miles.
The Cultus Lake Resort (541/408-1560 summer, 541/389-3230 winter, www.cultuslakeresort.com, mid-May-mid-Sept.) rents rustic cabins ($85-175), motorboats, canoes, kayaks, and personal watercraft; it also operates a restaurant. During the peak summer season, cabins are rented only by the week. The U.S. Forest Service has a campground ($18).
Crane Prairie Reservoir, an artificial lake, is a breeding ground for ospreys. These large birds, sometimes known as fish hawks, nest in the snags surrounding the lake and fish by plunging headfirst into the water from great heights. Cormorants, terns, bald eagles, and a variety of ducks are also commonly seen. Humans also like to fish—the most-prized fish is a “cranebow,” a rainbow trout that grows almost freakishly large in this shallow nutrient-rich reservoir.
A U.S. Forest Service campground (reservations www.reserveamerica.com, May-Oct., $18) here has drinking water; the private Crane Prairie Resort (541/383-3939, www.crane-prairie-resort-guides.com) RV park ($38), cabins ($65-90), marina, and fishing guide service are also located here.
The area of the Deschutes River around present-day Wickiup Reservoir was a traditional Native American camping area during the fall. When the dam was completed in 1949, these campsites were flooded. Today, the reservoir, about 60 miles from Bend, is known for its relatively warm water and good fishing, especially for brown trout, which can weigh in at over 20 pounds. Kokanee and coho salmon as well as rainbow trout, brook trout, whitefish, and the nasty and invasive tui chub also live here. At Wickiup Reservoir, camp at Gull Point Campground (reservations www.recreation.gov, $18), with drinking water; or across an access road at North Twin Lake ($14), with no drinking water, and South Twin Lake ($18), with drinking water, both small natural lakes that flank the reservoir.
From Wickiup Reservoir, Highway 42 heads east and north along the Fall River toward Sunriver. Highway 46, the Cascade Lakes Highway, continues south past Davis Lake.
It takes a little doing to get to large and shallow Davis Lake, and many of those who make it come for fly-fishing. It’s known for large rainbow trout as well as illegally introduced largemouth bass. Most anglers use boats or float tubes because the vegetation along the shoreline and the muddy lake bottom make it difficult to wade.
Davis Lake was formed about 6,000 years ago when a lava flow cut off Odell Creek. A fire in 2003 wiped out the West Davis campground; the East Davis Campground ($12), with drinking water, was reduced in size by the fire but looks less bare every year.
For information about sites along the Cascade Lakes Highway, stop at the Cascade Lakes Welcome Station (18500 Cascade Lakes Hwy., milepost 7, 521/383-5300, www.fs.usda.gov, 8am-4pm daily summer, shorter hours Apr. and Oct.-Nov.) or contact the Deschutes National Forest (63095 Deschutes Market Rd., Bend, 541/383-5300, www.fs.usda.gov).
In the area around Willamette Pass, it’s easy to see the shift from the greener, damper, Douglas fir-dominated west side of the Cascades to the dry east side, forested by lodgepole and ponderosa pines. Each of the lakes in the high country has its own partisans—families who have camped in the same spot for decades—and its own personality. Campgrounds are available at Crescent, Odell, and Waldo Lakes. Pick one place to explore in depth, or hop among the lakes.
On the sun-drenched east side of Willamette Pass, Crescent Lake is home to a tremendously popular campground ($18, $30-40 yurts) and the Crescent Lake Resort (541/433-2505, http://crescentlakeresort.com, year-round, 3-night minimum in summer, cabins $95-215), an easy place to spend a few days. Rent a fishing boat, kayak, or bike from the resort. Large lake trout (including one whopping 30-pounder) are regularly pulled from the lake. Crescent Lake is about three miles south of Highway 58 via Deschutes National Forest Road 60 from Crescent Lake junction.
Two resorts, several summer homes, and campgrounds surround 3,582-acre Odell Lake, 30 miles southeast of Oakridge on Highway 58. Situated in a deep glacial trough, the lake probably filled with water about 11,000 years ago when a terminal moraine blocked the drainage of Odell Creek. Due to the depth of the lake and the nearly perpetual west-to-east winds that blow through Willamette Pass, the water averages a cold 39°F. Those breezes, however, help to keep mosquitoes away and make for some of the best sailing in the Cascades.
Odell Lake Lodge (541/433-2540 or 800/434-2540, www.odelllakeresort.com, year-round, rooms $80-160, cabins $110-340, campsites $14-18) is a charming, though rustic, typical old-time Oregon resort. It is popular with cross-country skiers during the winter. Skiers may want to take advantage of the large Northwest Territory cabin ($340), which sleeps as many as 16 people.
Moorages at Odell Lake are available for rent through the lodge, as are canoes, powerboats, and sailboats. The lodge has a complete tackle shop to help outfit you to catch the kokanee and mackinaw that inhabit the icy waters, and rental equipment is available. The restaurant is open for all meals. The lodge also maintains its own system of trails, which provide good biking in the summer and cross-country skiing in the winter. An area map can guide you to various waterfalls. Bikes and ski equipment can be rented, or play basketball, volleyball, badminton, and horseshoes. Tots and toddlers will enjoy the sandbox, the toy library, and the swings.
Across the lake from the lodge is Shelter Cove Resort (W. Odell Lake Rd., Cascade Summit, 541/433-2548 or 800/647-2729, www.highwaywestvacations.com, rooms $270-333, cabins $138-283, camping $45-53), which features nine cabins complete with kitchens, over 70 campsites, and a marina with moorages. The resort’s general store has everything from groceries, tackle, and boat rentals to Sno-Park permits and fishing or hunting licenses. The September-October spawning displays by Odell Lake’s landlocked salmon are unforgettable.
Two U.S. Forest Service campgrounds, Sunset Cove (May-Oct., $16) and Trapper Creek (reservations www.recreation.gov, June-Oct., $16) are on the lake; both have drinking water.
Willamette Pass (541/345-7669, www.willamettepass.com, 9am-4pm Wed.-Sun. Dec.-Mar., $52 adults, $32 seniors and ages 6-10, hourly $14), 69 miles southeast of Eugene on Highway 58, has some of the most challenging runs in the state as well as a multitude of beginner and intermediate trails. You’ll find some of the steepest runs, unlike the open chutes or powder bowls at other ski areas. Since Willamette Pass plows its own parking lot, you will not need a Sno-Park permit. Night skiing (Fri.-Sat. Dec.-Mar.) is possible.
The ski area grooms trails for both regular cross-country and skate skiing (10am-4pm Sat.-Sun. and holidays, trail pass $15 adults). In addition, there are several popular Sno-Park areas near Willamette Pass, including one right by the ski area with several fairly challenging trails; a couple follow the Pacific Crest Trail, which crosses Highway 58 at Willamette Pass. For information on cross-country skiing from this and other local Sno-Park areas, contact the Willamette National Forest’s Middle Fork Ranger District (46375 Hwy. 58, Westfir, 541/782-2283, www.fs.usda.gov/willamette).
The Waldo Lake Wilderness is a 37,000-acre gem 70 miles southeast of Eugene via Highway 58 (take Forest Rd. 5897 before the Willamette Pass turnoff, then 10 miles to the lake). The centerpiece of this alpine paradise is 10-square-mile Waldo Lake, the third largest in Oregon, whose waters were once rated the purest in the country in a nationwide study of 30 lakes. Peer down into the 420-foot-deep green translucent depths to see rocky reefs and fish 50-100 feet below.
Waldo Lake
No motorized craft are allowed on the lake, but canoeing, sailing, trout fishing, and windsurfing complement hiking and cross-country skiing to give you different ways to experience the lake and the surrounding region. Add wildlife-watching, highlighted by the early September rutting season of Roosevelt elk, and you’ll quickly understand why Waldo Lake is a favorite. The 22-mile loop trail around the lake is popular with mountain bikers and backpackers, and day hikes on the south end edify less diehard recreationists. Visit in late August-mid-October to avoid a plague of summer mosquitoes and early winter snowfall. Catch views of 8,744-foot Diamond Peak in the distance.
Waldo Lake has three very popular campgrounds: Shadow Bay, North Waldo, and Islet (541/822-3799, www.fs.usda.gov/willamette, reservations www.recreation.gov, late June-mid-Oct., $22), all with drinking water. Shadow Bay has the most mosquitoes; North Waldo and Islet are windier. To get to the lake, take Highway 58 for 24 miles southeast of Oakridge. Take a left on Forest Road 5897. It is five miles to Forest Road 5896, which takes you to Shadow Bay, and 10 miles down Forest Road 5897 to North Waldo. Boat docks and launching facilities are available, plus good sailing and fishing; gas motors are prohibited on the lake. Many trails lead to small backcountry lakes from here, so this is a good place to establish a base camp.
From the North Waldo boat launch, hike up to Rigdon Lakes via Trail 3555. It’s about 0.5 miles to the first lake. If you want a longer loop hike, continue north to two more lakes and the intersection with Trail 3583, turn left, then hike generally southward, back to the lake, and take a left onto Trail 3590, which follows the lakeshore east to your starting point.
Sisters (pop. 2,600), named after its backdrop to the south, the Three Sisters peaks, was established in 1888 when nearby Camp Polk, a short-lived military outpost, was dismantled. The town’s 19th-century flavor has been preserved with wooden boardwalks, 1880s-style storefronts, and old-fashioned Western hospitality. Some people are quick to lambaste the thematic look of Sisters as a cheap gimmick to lure tourists, while others enjoy the lovingly re-created ambience and the abundance of charming, independently owned shops, including one of the world’s best clock shops.
As well as being a food, fuel, and lodging stop, Sisters is also a jumping-off point for a wealth of outdoor activities. Skiing at Hoodoo Ski Area, fly-fishing and rafting on the Metolius River, and backpacking into the great Three Sisters Wilderness are just a few of the popular local pursuits. Nearby luxury resorts such as Black Butte Ranch, an annual rodeo, and a nationally famous quilting event add to the appeal of this vintage village.
Three Creek Lake, tucked under Tam McArthur Rim, is a good place for a summer swim, especially if you have an inflatable raft to prevent full-body immersion in the often quite cold water. A tiny lakeside store rents rowboats; from the center of the lake you’ll get a good view of the rim, named for the original author of the classic reference book Oregon Geographic Names.
From the lake, trails head into the Three Sisters Wilderness Area. One leads up to the 7,700-foot rim, and from the top the views of the Three Sisters and Broken Top are quite astounding. Snows can be heavy (the lake is at 6,500 feet), so don’t count on hiking this trail before July. A small lakeside campground ($14) at Three Creek Lake has no drinking water but is a pleasant place to spend a couple of days in midsummer; bring insect repellent.
To get here from Sisters, turn south on Elm Street, which becomes Forest Road 16, and follow it south about 17 miles to the lake. Be prepared for a couple of miles of fairly rough dirt road. During the winter, Road 16 between the lake and Sisters has a couple of Sno-Park areas that mark cross-country ski trails.
Hike up to the Black Butte lookout towers for a bird’s-eye view of the Sisters area. It’s about two miles of uphill hiking, often in full sun, to the top of the cinder cone; bring plenty of water. To reach the trailhead, take U.S. 20 west from Sisters, turn north (right) onto Forest Road 11 (Green Ridge Rd.), and pass Indian Ford campground; turn left onto Road 1110 and follow it 5.1 miles to the trailhead.
About 10 miles from Sisters is the second-largest tributary of the Deschutes River, the Metolius. To get here, take the Camp Sherman Highway off U.S. 20 five miles west of Sisters. This road will take you around Black Butte. On the north face of this steep, evergreen-covered cinder cone is the source of the Metolius. A 0.25-mile trail takes you to a railing where you can see the water bubbling out of the ground.
The Metolius is one of Oregon’s most enchanting rivers.
Known simply as “The Spring,” the water wells up out of the earth at a constant 48°F. Native rainbow trout thrive in the cold spring-fed waters of the upper Metolius, but they are not necessarily easy to catch—the water is so clear that the fish are extremely selective about what they’ll take, and flies must be both perfect looking and perfectly presented. A beautiful riverside trail follows the Metolius as it meanders through the ponderosa pines past many excellent fishing holes. Drift boats are used to tackle the harder-to-reach places along this 25-mile waterway. Bring a bike along to the Metolius; bike trails are being developed here all the time, and they are perfect for easygoing family rides.
Five miles downstream from Camp Sherman, seven miles from the head of the Metolius Trail, is the Wizard Falls Fish Hatchery, which is open to visitors daily. Over 2.5 million fish, including Atlantic salmon, brook and rainbow trout, and kokanee salmon, are raised here annually. The hatchery is the only place in the state that stocks Atlantic salmon, which are transferred to Hosmer Lake.
Twenty miles (30 minutes’ drive) west of Sisters on Highway 126 is one of Oregon’s most family-oriented skiing areas, Hoodoo (541/822-3799, conditions 541/822-3337, http://skihoodoo.com, 9am-4pm Sun.-Tues. and Thurs., 9am-9pm Fri.-Sat., $51-54 adults, $31-34 seniors and children), with five chairlifts and a rope tow. The maximum vertical drop is 1,035 feet, and the runs are evenly split among advanced, intermediate, and beginner. The ski area’s cross-country trails ($16-19) are groomed Friday-Sunday; on other days cross-country skiing is free.
Self-guided but supported three-day hut-to-hut backcountry ski trips start near the base of Mount Bachelor and trace the eastern edge of the Three Sisters Wilderness Area to the Three Creeks Sno-Park near Sisters. Three Sisters Backcountry (http://threesistersbackcountry.com, $225 pp) will set you up with maps, hut lodging, food to make your own meals, and shuttles.
Black Butte Stables (541/595-2061, www.blackbuttestables.com) at Black Butte Ranch (U.S. 20, 8 miles west of Sisters) has several packages that take you down trails in the shadow of the Three Sisters. Rides range from the one-hour Big Loop trail ride for beginning riders ($50) to the all-day Black Butte Posse ride ($175-225). Kids can take pony rides ($20).
Two well-groomed courses, the more open and forgiving Big Meadow and Glaze Meadow, which demands precise shots, are found at Black Butte Ranch (U.S. 20, 8 miles west of Sisters, 855/210-5305, www.blackbutteranch.com, $79 for 18 holes peak hours). Both have tall trees and lush fairways from tee to green. Three miles outside Sisters, the highly regarded Aspen Lakes (541/549-4653, www.aspenlakes.com, $78 for 18 holes peak hours) offers 27 holes in the shadow of the Three Sisters. Bent-grass fairways and distinct volcanic red-cinder bunkers add to the stunning mountain vistas.
The annual Sisters Rodeo (541/549-0121 or 800/827-7522) happens the second weekend of June, with calf-roping, country dances, a buckaroo breakfast, and a parade. A huge outdoor quilt show takes place during the second week of July, blanketing the town with color. Also noteworthy is the annual Sisters Folk Festival, held the weekend after Labor Day and attracting some of the biggest names in blues and folk. Contact the Sisters Chamber of Commerce (291 E. Main St., 541/549-0251, www.sisterscountry.com) for the schedule of events.
A number of pretty average but often busy restaurants line Sisters’s main street, Cascade Avenue. The hottest spot among them is Sisters Saloon (190 E. Cascade Ave., 541/549-7427, www.sistersaloon.net, 11am-midnight daily, $8-32), where you can dine on anything from stuffed zucchini to a rib eye steak. Live music on Saturday nights is a highlight, as are the Wednesday-night poker games upstairs in this refurbished 1912 hotel.
A somewhat hip and healthy alternative lies a block off the main drag: Angeline’s Bakery & Cafe (121 W. Main Ave., 541/549-9122, http://angelinesbakery.com, 6:30am-6pm daily June-Oct., 6:30am-4pm daily Nov.-May) serves homemade baked goods, salads, wraps, and fresh juices, with lots of gluten-free and vegan options. Try the raw zucchini “noodles” with pumpkin-seed pesto; if you really need a nutritional boost, chase it with a green smoothie. During the summer, Angeline’s stays open late most Saturday nights and hosts music.
The best breakfast and lunch food in town is at S Cottonwood Cafe (403 E. Hood Ave., 541/549-2699, www.cottonwoodsisters.com, 8am-3pm Thurs.-Tues., $10-13), an intimate cottage with casual but delicious fare. Breakfast is fantastic, with smoked salmon scramble and huevos motuleños (eggs over ham, black beans, and tortillas). Lunch sandwiches include a ratatouille wrap and an open-faced ocean melt.
In nearby Camp Sherman, the S Kokanee Cafe (25545 SW Forest Rd. 1419, 541/595-6420, www.kokaneecafe.com, 5pm-close Tues.-Sun. summer, reservations recommended, $18-36) is known for its fresh and innovative cuisine served in a small, simply furnished dining room. The menu is fairly limited, and varies from year to year, but food is generally quite good. Dinner reservations are crucial during the summer and fishing season. The Kokanee usually takes a break during the winter and has scaled-back hours in the spring; this also varies year to year, so check ahead.
Down at Suttle Lake, the crisply stylish Boathouse (13300 U.S. 20, 541/638-7001, www.thesuttlelodge.com, 7am-11pm daily, $11-20) at the Suttle Lodge is casual, with a short list of sandwiches, chowder, and salads. The setting is great, and it’s a fine spot for a burger, a beer, and a few tunes on the vintage jukebox after a swim or paddle in the lake.
Although Sisters has plenty of in-town accommodations, many visitors to the area would rather stay in the lodges near the lovely Metolius River. Note that cell phone service around the Metolius village of Camp Sherman and at nearby Suttle Lake is spotty to nonexistent. If constant contact is important to you, ask about cell signal when you make reservations.
The S Sisters Motor Lodge (511 W. Cascade St., 541/549-2551 or 877/549-5446, www.sistersmotorlodge.com, $159-179) was built in 1939, when the North Santiam Highway first opened to auto traffic. It’s set back from the highway, within easy walking distance of the shops and boutiques of Sisters. Beds are decorated with quilts, and the kitchenettes have charmingly retro appliances and Formica tables; pets are allowed in some guest rooms.
The Best Western Ponderosa Lodge (505 U.S. 20, 541/549-1234 or 888/549-4321, www.bestwesternsisters.com, $155-215) is a large ranch-style resort motel set back from the road in the scattered pines. Rooms feature private balconies with views of the mountains and the adjacent Deschutes National Forest. Other amenities include a spa, a heated pool, and included continental breakfast.
Sisters Bunkhouse (114 N. Oak St., 541/588-6122, www.sistersbunkhouse.com, $159) is a four-room downtown hotel within an easy walk to restaurants and shops. This false-fronted little hotel is really more of a B&B without the breakfast but with friendly on-site innkeepers.
Eight miles west of Sisters on U.S. 20, Black Butte Ranch (541/595-1252 or 866/901-2961, www.blackbutteranch.com, $150-650) sits in line with other Cascade peaks in a setting of ponderosa pines, lush meadows, and aspen-bordered streams. Over 16 miles of trails thread through the 1,800 acres of forested grounds. Accommodations include deluxe hotel-type bedrooms, one- to three-bedroom condominium suites, and resort homes. The resort includes golf courses, bike trails, tennis courts, several swimming pools, organized kids’ activities and day camps, and a fitness center with yoga and other classes.
Right on the edge of town, S FivePine Lodge (1021 Desperado Tr., 541/549-5900, www.fivepinelodge.com, $209-347) is a lovely newer resort with convention center facilities and an environmentally sensitive approach. Stay in a spacious suite in the large stone-and-timber lodge or in a classy Craftsman-style cabin with Amish-built wood furniture (pets are permitted in a couple of the cabins). All accommodations include breakfast, a wine reception, and access to the on-site Sisters Athletic Club, which has a 25-yard lap pool and a variety of fitness classes. During the summer, an outdoor pool is open, and use of cruiser bikes is included. Also in the FivePine complex is an upscale spa, a brewpub, a movie theater, and a Mexican restaurant.
In a residential area close to downtown, find the Blue Spruce Bed & Breakfast (444 S. Spruce St., 541/549-9644 or 888/328-9644, www.bluesprucebnb.com, 2-night minimum, $159-189). Designed and built from the ground up as a B&B, the five guest rooms have outdoorsy Western themes but plenty of comfort (the “bunkhouse” room, while not a bunkhouse at all, has fewer decorative touches). All baths have a shower and a two-person whirlpool tub. Bikes are available for guest use, and rooms have mini fridges and fireplaces.
Lake Creek Lodge (13375 SW Forest Rd. 1419, Camp Sherman, 541/516-3030 or 800/797-6331, www.lakecreeklodge.com, minimum stay may be required, $190-385, off-season $140-335) is near Camp Sherman in the Metolius Recreation Area. This full-service resort has a variety of cabins, some dating back to the 1920s and some built within the past few years. Tennis, swimming, and fishing are some of the many activities. Although the cabins have kitchenettes, many summertime guests like to eat at least one dinner at the lodge restaurant (8am-2pm, dinner seating 6pm Wed.-Sun. July-early Sept., dinner $29 adults, $15 ages 5-12). Dinner is served family-style on the deck or in the pine-paneled main lodge and features a different selection of entrées each day, complemented by homemade breads, salads, and desserts. Lake Creek caters especially well to families; pets are allowed in some cabins.
Another Metolius retreat is at Cold Springs Resort (25615 Cold Springs Resort Lane, Camp Sherman, 541/595-6271, www.coldspringsresort.com, $178-198). The cabins feature artesian well water. A footbridge across the Metolius River connects the resort to Camp Sherman, where groceries, a church, and a café are within easy walking distance. Pets are allowed ($10) but must be kept on a leash and not left unattended. The resort also operates an RV park with full hookups ($40). The rustic but comfy cabins at the S Metolius River Lodges (12390 SW Forest Rd. 1419-700, 541/595-6290, www.metoliusriverlodges.com, $139-335) are tucked in by the Metolius River near the Camp Sherman store. The most coveted cabins have decks extending over the river, and the majority have fireplaces and kitchens.
Wedged between giant ponderosa pines and the banks of the Metolius, behind the Kokanee Café, are the 12 elegant cabins of the S Metolius River Resort (25551 SW Forest Rd. 1419, 541/595-6281 or 800/818-7688, www.metoliusriverresort.com, around $200). These beautiful wooden 900-square-foot cabins are bright and airy with lots of windows. Two stories high, they comfortably sleep four to six and feature full modern kitchens, baths, river-rock fireplaces stocked with firewood, and river-view decks. Reservations well in advance are a must.
A few miles west of the Metolius River turnoff on U.S. 20 is the turnoff to Suttle Lake and the hipster-friendly Suttle Lodge (13300 U.S. 20, 541/638-7001, www.thesuttlelodge.com, rustic cabins $125, rooms, suites, and deluxe cabins $275-400), where a Western theme predominates, thanks to the team behind Portland’s Ace Hotel. The least expensive accommodations are in newly built and very clean but rustic cabins that share a central bathhouse; lodge rooms and waterfront cabins are simple but much more upscale. Suttle Lodge is pet-friendly, the boathouse restaurant serves three meals daily, and canoe and paddleboard rentals are available.
For a horse-centered stay, consider the Long Hollow Ranch (541/923-1901, www.lhranch.com, $895 pp d for 3 days, $1,775 pp d for 6 days), a guest ranch offering trail rides, cattle drives, and horsemanship lessons. Rates include all meals and on-ranch activities.
Bend Sisters Garden RV Resort (67667 U.S. 20, 541/549-3021, www.bendsistersgardenrv.com, $58-63 RVs, $68-188 cabins) is a sprawling RV park on the road to Bend, with a pool, a fishing pond, and miniature golf. It’s four miles from downtown Sisters, with good views of the mountains.
Six miles northwest of Sisters on Highway 126, find Indian Ford Campground (541/549-7700, www.fs.usda.gov, mid-May-Oct., $12), with no water, the closest public campground to town. Farther west on Highway 126, you’ll hit the turnoff to the Metolius River campgrounds (877/444-6777, www.recreation.gov, $12-18), a number of very pleasant U.S. Forest Service campgrounds strung along the river upstream and downstream from the hub of Camp Sherman. Drinking water is available at all except Candle Creek.
Several campgrounds (reservations 877/444-6777, www.recreation.gov, May-early Oct., $16) on Suttle Lake have drinking water and boat ramps. It’s a popular place to fish, water-ski, windsurf, and swim. Link Creek campground has the longest season and also has a few yurts (no pets, $40).
A handful of campgrounds open only in summer can be found near Sisters on Highway 242, the old McKenzie Highway. Near the source of Trout Creek, pretty Cold Springs Campground ($16), just five miles west of town on Highway 242 at 3,400 feet in elevation, has drinking water and 23 sites for tents and trailers up to 22 feet. Near the pass at 5,200 feet is the rustic 10-site Lava Camp Lake Campground (late June-Oct. depending on snow, free), with no water but the allure of proximity to the Pacific Crest Trail and the Three Sisters Wilderness. Information about these campgrounds is available from Sisters Ranger Station (Pine St. and U.S. 20, 541/549-7700, www.fs.usda.gov/main/deschutes).
Detailed information about the geology, natural history, wildlife, wilderness areas, and numerous recreational opportunities in the Metolius Recreation Area can be obtained from the Sisters Ranger Station (Pine St. and U.S. 20, 541/549-7700, www.fs.usda.gov/centraloregon) and the Sisters Chamber of Commerce (291 E. Main St., 541/549-0251, www.sisterscountry.com).
Sixteen miles north of Bend is rapidly growing Redmond (pop. 26,000), a hub centrally located among Madras, Prineville, Bend, and Sisters. Even with a new highway bypass, traffic can get congested. The city got its start when the Deschutes Irrigation and Power Company established irrigation canals here in the early 1900s. The railroad soon came, and real estate traders soon followed. Like most central Oregon towns, it was once home to several lumber mills, but now, thanks to its regional airport and nearby resorts, tourism plays a major role in the economy.
Nine miles north of Redmond on U.S. 97, stop to peer into the dramatic Crooked River Gorge, a 300-foot-deep canyon. The old railroad trestle spanning the gorge was built in 1911 and helped to establish Redmond as a transportation hub. The old highway bridge, now open only to foot traffic, was built in 1926; before it was constructed, travelers had to descend the canyon walls to ford the river. The current highway bridge dates to 2003.
The majestic spires towering above the Crooked River on U.S. 97 north of Redmond are part of 623-acre Smith Rock State Park (9241 NE Crooked River Dr., Terrebonne, 541/548-7501, www.oregonstateparks.org, $5 day-use). Named for a soldier who fell to his death from the highest promontory (3,230 feet) in the configuration, the park is a popular retreat for hikers, rock climbers, and casual visitors. Picnic tables, drinking water, and restrooms can be found near the parking area. The more adventurous can camp out in the park’s primitive (except for the showers) walk-in camping area ($5 pp), near the park entrance; campfires are prohibited.
The Crooked River runs through Smith Rock State Park.
Although Smith Rock is known for its rock climbing, many come to hike or mountain bike. Seven miles of well-marked trails follow the Crooked River and wind up the canyon walls onto the ridgetops. Because the area is delicate and extremely sensitive to erosion, it’s important not to blaze any trails, because they may leave visible scars for years.
Some of the sport-climbing routes at Smith Rock are as difficult and challenging as any you’ll find in the United States. Most of the mountain’s 17-million-year-old volcanic rock is soft and crumbly, making descents extra challenging. Chocks, nuts, friends, and other clean-climbing equipment and techniques are encouraged to reduce damage to the rock. On certain routes where these methods would prove impractical, permanent anchors have been placed. Climbers should use these fixed bolts (after testing them first) to minimize impact on the rock face. Stop in at the park-side store to pick up a climbing guide to the routes at Smith Rock that do not require mounting additional fixed protection.
Climbers should never disturb birds of prey and their young in their lofty aeries. Golden eagles nest on the cliffs past the far end of the parking area; bald eagles have nested in a tree visible from the camping area. Stop in at the park visitors center (housed in a yurt by the parking area) for details on these birds and other park flora and fauna. Finally, pack plenty of water. The Crooked River is contaminated with chemicals from nearby farmlands and isn’t suitable for drinking, and even a short hike in this often-hot park will leave you thirsty.
Eagle Crest Resort (1522 Cline Falls Rd., 541/923-4653, www.eagle-crest.com) has three 18-hole golf courses: Resort and Ridge ($76 for 18 holes, $57 resort guests) as well as Challenge (a short 18 holes designed for 3-hour playing time, $46). Crooked River Ranch (5195 SW Clubhouse Rd., 541/923-6343, www.crookedriverranch.com, $44-51 for 18 holes), an 18-hole par-71 course, is wide open with few trees, but that doesn’t detract from the challenge or the scenic vistas.
A true desert course found in Redmond that requires shot accuracy is the Juniper Golf Club (1938 SW Elkhorn Ave., 541/548-3121, www.playjuniper.com, 18 holes $79-82). This is an 18-hole par-72 course that snakes through the juniper and lava of the high desert. The prevailing winds and abundance of rocks off the fairway challenge your shot-making abilities.
Whether you need climbing advice, a carabiner and a sling, a beer, or a massage, Redpoint Climbing Supply (8222 N. U.S. 97, Terrebonne, 800/923-6207, www.redpointclimbing.com, 7am-8pm Mon.-Thurs., 7am-10pm Fri.-Sat.), at U.S. 97 and Smith Rock Way, is the place to find it. Climbing lessons, both private and group, are offered by Chockstone Climbing Guides (541/318-7170, www.chockstoneclimbing.com), known for its women’s programs, and Smith Rock Climbing Guides (541/788-6225, www.smithrockclimbingguides.com).
Redmond makes its mark on the culinary world more by its locally raised Kobe beef than by its restaurants, but increasingly there are good places to eat here. The Brickhouse (412 SW 6th St., 541/526-1782, www.brickhousesteakhouse.com, 4pm-close daily, $19-49) is a popular and very good steak and seafood restaurant, serving high-quality meat and using many local ingredients. The interior, with its exposed brick walls and local art, is inviting.
S Diego’s Spirited Kitchen (447 SW 6th St., 541/316-2002, 11am-10pm daily, $10-32) is an upscale Mexican restaurant, emphasizing Southwestern Mexican cuisine with French and Italian influences. Pork osso buco slow-roasted with mushrooms is served over mashed potatoes with truffle oil; pork carnitas ravioli and seafood pasta are cooked up alongside burritos and enchiladas.
The Seventh Street Brew House (855 SW 7th St., 541/923-1795, 11:30am-10pm Sun.-Thurs., 11:30am-11pm Fri.-Sat., $9-12) is just a block off busy 6th Street and serves Cascade Lakes beer as well as pizza and pub food. Redmond has a couple of other noteworthy pubs: English-style Pig and Pound (427 SW 8th St., 541/526-1697, 4pm-9pm Mon.-Thurs., 4pm-10pm Fri., noon-10pm Sat., noon-9pm Sun., $8-12) is complete with bangers and mash and local and imported beers on tap; Smith Rock Brewing Company (546 NW 7th St., 541/279-7005, http://smithrockbrewing.com, 11:30am-2pm and 5pm-7:45pm Tues.-Thurs., 11:30am-2pm and 5pm-8:45pm Fri., noon-2:30pm and 5pm-8:45pm Sat., $6-12), where Smith Rock brews and a few other local beers share rotating taps, has woodsy decor—in nice weather, this pub has good outside seating. Burgers and sandwiches are the specialty.
On the road to Smith Rock, the Terrebonne Depot (400 NW Smith Rock Way, Terrebonne, 541/548-5030, www.terrebonnedepot.com, 11am-9pm Wed.-Sun., 11:30am-8:30pm Mon., $10-26) offers fresh food, including a good selection of vegetarian options and pizza, in the gorgeously renovated historic Terrebonne train depot. Climbers and hikers can also get picnic lunches to go, though be forewarned that service is notoriously slow.
The Lodge at Eagle Crest (1522 Cline Falls Rd., 855/682-4786, www.eagle-crest.com, $169-196), five miles west of Redmond, is operated by Holiday Inn and offers rooms and one-bedroom suites. The terrain and vegetation are representative of the high desert, and the backdrop is views of eight Cascade peaks. Ask about ski and golf packages. This is a low-key family-oriented place with rental bikes, swimming pools, and a sports center. Vacation rental homes are also available through the resort.
In town, the Best Western Plus Rama Inn (2630 SW 17th Place, 541/548-8080, www.bestwestern.com, $179-194) is a comfortable place to spend a night or two, with continental breakfast and an indoor pool. Rock climbers tend to camp, but when that gets old, the Hub Motel (1128 NW 6th St., 541/548-2101 or 800/784-3482, http://thehubmotel.com, $60-75) is inexpensive, close to Smith Rock, allows dogs, and has kitchenettes.
Tents and RVs are welcome at the Crooked River Ranch RV Park (14875 SW Hays Lane, 541/923-1441, www.crookedriverranch.com, $28 tents, $38-40 RVs). Stay at Smith Rock State Park in the walk-in Bivy Campground (9241 NE Crooked River Dr., Terrebonne, 541/548-7501, www.oregonstateparks.org, $5 day-use). A primitive option near Smith Rock is the Skull Hollow Campgrond (541/416-6640, $10), with no water.
Prineville (pop. 9,900), near the geographic center of Oregon, is the oldest incorporated town in the region. It still feels a bit like the Old West, even as it becomes a bedroom community for Bend and home to tech-industry data centers. Prineville gets a meager 10 inches of rain per year, a positive factor for retirees and recreationalists seeking sun.
Prineville is also known as the Gateway to the Ochocos, a heavily wooded mountain range that runs east-west for 50 miles. One of Oregon’s least-known recreational areas, the Ochocos are ruggedly pristine. Beyond these mountains stretches the long valley of the John Day River.
A good place to begin your travels in Ochoco country is at the A. R. Bowman Museum (246 N. Main St., 541/447-3715, www.crookcountyhistorycenter.org, 10am-5pm Mon.-Fri., 11am-4pm Sat.-Sun. summer, 10am-5pm Tues.-Fri., 11pm-4pm Sat. winter, free). This museum’s two floors of exhibits and displays are a notch above most small-town historical museums. Fans of the Old West will enjoy the tack room with saddles, halters, and woolly chaps. Rock hounds will be delighted with the displays of Blue Mountain picture jasper, thunder eggs, and fossils. Other classic displays include a moonshine still, a country store, an upstairs parlor of the early 1900s, and a campfire setup with a graniteware coffeepot and a pound of Bull Durham tobacco.
Steins Pillar is a distinctive rock outcropping in the Ochoco National Forest about 15 miles northeast of Prineville. A four-mile round-trip hike passes through meadows and old-growth forest with some lovely panoramic views and a final steep, challenging stretch of trail before reaching the rock. From town, head east on U.S. 26 for nine miles and turn north onto Mill Creek Road. Continue for 6.5 miles to the turnoff for the trailhead.
Farther up Mill Creek Road, find Wildcat Campground and a trailhead for the Mill Creek-Twin Pillars trail. From the campground, the trail follows Mill Creek into the Mill Creek Wilderness Area. This wet area supports lots of wildflowers and also a few cattle. If you go the full 8.3 miles to the Twin Pillars, a pair of 200-foot-tall volcanic plugs, it’s necessary to ford the creek a number of times, which can be difficult early in the season.
Another worthwhile place to visit is Lookout Mountain, the highest point in the Ochocos. It’s a unique biosphere with 28 plant communities, one of the finest stands of ponderosa pines in the state, lots of elk and deer, a herd of wild mustang, and creeks full of rainbow and brook trout. A seven-mile trail starts near the Ochoco Ranger Station (541/416-6500), east of Prineville 22 miles on Forest Road 22 at the campground picnic area, and ends at the summit of Lookout Mountain, from which 11 major peaks are visible. June is the time to visit to see one of the best wildflower displays in the state. To get here, drive 14 miles east from Prineville on U.S. 26, and bear right at the sign for the ranger station.
About halfway between Prineville and Madras on U.S. 26, Rimrock Springs Wildlife Management Area has a 1.35-mile trail through fragrant sagebrush and juniper to a wetland created by a small dam. Spring and early summer bring a good display of wildflowers, including bitterroot; lizards, snakes, and many species of birds are also easy to see on this short hike.
The 310-acre Prineville Reservoir, 17 miles south of Prineville on Highway 27, was built for irrigation and flood control. A popular year-round boating and fishing lake, it is famous for its huge bass and is also stocked with rainbow trout.
Just downstream from the reservoir dam is a winding stretch of the Crooked River that offers some of the best fly-fishing in the state, in an incredibly scenic atmosphere beneath basalt rimrock cliffs. This section of the river is also dotted with a series of campgrounds, all of which are good places to camp and fish. This is a fine place to learn to fly-fish; it’s easy to wade into the water away from streamside brush. Nonanglers can climb the short trail up Chimney Rock (from the Chimney Rock campground) to the top of the rimrock. From there, it’s possible to walk along the ridge all afternoon.
Ochoco Reservoir, six miles east of Prineville on U.S. 26, is a favorite recreational spot for locals, with year-round fishing, boating, and camping.
Behind a downright scary exterior lies an extremely popular (and not at all frightening) steak house: Club Pioneer (1851 NE 3rd St., 541/447-6177, www.clubpioneer.com, 11am-10pm Mon.-Thurs., 11am-11pm Fri., 2pm-11pm Sat., 9am-9pm Sun., $15-29). The upscale competition, downtown’s Barney Prine’s Steakhouse and Saloon (389 NE Main St., 541/362-1272, http://barneyprines.com, 4pm-close Mon.-Sun., 9am-1pm and 4pm-close Sun., $12-27), is a bit more stylish, with beech-wood floors salvaged from a Jim Beam distillery, a huge and beautiful bar, and a good wine list. The menu goes well beyond steaks to include pasta, chicken, and seafood.
Even Prineville has a brewpub! Ochoco Brewing Company (234 N. Main St., 541/233-0883, 11:30am-9pm Mon.-Thurs., 7am-9pm Fri.-Sun., $7-15) is a family-friendly, very casual pub with decent sandwiches, fish tacos, and over a dozen beers on tap, including Double Dam IPA.
It’s about 20 miles (a 20-minute drive) from Prineville to the Brasada Ranch resort, where you’ll find sophisticated farm-to-table cuisine in the area at the resort’s Range (16986 Brasada Ranch Rd., Powell Butte, 866/373-4882, 5pm-9pm Wed.-Sun., $22-39). The restaurant has an upscale Western ambience and offers both indoor and outdoor seating and impressive views of the Cascades. The food, both here and at the resort’s more casual restaurant, the Ranch House (7am-9pm daily, $14-38), is very good.
The Rustlers Inn Motel (960 NW 3rd St., 541/447-4185, www.rustlersinn.com, $88-105) was designed in the Old West style. Art by local artists and antique furniture grace the large rooms. A budget motel that’s popular with anglers is the Executive Inn (1050 NE 3rd St., 541/447-4152, $70-80), east of downtown. The large multiroom family unit is recommended as a base for a family weekend visit to the Painted Hills, as motel accommodations in Mitchell are limited. More upscale accommodations are available at the Best Western Prineville Inn (1475 NE 3rd St., 541/447-8080, $122-151), near the east end of town.
The Prineville Reservoir Resort (19600 SE Juniper Canyon Rd., 541/447-7468, www.prinevillereservoirresort.com) is on the shoreline of Prineville Reservoir, 17 miles southeast of Prineville on the Paulina Highway (Hwy. 27). This resort offers motel accommodations with kitchenettes ($80), campsites ($29-31), and rustic cabins (bring your own bedding, $40). The resort also rents fishing boats.
One of Central Oregon’s newest resorts, S Brasada Ranch (16986 Brasada Ranch Rd., Powell Butte, 866/373-4882, www.brasada.com) lies in the open hills of the ranch country between Prineville and Bend. Brasada is the Spanish cowboy term for “brush country,” and that pretty much describes the landscape, with beautiful views of Cascade peaks. This resort is very popular with golfers, and the rooms are luxurious but comfortable. There’s a good fitness center and an outdoor pool that resembles those found in upscale Hawaiian resorts, an excellent restaurant, a golf course, and biking, hiking, and horse trails. It’s also a convenient location for Crooked and Deschutes Rivers anglers who want to stay in an upscale resort. Lodgings range from suites in the main lodge ($309) to one- to three-bedroom cabins ($545-929), with fully equipped kitchens.
For good campsites in the Ochocos (www.fs.usda.gov, mid-Apr.-late Oct.), take Ochoco Creek Road approximately 10 miles east of Ochoco Lake. Camp beneath big ponderosa pines at Wildwood (free), Ochoco Divide ($13), neither of which has drinking water, or at Walton Lake ($15), with water, where you can fish, boat, or hike the trail to Round Mountain. While on this loop, stop at the mining ghost town of Mayflower. Founded in 1873, the community was active until 1925; a stamp mill is still visible.
Camp alongside the Crooked River at any of the nine Bureau of Land Management campgrounds (541/416-6700, www.blm.gov, $8) on Highway 27; they are 15 to 20 miles south of Prineville. Be sure to bring water or a filter for the river water.
The Prineville-Crook County Chamber of Commerce (185 NE 10th St., 541/447-6304, www.prinevillechamber.com) has a helpful staff and lots of information. The Ochoco National Forest (3160 NE 3rd St., 541/416-6500, www.fs.usda.gov/ochoco) can offer details on hiking in the Ochocos; the website is an excellent resource for trail information. The Bureau of Land Management (3050 NE 3rd St., 541/416-6700, www.blm.gov) can guide you to rock-collecting sites.
North of the Bend-Redmond area, the juniper- and sage-lined roadsides and fields of mint and wheat stand in welcome contrast to the busy main drags of the Bend-Redmond-Sisters urban complex to the south.
Madras (pop. 6,700) is mostly known as a supply town for the surrounding agricultural area, which comes right up to downtown’s doorstep. West of town, the Crooked, Metolius, and Deschutes Rivers join up and are impounded by Round Butte Dam to form Lake Billy Chinook. The main access to the lake is via Cove Palisades State Park. Downstream from the lake, the Deschutes River continues to the Columbia. The most popular place for rafting the Deschutes is the area around Maupin, 47 miles north of Madras.
Madras is one of the region’s most culturally diverse towns: Over 35 percent of its residents are Latino, and 5 percent are Native American. Many more Native Americans live on the nearby Warm Springs Reservation.
Heading north from Bend, travelers don’t need to put away their recreational gear. Just outside Madras, Cove Palisades State Park (541/546-3412 or 800/452-5687, www.oregonstateparks.org, $5 day-use, $20 tents, $30-32 RVs, $85 cabins) is 14 miles southwest of Madras off U.S. 97 and offers hiking, boating, fishing, waterskiing, and bird-watching. Towering cliffs, Cascade vistas, gnarled junipers, and Lake Billy Chinook, with its 72-mile shoreline, create a stunning backdrop. The lake was created when Round Butte Dam backed up the waters of the Deschutes, Metolius, and Crooked Rivers. For the best views of how these rivers come together, hike up the Tam-a-lau Trail (a quick 600-foot elevation gain) to the top of the Peninsula, a plateau of land between the backed-up Crooked and Deschutes Rivers. At the top, the trail makes a loop around the Peninsula, with good views onto the Cascades and the river canyons. In total it is six miles round-trip, best done in the springtime when it’s not too hot and when the balsamroot and lupine are in bloom.
Three river canyons meet at Lake Billy Chinook.
The lake is popular with boaters (moorage $10); Cove Palisades Resort & Marina (5700 S.W. Marina Dr., 541/546-9999 or 877/546-7171, www.covepalisadesresort.com) rents everything from stand-up paddleboards to houseboats.
If you’re a rock hound, you’ll want to visit Richardson’s Recreational Ranch (6683 NE Haycreek Rd., 541/475-2680, www.richardsonrockranch.com, 7am-5pm daily Mar.-Oct., from $1.25 per pound). This family-owned and operated enterprise has extensive rock beds loaded with thunder eggs, moss agates, jaspers, jasper-agate, Oregon sunset, and rainbow agates, and it is a huge hit with most kids. If you want to chip agates out of one of the many exposed ledges on the ranch, bring chisels, wedges, and other necessary hard-rock mining tools. Once you’ve completed your dig, you drop your rocks off at the office and pay for them by the pound. And if you don’t care for dirt under your fingernails, you can find rocks for sale from all over the world in the rock shop. To get here, take U.S. 97 north of Madras 11 miles and turn right at the sign near mile marker 81. Follow the road for three miles to the ranch office. Rock diggers must start by 3pm, and the eight-mile road to the digging site is closed when wet.
Amid all the fast-food joints in Madras, there’s a shining beacon of healthy eating: Great Earth Natural Foods (46 SW D St., 541/475-1500, www.greatearth.biz, 7am-6pm Mon.-Fri., 10am-3pm Sat., $6-10) is a small food store with an exceptionally good deli. Stop in for a roasted vegetable salad, a sandwich, or a smoothie. A longtime Madras favorite, Pepe’s (742 SW 4th St., 541/475-1144, 11am-8pm Mon.-Sat., $7-13), is a friendly all-around Mexican restaurant.
Geno’s Italian Grill (212 SW 4th St., 541/475-6048, www.genositaliangrill.net, 11am-8pm Tues.-Sun., $14-27) is the best bet for a relaxed and tasty Italian meal. Though the menu features pasta and pizza, you’ll also find a wide selection of American fare such as burgers, steaks, and entrée salads.
Most of the lodgings in Madras are inexpensive chain motels. The Inn at Cross Keys Station (66 NW Cedar St., 541/475-5800 or 877/475-5800, http://innatcrosskeysstation.com, $150) is by far the most luxurious and restful place to stay in town. It has an indoor pool and conference facilities.
Two overnight campgrounds at Cove Palisades State Park (541/546-3412, www.oregonstateparks.org, reservations 800/452-5687, www.reserveamerica.com, $5 day-use, $20 tents, $28-30 RVs, $85 cabins) offer all the amenities: Deschutes campground (May-mid-Sept.) has 82 full-hookup sites and 92 tent sites; the Crooked River campground (year-round), perched right on the canyon rim, has 93 sites with electricity and water. Reserve in advance, as these are extremely popular. Culver, a little town southwest of Madras, is home to the Redmond/Central Oregon KOA (2435 SW Jericho Lane, Culver, 541/546-7972 or 800/562-1992, www.madras-koa.com, $30 tents, $36-43 RVs, $67-105 cabins). An outdoor pool plus some sites with shade are the big attractions at this well-run campground.
Rent a houseboat on Lake Billy Chinook from Cove Palisades Resort & Marina (5700 S.W. Marina Dr., 541/546-9999 or 877/546-7171, www.covepalisadesresort.com, $1,550-4,300 for 3 days, $2,275-6,725 weekly).
Within the 600,000-acre Warm Springs Indian Reservation (www.warmsprings.com), which straddles U.S. 26 north of Madras, you can see the age-old practice of dip-net fishing on the Deschutes River, as well as the richest collection of Native American artifacts in the country at a 27,000-square-foot museum. The community also operates a dam, a resort hotel, a casino (U.S. 26, across from the museum), and a lumber mill. These entrepreneurs are the descendants of the same Native Americans who greeted Lewis and Clark and Deschutes explorers Peter Skene Ogden (in 1826), John Frémont, and Kit Carson (both in 1843).
You’ll find an impressive display of Native American culture at the Museum at Warm Springs (541/553-3331, www.museumatwarmsprings.org, 9am-5pm Tues.-Sat., $7 adults, $6 seniors, $4.50 teens, $3.50 children), just east of the town of Warm Springs below the viewpoint at the bottom of the Deschutes River Canyon. Audiovisual displays, old photos, and tapes of traditional chants of the Paiute, Warm Springs, and Wasco peoples (the three groups that live on the Warm Springs Reservation) are artfully presented. Each group’s distinct culture, along with the thriving social and economic community they collectively formed, constitutes the major theme of this museum.
the Museum at Warm Springs
Replicas of a Paiute mat lodge, a Warm Springs tepee, and a Wasco plank house, along with recordings of each group’s language, underscore the cultural richness and diversity of the area’s original inhabitants. The exhibits, curated from a collection of more than 20,000 artifacts, range from primitive prehistoric hand tools to a push-button-activated Wasco wedding scene. Native American foodstuffs and art are on sale in the bookstore.
Kah-Nee-Ta Resort (541/553-1112 or 800/554-4786, www.kahneeta.com), a golf and hot springs resort at the bottom of a canyon about a dozen miles off U.S. 26 from the town of Warm Springs, is a good place to find the sun when western Oregon seems unrelentingly gloomy. The 1,000-foot elevation and 12-inch annual rainfall enable golfers to play year-round; Kah-Nee-Ta is even snow-free in February. Spa Wanapine offers a variety of massage, aesthetic, and therapeutic treatments. Owned by the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, this arrow-shaped hotel is a focal point of the reservation, which includes a working ranch and wild horses.
Although this resort is a little worn, it’s a fine place to spend a night. Lodging possibilities include tepees (bring your own sleeping bag, $79) and RV sites ($69) as well as hotel rooms (some updated), suites, and cottages ($119-640). The hot mineral baths and a spring-fed Olympic-size swimming pool located a short drive from the hotel are among the highlights. There are also bike rentals, tennis courts, horseback rides, and hiking trails. Day visitors can take advantage of Kah-Nee-Ta’s Big Village hot spring pool ($15 adults, $10 ages 4-12), heated to 92°F in the cool seasons, cooler in summer; hot tubs (included in room rates); and the 184-foot waterslide ($4). A separate, quieter pool in the lodge area is for lodge guests only.
Resort guests who aren’t camping have to eat at one of the resort’s two restaurants, as it’s a long drive anyplace else: the Chinook Room (7am-11am and 5pm-9pm Wed.-Sun., $12-27) and the casual arcade-like Warm Springs Grill (11am-11pm Sun.-Thurs., 11am-midnight Fri.-Sat., $9-22). The summertime Saturday-night salmon bake (reservations recommended, $33, $15 under age 13), featuring traditional dancing and salmon cooked outside on cedar sticks over an alder fire, is quite popular.
The riverside town of Maupin is usually a quiet place, catering mostly to anglers who come to fly-fish the native Deschutes River red-side trout. On summer weekends, however, when river rafters descend, it becomes a zoo.
fly-fishing the Deschutes near Maupin
Downstream from the Sandy Beach raft takeout is Sherar’s Falls, a cascade that demands a portage if you’re rafting to the Columbia. A bridge crosses the Deschutes just downstream. At the bottom of the waterfall is a traditional Native American fishing area, still used by Warm Springs community members. You’ll see the rather rickety-looking fishing platforms perched over the river, and you may see people dip-netting from them. If you’re in the mood to explore, cross the bridge to the west side of the Deschutes and follow Highway 216 a few miles to White River Falls State Park (800/551-6949, www.oregonstateparks.org), a day-use park with another excellent waterfall and a short trail to the remains of an old hydroelectric power plant.
Just about every tour company operating in central Oregon runs raft trips down the 13-mile “splash and giggle” stretch of the Deschutes River, from Harpham Flat Campground to Sandy Beach, just above Sherar’s Falls. Wapinita, Box Car, Oak Springs, White River, and Elevator Rapids are the highlights of this trip; look also for the resident ospreys as you pass the Maupin Bridge.
Sun Country Tours (531 SW 13th St., Bend, 541/382-1709, www.suncountrytours.com) runs a full-day trip ($108 adults, $98 children) along the Harpham Flat-Sandy Beach stretch of the river. A hearty grilled chicken lunch is included. Transportation from Bend or Sunriver to Maupin is also part of the day-trip packages.
Rapid River Rafters (500 SW Bond St., Bend, 541/382-1514 or 800/962-3327, www.rapidriverrafters.com) offers a series of full-day and multiday packages on the Deschutes River. The one-day trip ($90 adults, $75 children, lunch included) takes in 17 miles of the river from Harpham Flat to Lone Pine. The two-day trip ($295 adults, $220 children) floats 44 miles of exciting white water from Trout Creek to Sandy Beach. The three-day trip ($400) runs 55 miles from Warm Springs to Sandy Beach. On all of the multiday trips, the camping and meal preparations at pleasant riverside locations are taken care of by guides. The season is late April-early October, and camping equipment is available for rent if you don’t have your own. Among its many trips in Oregon, Ouzel Outfitters (541/385-5947 or 800/788-7238, www.oregonrafting.com) offers a full-day trip ($105) on the Lower Deschutes out of Maupin.
Experienced rafters can rent a boat from All Star Rafting and Kayaking (405 Deschutes Ave., 541/395-2201, www.asrk.com, rafts $80-190 per day, inflatable kayaks $35-45 per day) or River Trails Deschutes (301 Bakeoven Rd., 541/395-2545 or 888/324-8837, www.rivertrails.com, rafts from $90 per day, single kayaks from $25 per day). Both outfitters also offer guided trips and shuttles. Boater passes are required for all river users, reserved online (http://recreation.gov, $2 pp, summer weekends $8 pp) up to 26 weeks in advance. For use of Harpham Flat put-in and Sandy Beach takeout, a Warm Springs Tribal permit (www.tribalpermit.com, $2 pp) is required. Call Affordable Deschutes Shuttle (541/395-2809, www.affordabledeschutesshuttle.com) if you need someone to take your car from put-in to takeout ($40 from Harpham Flat to Sandy Beach).
Downstream from Maupin, anglers fish the Deschutes River year-round for trout; steelhead are in the river August-November. Part of the reason to fish here, especially in the spring and fall, is the beautiful canyon.
Deschutes Canyon Fly Shop (599 S. U.S. 197, 541/395-2565, www.flyfishingdeschutes.com, 8am-5pm Mon.-Sat., 8am-1pm Sun.) sells supplies and can advise you on the hatches and other conditions. They can also set you up with a guide ($375-450 per day). John, the shop’s owner, is very helpful, and encourages women anglers. Maupin’s other fly shop, the Deschutes Angler (504 Deschutes Ave., 541/395-0995, www.deschutesangler.com, 9am-5pm daily), is also worth a visit for both gear and information. The owners of this shop are experts on Spey casting, a two-handed technique, and they hold regular casting clinics. The Oasis Resort (609 S. U.S. 197, 541/395-2611, www.deschutesriveroasis.com) also runs a guide service.
Eat a hearty pre-float breakfast at the Oasis (609 S. U.S. 197, 541/395-2611, www.deschutesriveroasis.com, 7am-8pm Fri.-Sat., 8am-4pm Sun., $7-10)—it’s also a nearly mandatory post-float stop for a hand-dipped milk shake made with hard ice cream. The Imperial River Company (301 Bakeoven Rd., 541/395-2404, 11am-10pm daily late Apr.-mid-Sept., 4pm-9pm Mon.-Fri., 11am-9pm Sat.-Sun. mid-Sept.-Oct., 4pm-9pm Fri., 11am-9pm Sat.-Sun. Nov.-late Apr., $11-25) is the most full-service restaurant in town, featuring steaks from the family cattle.
If you don’t want to camp, stay in a simple older cabin at the Oasis Resort (609 S. U.S. 197, 541/395-2611, www.deschutesriveroasis.com, $50-95); it’s a local classic. The Oasis also has a little camping area where you can pitch a tent or park an RV (no hookups, $22). The Deschutes Motel (616 Mill St., 541/395-2626, www.deschutesmotel.com, $84-129), above the river near Maupin’s main downtown area, also has acceptable but modest accommodations. The six-room River Run Lodge (210 Hartman Ave., 541/980-7113, www.riverrunlodge.net, pets allowed, $79-309) steps up the game a bit with decks, a barbecue grill, and a common kitchen area. The fanciest place in Maupin is the Imperial River Company (304 Bakeoven Rd., 541/395-2404 or 800/395-3903, www.deschutesriver.com, $104-264), which has a riverside lodge. Some rooms have balconies overlooking the river, and all are nicely decorated and quite comfortable.
Right in town, Maupin City Park (206 Bakeoven Rd., 541/395-2252, http://cityofmaupin.org, reservations advised for summer weekends, $34 tents, $42 RVs), just downstream from the bridge, is on a grassy riverbank lot. Unlike almost all of the Bureau of Land Management campgrounds along the Deschutes, Maupin City Park has water and showers.
Both upstream and downstream from Maupin are several riverside BLM campgrounds (541/416-6700, Memorial Day-Labor Day, $8-12). Bring water or a filter for the river water. Harpham Flat Campground is the main launching spot for day trips on the Deschutes, and it can be a little more hectic than the neighboring campgrounds. The nicest spots are actually a ways downstream at Beavertail and Macks Canyon, 21 and 29 miles north of Maupin, respectively. Reservations are not accepted.