I am now a huge fan of Central Oregon! Many visits are required to investigate this beautiful, varied slice of nirvana.
East from Portland, over the
Cascades, lies the high desert of Central Oregon.
Because of its location, the area enjoys more than 300 days of sunshine a year. Bend is the most famous city in the area, but Redmond and Sisters are well-known
to lovers of outdoor sports.
In the winter, it’s best to fly from Portland to the Redmond/Bend airport and
avoid the icy and (possibly closed) passes. But in warmer weather, scenic
drives over the Cascades include:
- From Eugene, drive along the McKenzieRiver
on 126 and enjoy scenic orchards, springs, and waterfalls. Stay at Belnap
Springs in the DeschutesNational Forest
.
Next day, check out Proxy Falls then go over McKenzie Pass. Hike in the Three
Sisters Wilderness Area and/or Black Butte.
Drive into Sisters.
Cascade Lakes Highway with great hiking along the high mountain lakes.
The Cascades provide skiing and snowshoeing runs in the
winter and abundant hiking trails in the summer. Many rivers run through the
area, with perfect kayaking and canoeing conditions.
Bend
Bend is the center for tourism, with fantastic restaurants and interesting shops.
We ate at Pine Tavern (pinetavern.com)
and enjoyed a delicious (though pricey) dinner and a view of the Deschutes River, which meanders through town. This
establishment has been in business since 1919, serving food and drink to the
local loggers, millers, and schoolteachers. The seared ahi appetizer and the
trout with a black-bean-chickpea ragout (that night’s special) were fabulous
but, for real decadence, you must have the hazelnut brie fritter and the sky
high mud pie! Ooh la la! You’ll need a long walk to work that off.
Blacksmith Restaurant (www.bendblacksmith.com) has enjoyed a
lot of foodie press and it probably the successor to the late lamented Merenda.
It is really a 1923 smithy, beautifully renovated. Also try Vola Restaurant (http://volobend.com/). The first Friday of the
month is wine and art in Bend.
The McMenamins Old
St. Francis School looks like a great place to
stay (www.mcmenamins.com/index.php?loc=98).
It’s a Catholic schoolhouse that’s been converted into a hotel, a theater, a
restaurant, and two pubs.
The High Desert Museum
(www.highdesertmuseum.org) is
considered one of the outstanding natural history museums in the nation.
Check out Pilot Butte, a cinder cone with fantastic views of
the area (http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_42.php).
Also, Sunriver Observatory (www.sunrivernaturecenter.org).
Redmond
In Central Oregon, you can
usually ski through April. Because this is high desert, the powder is
phenomenal.
The most popular ski resort in the area is Mount Bachelor
(www.mtbachelor.com). Those of us
whose knees can’t take downhill skiing anymore can take a sled dog ride, ride a
big tube down a hill, or take a snowshoe hike with a naturalist.
The sentimental favorite is Hoodoo ski area (www.hoodoo.com). Smaller than Mt. Bachelor , less crowded, and cheaper to boot, you can have a fabulous day of skiing
with minimum hassle. Besides the alpine trails, you can enjoy Nordic
(cross-country) trails at the top of the mountain. I want to try snowbiking:
you sit down and “ride” the bike, with small skis attached to your feet. No
trauma to the knees!
Smith Rock dominates the landscape in Redmond. We hiked the easy River Trail at the
State Park, partly because in February it was still icy on the upper trails and
partly because it was the first time we’d hiked in a while and weren’t in great
shape. The Crooked River
runs along the
monolith, providing a place to cool off. We watched four river otters cavorting
on the beautiful sunny day. The Cascadia Fault that runs through the area makes
for dramatic landscapes, but also threatens an eventual earthquake.
Sisters
Sisters was my favorite town. It’s like an old Western movie
set. I loved the Stitching Post quilt shop and hope I can go to the huge quilt
show in July.
On the drive from Bend
to Sisters, check out the statues of galloping horses. Although the reindeer
farm between Redmond and Sisters has seen better days, it’s still fun to watch
these animals we rarely see.
Try Pleiades restaurant (pleiadesatfivepine.com)
and The Gallery Restaurant.
To check out during future trips
Crater Lake!
Lake Billychinook, where three rivers
feed into this gorgeous lake.
Metolius River
hike near Wizard Falls, stay in
vintage Metolius River Lodges
- Warm
Springs
- Canoeing
and kayaking
- Eagle
Crest Resort, inn, biking, golf course
- Elk
ranches and llama ranches
- Lava
tubes
- Obsidian
Trail in the Newberry National Volcanic Monument
Tumalo Falls
- Breitenbush
Hot Springs
Copyright 2009, Beth Schrader
