Beautiful place Lovely hike…read morePlenty of parking Quick wrkout Scenic Popular Would recommend Go enjoy! :)

The views from the top are unmatched! You can see the entire valley, and luckily on this clear day…read moreall of the mountains too!! We did the dirt trail and though there were parts that were steep, it was fairly easy to navigate in just our regular sneakers & jeans. There were lots of people trail running, many walking the paved path, it was such a fun way to get a look at the city.

Very gentle 10 mile loop trail that is best suited for mountain biking. I hiked it with no problems…read more- the bikers gave a shout out and always said thanks for hopping out of the way. I have a knack for going the wrong way, and I did it here but got back on track within half a mile. There are dozens of cross tracks in this loop and it's super easy to saunter down the wrong one. I use the downloaded map from All Trails and keep the GPS on. I can make a quick check to make sure I'm not headed off the edge of the world. Hat is essential, there is no cover here. No potty, no water - so be ready to make due. Did I mention there is no cover? About 4 miles along I really needed to pee but dang it's no fun out in the open like that. I finally saw some bushes and got in my girly squat and then I heard a bike coming down the trail!!! Dang! It startled me and of course I peed a little on my pant leg trying to get myself back together. Grrrr. But hey! It dried quick enough and besides, who cares!! Not me.

Horse Butte trail is a 9 mile bike/hiking trails that loops around from Horse Butte towards the…read moreArnold Ice Cave. I haven't hiked the whole trail, only parts near the butte itself. As with other Deschutes National Forest trails, Horse Butte offers great scenery and hiking near to town. If you climb the butte, be ready for uncertain footing. This is a red cinder cone so there's lots of small lava rocks that can cause you to loose your footing.

I'm in favor of just any protected natural areas, so five stars it is. Lots of paths, some paved…read moreand the rest gravel. Looks like a fine place to take the (leashed) mutt for a superior olfactory experience. The Crooked River is a jewel of Central Oregon.

Beautiful park with miles of trail. Great views. Good birding. Great interpretation of history,…read moreplants, birds, fish and current uses. Very nice toilets. Kiosks have information and brochures. It's obvious this is a special place. So many volunteers take such good care of it.

Very nice lake, RV camping…read more 6 miles out of town, in the high desert of Central Oregon.

Oregon Eclipse Gathering was held at Big Summit Prairie, which is located in Ochoco. The prairie is…read morehuge - it held 7 stages of music, as well as spaces for talks, classes, vendors and food stands. The lake takes up a significant space as well and it's quite the hike to walk around it. We camped for 7 days in mid-August. We were lucky and assigned a camping space with minimal shrubs and rocks. As a result, we slept fine with just double-layered tarp under our tent and a sleeping pad inside. Be prepared. With high elevations, it gets very windy. A few neighboring canopies were picked up by the wind and at least one in our area was destroyed. Be sure to bring something to weigh it down. The wind will also cause dust to pick up significantly. I wore a dust mask for most of my time here and others had on bandanas. If you'll be up at random hours like we were, it's important to know that the temperature change is drastic. The temperature started to warm up quickly around 7 am and drop quickly around 6 pm. During the day, we wore bathing suits, lathered on sunscreen, stayed under our shade structures and hydrated well. At night, we would be in beanies, layers of fleece and wool socks. I would also suggest proper footwear, as there are small dried shrubs, rocks and gravel everywhere. I wouldn't recommend bringing any shoes with zippers, as the dust gets stuck in it and it gets difficult to zip up. Though we didn't experience it, there are supposed to be ticks in the area. In any case, I'd recommend bringing bug spray, as there are mosquitos - each member of our party was bitten at least once. I can't rough it this hard, so camping here isn't for me. But if you're up for a challenge against rapidly changing temperatures, dusty air and rocks all over the ground, this is all you!

A beautiful park right here in downtown Bend. What seems so far away is within walking distance if…read moreyou are anywhere close to downtown Bend. Lots of space to throw a blanket and chill. You can put i. to float here as well.

Drake Park has a lovely walking trail as well as water access, restrooms, picnic tables and large…read moregrassy areas. There is alot of street parking (4 hour max). There were people floating on paddle boards, there could be some good fishing within as well as alot of crayfish. There are beautiful homes along the waterfront as well as some resturants and downtown access from the parkway.

Very beautiful lake. A short walk from the parking. Don't forget your parking pass. Very quiet and…read moretranquil.

Did an engagement session, winter 2019 and there were a ton of cars/people in the parking lot. We…read moredecided not to hike the trail since my couples were dressed up and didn't have the proper shoes to hike. We went down to the field and took pictures and found snow to do the rest of the engagement photos in. If you are looking for an intimate wedding or elopement photographer, please visit stunningportraitphotography.com

Tam McArthur Rim appears on many 'must do' lists for Central Oregon hiking trails. Rightfully so…read more It's spectacular and accessible. Clocking in at about 6 miles round trip from the trailhead to the rim overlook, the trail gains some 1300 feet in elevation, so it's not easy. More like moderate. The trail can be negotiated with pretty much any athletic shoes. There is a steep section near the beginning and also somewhat near the end. Although it's fairly well marked and apparent, the trail does split in two during the second half and it's not apparent which path is the 'officail' one. It doesn't matter we took the rim-side path going up and the other one coming down. I suspect one may be designated the horse trail (a horse trail joins TMR along the way). From the rim you'll get great views of the Three Lakes area below as well as the Cascade Range volcanoes. When we hiked, the fires in the region caused limited visibility but Broken Top and the Three Sisters were nicely in view, as well as Bachelor looking the other way. Being super popular, I expected a lot of traffic on the trail even on a weekday. Not so much. we saw maybe six other groups/singles and had the overlook to ourselves for a good half hour. The trail continues on to Broken Top but even if you're not doing that, do hike a bit further along the rim (a few hundred yards) - there's a loop that comes back around to the trail to Three Lakes. This is a lightly shaded trail. You'll be among the trees for a good bit but more often you'll be exposed to full sun. As always with area hikes, check out Chris C's review too.

This is a must go trails if you are looking for a view of the mountains without actually climbing…read moreany of the actual mountains. Things to note, depending on the time of year you go, the parking may be snowed in, there might be a lot of mosquitoes, and you may get fairly sunburned if you do not wear sunscreen. This trail starts out of three creeks lake parking lot. It is a pretty steep incline to start out as you approach the actual rim. Once you reach the rim you can start to ge t a good view of the lakes in the area to the east. Then the trails gets fairly flat and you start to follow a cliff that has a massively steep drop off so be careful. As you walk along this cliff you are treated to one of the most breathtaking views of the three sisters mountains in central Oregon. Depending on the time of year you are hiking you will encounter many snowfields that are quite a sit themselves. If you are a photographer looking for shots, be sure to wake up and leave early as the sun approaches this area fairly quick. This is one of my favorite hikes in central Oregon and I'm always back for more! Here is a link to the land management agency that monitors this area https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/deschutes/recarea/?recid=71841 Here is a good website with navigation and distance for the hike http://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/oregon/tam-mcarthur-rim-trail

3.9 miles, 932 ft elevation gain, 1 hr 38 minutes to complete…read more We started the hike around noon which is probably the least advisable time to complete it. Aside from that the weather was fairly mild and the skies were blue! The trails and grounds are well maintained by the staff. The bathrooms available are also very well kept. The hike itself is supposedly easiest if done clockwise. I decided to go counterclockwise to get the hardest part out of the way. Several stops were made along the way to the top. The entire trek was gorgeous and while you're catching your breath you can look out over the river. There's lots of wildlife down at the river level you can watch as you trek by. It's also neat to see rock climbers up above you. A fun little surprise!

Misery Ridge Trail (in my opinion) is the epicenter/main attraction hike while visiting Smith Rock…read moreState Park. If you complete this hike, you'll comprehend what makes Smith Rock so stunningly beautiful, especially for being nearby an under the radar town like Terrebonne, Oregon. Misery Ridge is a difficult 3.7-mile round trip loop gaining almost 2000 feet in elevation. And, if you begin the hike located just past the entrance area, there'll be a warning sign stating..."steep, rough trail", but that should not deter you whatsoever. When I was here, everyone was hiking this pathway without hesitation. Starting out past the trailhead, you'll confront the hardest part to it all, the stairway incline going up the mountainside. Within the first few moments, the ascent is pretty vertical that if you turn and look back down below, you realize how high you've climbed. But think, if you get past this part...the rest of the way will be pretty easy, especially arriving at the summit/plateau portion of the hike. Then, it's flat ground where you can sit down and relax at any point in time (maybe even have a picnic) and overall, just enjoy the gorgeous scenery from high above. So while walking along the plateau area...you'll have plenty of moments for picture taking. I'd describe the vast Oregon landscape as primarily flat level with small towns and green grass surroundings set in the distance. And it's sort of interesting that this part of Oregon is not mountainous at all, but when you arrive here in Smith Rock SP...the rugged terrain makes for a rock climbers' paradise! Towards the latter part of the hike, you'll confront the well-known "Monkey Face", a 350-foot rock spire standing high and mighty that's the primary focal point of the park. The views are so rewarding, like out of a postcard scene. And if you look closely, it's truly unbelievable...you'll notice rock climbers dangling off the cliffs of Monkey Face. It's thrilling to look at, you think..."how do these people hang on without a fear of heights"??? Just past Monkey Face, the trail winds down with a series of switchbacks from the plateau and back towards the base. During these switchbacks, I'd advise to be cautious when descending as there are no handrails to grab onto and the downslope can be unsteady if you're not wearing sturdy hiking shoes. Finally returning to the bottom...the trail is easy for the remainder of the way. You'll walk among a pretty nature setting while passing beside a pristine lake with the jagged peaks hovering above you. This Misery Ridge Trail will take a few hours to half a day to complete depending on how much time you afford yourself at the summit plateau. Once finished, if you're still interested in hiking more, I'd recommend the Wolf Tree Trail. In the end, Misery Ridge Trail is a fantastic hike to embark upon. Smith Rock State Park opens at 7am and for those early birds, you can venture out here first thing in the morning and get in some great hiking exercise for beginning your day.