If you’re a Redmond resident, there’s a good chance that you’re also a frequent flyer at Cascade Lakes Brewery’s 7th Street Brew House. The brew house, opened in 1996, won second place for “Best Bar / Brewpub” in the Source Weekly’s 2018 Best of Redmond readers’ poll and is a favorite among locals and visitors […]
Forest Service
Posted inNews
Big Changes for Well-Traveled Trails
Forest Supervisors announce plan to create a permit system for busy trails during peak season
Ask a local how they feel about the traffic on trails and natural areas in Central Oregon, and chances are they’ll tell you that things are way too crowded. Some might even say that the wilderness areas near Bend are being “loved to death“—the phrase used in a post written by local writer Katy Bryce […]
Posted inSpecial Issues & Guides
Moon Country Snowbusters
Helping maintain trails for more than just snow users
Way back in the same year man first walked on the moon, Moon Country formed as a nonprofit to help the Oregon State Snowmobile Association with trail grooming efforts. Over the years since, the clubs have evolved, changed, backstepped and grew, leading to the current Moon Country Snowbusters, formed in October 2017. The name pays […]
Posted inOutside
Mushroom Hunt
Learn about harvesting wild, edible mushrooms from the experts
Fall is a great time to stalk wild mushrooms. If you haven’t tried chanterelles, boletes, chicken of the woods, matsutake or cauliflower mushrooms, then you’re in for a treat. Great-tasting wild mushrooms are found within an hour drive of Bend in areas including Santiam Pass, Crane Prairie, Suttle Lake and the Cascade Lakes. But before […]
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Fire Updates: Milli Fire Gets Bigger; Nena Fire prompts evacuations
Fires near Warm Springs and Sisters are keeping firefighters hopping—and keeping the region full of smoke.
Noticing all that smoke in Central Oregon right now? That could be a good sign or a bad one, depending on how you look at it. In some cases, it’s an indication that firefighters are putting those fires out—but it also means that homes and wildlife are still in danger. Update: Milli Fire near Sisters […]
Posted inOutside
Ready to Go Beyond Bend? A Network of trails now spans the country
The longest hauls across the West, by the numbers
A network of long trails crisscrosses the West, through open deserts and wild forests. Many trails follow historic routes where people made pilgrimages or embarked on exploratory expeditions. The National Trails System, managed by the National Park Service, has officially designated some of these extensive trails, seen here. HOW IT WORKS Under the National Trails […]
Posted inOutside
Fight for the Ochocos
Objections arise as new trail system is proposed
Northeast of the city of Prineville lies the Ochoco National Forest—a much-loved area more than 845,000 acres in size. Inside its borders are three Congressionally-designated wilderness areas, more than 375 species of wildlife and countless firs and pines. Then there's the current controversy about who can use the lands and when. Last month, the U.S. […]
Posted inNews
Firefighters to Use New Recruits on Prescribed Burn Outside of Sisters
Students Will Work Beside Qualified Firefighters in Live Fire Exercise
SISTERS – Taking advantage of cooler weather and localized precipitation, the Deschutes National Forest fuel specialists and firefighters will conduct a prescribed burn on Thursday, June 16, as a live fire training exercise for new firefighters. This week the Central Oregon Fire Management Service, a service-first organization made up of Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests […]
Posted inNews
Umpqua Hot Springs Becomes Day-Use Site
Time Needed for Area around the Popular Hot Springs Site to Recover from Excessive Use
TOKETEE, OR – The Umpqua Hot Springs, 70 miles east of Roseburg on the Umpqua National Forest, has been designated as a day-use only site with parking restricted to the trailhead parking area. The hot springs will remain open for use between sunrise and sundown. This change in use will be effective beginning April 19 […]
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Crossroads in the Ochoco National Forest
The Ochoco Summit Trail proposal
Few things stir more controversy than proposing a new trail system for off-highway vehicle (OHV) travel in a national forest. The proposed 130-mile Summit Trail in the 850,000-acre Ochoco National Forest, an hour’s drive east of Bend, is one such proposal that has met mixed response. The arguments for and against the proposed trail for […]