About the Author

Chaney Swiney

Chaney Swiney is a naturalist, photographer, and cartographer living in Bend. Originally from Tennessee, where the Great Smoky Mountains first called him to the wild, he moved to Oregon for grad school and to explore the magnificent and varied landscapes that make Oregon so spectacular. He now works as a guide, sharing the wonders of Oregon’s natural history out among the peaks, lakes, and trees of the Deschutes National Forest.

Wonder for All: Oregon’s Public Lands

March 22, 2017
The true wonder of Oregon is found in its astounding geographic diversity. Here are eight areas that give a glimpse of the natural wonder on display all across Oregon. More
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Eastern Oregon , Lakes & Reservoirs , Parks, Forests & Wildlife Areas , Rivers & Streams , Trip Ideas , Waterfalls , Outdoor Recreation , Attractions , State Parks ,

Find Your Park: Crater Lake

August 17, 2016
In the Cascades of Southern Oregon, 6,173 feet above the Pacific Ocean to the west, a lake of perfect blue fills a void where a peak once stood. Roughly 7,700 years ago, a stratovolcano called Mount Mazama erupted cataclysmically, so enthusiastically spewing its contents that it gave away its foundation in the process. As the magma chamber emptied, the 12,000 foot peak collapsed in on itself, losing a mile of its height as it subsided into a caldera five miles across. Over time, this self-contained... More
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Southern Oregon , Klamath Falls , Lakes & Reservoirs , Parks, Forests & Wildlife Areas , Rivers & Streams , Trip Ideas , Outdoor Recreation , Attractions ,

A Trip to Steens, Oregon’s Secret Mountain

February 9, 2016
It seems like most people don’t know about Steens Mountain, and fewer have been. Other mountains get all the attention in Oregon: Mt. Hood, the Three Sisters, Mt. Jefferson and countless other snow-capped Cascade peaks are the first summits that spring to mind when people think of the state’s high places. Steens exists in a land beyond most, and that makes all the difference. More
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Eastern Oregon , Fields , Parks, Forests & Wildlife Areas , Trip Ideas , Outdoor Recreation , Hiking & Backpacking , Attractions ,