If you’re like me, part of ringing in the new year is dreaming about the outdoor adventures you want to have in the coming year.
Lucky for us, this is Central Oregon, where no matter how sporty you are or how long you’ve lived here, new adventures await in your own backyard.
Here are a few options representing several different sports for you to dream about, plan and do. Detailed information to use for planning came up easily with an internet search for all of these options.
For backpackers, the classic Pacific Crest Trail runs through the Oregon Cascades. Options abound for day hikes, section hikes or to go big and hike the PCT’s entire 455 miles through the whole of Oregon. The PCT culture might just entrance you, and before you know it, you’ll have your own trail name.
Another Central Oregon hike worthy of a New Year’s resolution is the hike around the Three Sisters. Calling it “the hike” is misleading as there are many variations, ranging from 40 to 70 miles.
Several people told me this is their favorite hike. However, when I asked more questions, it turned out that none of them had followed the exact same route!
For these and other hikes in Central Oregon wilderness areas, remember to secure your permit in advance.
I tried the permit system for the first time in 2021. By logging on at 7 a.m. sharp seven days before the day of my hike, I was able to secure the permit I wanted. The parking lot was still overflowing, but having the Green Lakes Trail nearly all to ourselves was quite the experience.
A third hiking option, the Oregon Desert Trail, begins east of Bend near Alfalfa and winds for 750 miles through remote and dry country in southeast Oregon. Water is scarce with much of the route extremely isolated, but Oregon Natural Desert Association provides great planning information. Those summer desert nights can’t be beat.
For bikepackers, the Oregon Timber Trail’s Deschutes Tier runs through Central Oregon. The OTT is a 670-mile route that stretches across Oregon from near Lakeview to Hood River. The Deschutes Tier is approximately 130 miles and starts at the north end of Waldo Lake and ends at the McKenzie River Trailhead, traversing both familiar and less -familiar trails and forest roads, with options to indulge in the comforts of civilization along the way.
Another bikepacking option is the Oregon Outback route. While the entire route is 364 miles and runs from Klamath Falls to the Columbia River east of The Dalles, the Central Oregon section goes along the Crooked River, by Prineville Reservoir and through Prineville and the Ochoco National Forest. The Central Oregon portion of the route is on paved and forest roads and is e-bike and motorized vehicle friendly . Parts of the route elsewhere in Oregon are open only to nonmotorized travel.
For equestrians, Kim McCarrel of Oregon Equestrian Trails recommends participating in one of the five endurance equestrian races that happen in Central Oregon, with distances ranging from 25 to 100 miles. Check out Pacific Northwest Endurance Rides or American Endurance Ride Conference for more information.
For a motorized adventure, Kevin Hopper, president of Central Oregon Off-Highway Vehicle Association, recommends the Oregon Backcountry Discovery Routes. Routes 3 and 4 are in Central Oregon, yet if you did all the routes, you’d travel 1,500 miles to every corner of Oregon. If you don’t shy away from a challenge, check them out.
As I look into my crystal ball, I see many fun challenging outdoor adventures in your future. Happy 2022!
Read more like this on Bend Bulletin.
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