Some sights simply take your breath away — like the sweeping mountain views from the Three Sisters Wilderness, where the Cascade Range dips into the high desert.
With all this natural beauty, it’s easy to want to sit back and stare at the clouds. But the best way to enjoy the scenery is to get out and explore it. After all, playtime isn’t just for kids. Not when you have this outdoor playground filled with snowcapped mountains, lava fields, glassy rivers and alpine lakes.
The volcanic peaks of Three Sisters are just the beginning. This region is home to all the hiking, climbing, cycling, fishing, rafting, skiing and golfing of your daydreams. Where else can you ski, surf and skateboard all in the same day? And at the end of any adventure, you’ll find that culture, dining and the arts abound. When adventure calls, head to Central Oregon. Here are some ways to get started.
Summiting South Sister
The magic of the Three Sisters area lies in the varying ways visitors can experience it. Summiting up the dusty path of South Sister is definitely one of them.
Exploring the Land of Lava
Sometimes it’s easy to forget that the natural beauty of Central Oregon is entirely volcanic in origin. That is until you walk around a lava field or wander deep into a cave.
The Van Life at Cascade Lakes
There’s something about the high-desert landscapes and alpine lakes that captures imagination and draw people east of the Cascade Range again and again.
“A panorama so rare and pure that I sensed it somehow changed me for the better for my having occupied it for only a moment.” – Bob Welch
Chase These Thrills in Bend
With 300 days of annual sunshine, blue sky, clean air and cool nights are sort of the way of life here. The broad spectrum of weather and landscape makes for surprises around every turn. Here’s how to catch your thrills in Bend, no matter the season.
Fly Fishing and Road Biking in Maupin
Fishers from around the world travel to Maupin for its famous salmonfly hatch. But that’s not all this scenic community has to offer: there are also a maze of bike-friendly rural roads, abundant river pursuits and a nearby waterfall that will put other cascades to shame.
McKenzie Pass-Santiam Pass Scenic Byway
High-mountain lava fields, snowy volcanic peaks and panoramic Cascade-pass views present a striking world of contrasts on this 82-mile loop route northwest of Bend.
Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway
Alpine lakes scatter across the high country of Central Oregon, where striking volcanic strata and the snowcapped Cascade Range provide the perfect backdrop for this 66-mile scenic drive.
