We asked locals: What’s your favorite event in Central Oregon? “Beer, Bends and Public Lands.” – Kirk Richardson “Floating the (Deschutes) River.” – Gary Windthorpe “Mountain Biking on Mt. Bachelor.” – Matthew Bent “Take pictures. I go to COCC, studying black-and-white photography.”- Rhonda Dalrymple What tips do you have for people attending events in Central Oregon? […]
Deschutes River
Posted inOutside
Get ready for the big bugs: Fishing the Deschutes River salmonfly hatch
Those obsessed with fly fishing are getting ready for the greatest time of the year on the lower Deschutes River: the famous salmonfly hatch. After a long cold winter, trout are hungry. Mike Phillips, owner of Slack Line Flyfishing in Tumalo says the three-week window of opportunity to sling big flies to hungry trout is […]
Posted inNews
A Ballot Measure on Mirror Pond?
Bend man works toward a public vote to block City funds for dredging, with stipulations
What to do with Mirror Pond—the body of water that sits behind the 110-year-old Newport Dam on the Deschutes River—might be one of the most contentious topics for Benditos in recent memory. Many people living near the pond, and some that own businesses that overlook it, want the City of Bend and the Bend Park […]
Posted inSpecial Issues & Guides
Is Rover a River Protector?
Keep a few steps in mind when it comes to dogs and sensitive habitat
How much is too much love? It’s no secret Central Oregon is an outdoor lover’s paradise, with an abundance of easily-accessed trails, ski areas—and of course, the beautiful Deschutes River. It’s also no secret that Central Oregon loves dogs. We take our fur-babies everywhere with us—especially to the river or lakes to swim when the […]
Posted inNews
Regional Roundup
Oregon headlines, found this week in Cascades Reader
Housing Bill Gets a Slight Remodel Cities remain wary of a legislative proposal that would require many of them to open the way for townhouses and small apartment buildings in neighborhoods filled with single-family homes, even after changes meant to ease them into it. Gov. Kate Brown and House Speaker Tina Kotek have promised to […]
Posted inCulture
River Warrior
Fighting to keep our waterways flowing
Tod Heisler might as well have river water running through his veins. He was recently hired as the director of the Rivers Conservation Program within Central Oregon LandWatch, and before that he led the Deschutes River Conservancy for 15 years. His 30 years of conservation experience began with the World Wildlife Fund in Washington, D.C., […]
Posted inOutside
Maston Trailhead
A great place to play throughout the calendar year
Created originally for cycling options in the winter months, the routes at Maston are an example of how varied user groups can work together to form diverse and harmonious trail systems. Hikers, bikers and equestrians enjoy the various loops, connectors and Deschutes River views that make the Maston Trailhead so popular. Located 5 miles from […]
Posted inNews
Tumalo Irrigation District Gets Funds for Upgrades
Sen. Jeff Merkley secures nearly $30 million for canal piping
On Tuesday, Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) announced he helped secure nearly $30 million in funding for the Tumalo Irrigation District, as part of the District’s watershed plan to improve water conservation, delivery reliability and public safety through canal piping. The project, which covers more than 68 miles of canals and lateral canals, is expected to […]
Posted inOutside
Wet Dogs Rock
5 paddle spots for pups in Central Oregon
It’s not just a novelty intended to get tourists to snap photos of you as you pass by the Old Mill. While some dogs won’t ever get the hang of it, other pups love nothing more than getting close to some water-loving wildlife while you’re paddling them aboard a watercraft. In honor of the Dog […]
Posted inOutside
High Desert Herstory
What narratives are (under) represented in an outdoor mecca like Bend?
En masse, we suit up and slide off the shore just above the Bend Whitewater Park passageway—five women tricked out in combat kayak gear, lining up to run the terraced lava rock drops of the bypass channel. I’ve never ridden rapids surrounded by so many women— and no men, on a kayak, raft, paddle board […]