Welcome…this is the sign above the entrance to Sunriver Stables and I felt just that. Upon my arrival the young lady, doing maintenance work was very friendly and helpful of any questions I asked. When the owner, John showed up he was just as amicable. The other two guides who were also on site, were friendly and helpful in showing me the tack rooms and everyone seems to have a sense of humor.
While most people don’t think of guided trail rides on horseback I would recommend Sunriver Stables, which is less than a mile from the nature center. Read the rest of Sunriver Stables-Horseback Riding in Sunriver, OR »
While Sunriver is a known hotspot for the wealthy, little known businesses are sometimes hidden and are inexpensive and Sunriver Nature Center, nestled against the Little Deschutes River, is one of these. You will want to go to their webpage for further information on rates and schedules as it does change. The nature center hosts an array of educational exhibits year round and in the summer they incorporate many additional programs. These programs have included National Geographic’s Bill Curtsinger, photographer. Read the rest of Sunriver Nature Center-Sunriver, OR »
Eula springs has given me one of my favorite hikes. The rich undergrowth, coupled with towering, moss covered trees and the babbling of the stream has always struck a peaceful chord in me. This walk is absolutely gorgeous! Right at the very beginning of the trail you can hear the 30 ft. waterfall that dumps into a bowl, and then falls again for approximately another 20 ft., similar to Tokatee Falls, which I will be describing in later editions. Read the rest of Eula Springs-Hwy 58, milepost 24 - Hiking in Central Oregon »
Paulina Peak, half an hour South of Bend, named after Chief Paulina in the mid 1850’s houses both East and Paulina Lake. The lakes themselves are spectacular for trophy fishing and do allow motorized boats. The wilderness of Paulina is also a great and vast area for snowmobiliers. Each lake is complete with lodging and a store. Both lakes have ample paved parking, full facilities and is handicap accessible.
Paulina Lake also still accommodates public/commercial hotsprings on its’ North East side. East Lake hotsprings are public, no longer commercial and not well known and is located on the East side of the lake. Read the rest of East & Paulina Lakes »
If you like to go off the beaten path, as I do, there is a whole different world, the ones most of us pass by, sometimes by only hundreds of feet. The Little Deschutes is one of those. A very quiet and serene, yet small sinuous river that winds 50 miles from Mt. Thielsen Wilderness in Klamath County, through Winema National Forest and ends approximately 10 miles past LaPine, ending in Sun River, spilling into the Big Deschutes River.
This gem of a river is full of riparian habitat, elk, deer and several varieties of birds. Read the rest of Central Oregon Kayaking - Little Deschutes River »
What an awesome little trek into the netherworld of our Newberry Crater, the volcano that is still alive. Ten miles south of Bend on the left hand side of the hwy is the sign forLava River cave. While Central Oregon has its’ share of cool caves this is one of the better ones by far. Upon first sight you see the fence that totally surrounds the gigantic hole in the ground but you’ll be glad it’s there when you look over the fence as falling would not be a favorable option. There is a guard shack that offers lantern rentals for $4 as you cannot take your own lantern, though you can take flashlights and glow sticks. Read the rest of Lava River Caves-Hwy 97 »
A must for any family during the fall season here in Central Oregon is hitting up the Central Oregon Pumpkin Co. It is locally owned and nestled in among farmlands at 1250 NE Wilcox Ave. in Terrebonne, Oregon. Terrebonne is 20 miles (or a 30 minute drive) from Bend, just north of Redmond.
It is abound with activities for all ages. Younger kids love the wild zoo train, hay bale maze, pony rides and petting zoo. Older kids enjoy the pumpkin cannon and infamous corn maze. Every year the Central Oregon Pumpkin Co. chooses a new theme for the maze. Read the rest of Central Oregon Pumpkin Co. - Terrebonne, OR »
You don’t necessarily have to be a writer to add your own posts to OneThousandThingsToDo.com! We are currently looking for people to write about the things that you do in your local area. Do you do a lot of hiking? Biking? Swiming? Do you tear up the town a lot? Are you a quilter, actor or bird watcher? Young, old, young at heart? We want you! Whether you are an experienced writer or just love to explore new parks and events with your family and friends, you can share your experiences with the rest of the city! Just email us for more information.
The Metolius River emerges gushing 50,000 gallons a minute from the base of Black Butte. It is an oasis in the Central Oregon arid landscape. In the summer it offers beautiful camping, fishing and cool spots for swimming and relaxing. In November it is a beautiful secluded spot to hike free of the crowds of the summer, as long as you bundle up in some warm layers. My husband and I brought a picnic lunch to enjoy, but we had to eat fast as it was pretty chilly when we stopped hiking. On a Sunday the trails were empty and the only other people we saw were two fly fishermen trying their luck in a crystal clear pool.
There are more than 12 miles of easy walking trail on both sides of the river and several bridges crossing it that make for great loops. The trail stays close to the river so it is easy to access from any of the campgrounds along it’s length and even from Camp Sherman.
A great 6.4 mile hike starts at the Wizard Falls state fish hatchery where you can explore the rustic buildings and working hatchery tanks and follows either bank of the river downstream for 3.2 miles and crosses over the river at Lower Bridge Campground for the return upstream hike.
What: 12+ miles of easy walking trails along the crystal clear waters of the Metolius River with only a couple hundred feet of elevation gain/loss.
Fees: None
Dogs: Allowed on leash
Open: Year-round
Getting There: Leave Bend on Hwy 20 towards the town of Sisters. Continue west on Hwy 20 for 9 miles past Sisters and turn right near milepost 91 at a sign for the Metolius River. Drive straight on paved road 1419, stay right towards the signs for the “Campgrounds” rather than left towards the signs for the “Resorts.” Continue through Camp Sherman on the paved road and turn left at the sign for the Wizard Falls state fish hatchery, about 10 miles from Hwy 20. Note: The Metolius River is about a 40 mile drive from Bend.
