A Guide To Exploring Modern-Day Oregon Trails

The Cascade Lakes Highway

Oregon's highway in the sky.


 

Begin in Bend, Sunriver or LaPine and strike out on a breathtaking 87-mile loop that leads past Mt. Bachelor and the alpine lakes of Central Oregon, with spectacular panoramas and inviting stops along the way. Designated a National Scenic Byway by the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, the drive is open all summer. But from November through May, it's closed beyond Mt. Bachelor due to snow.

Bend: Visit the Central Oregon Welcome Center for a regional orientation. Then head downtown to historic Drake Park before embarking on the Cascade Lakes Highway tour, one of the most scenic drives in the country.

Mt. Bachelor: About 20 miles from town, Mt. Bachelor ski lifts operate all summer long to take sightseers to the 9,065-foot summit. From there, overlook the remarkable volcanic skyline and gaze well into neighboring states. The experience provides one of Oregon's most beautiful views.

Begin in Bend, Sunriver or LaPine and strike out on a breathtaking 87-mile loop that leads past Mt. Bachelor and the alpine lakes of Central Oregon, with spectacular panoramas and inviting stops along the way. Designated a National Scenic Byway by the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, the drive is open all summer. But from November through May, it's closed beyond Mt. Bachelor due to snow.

Bend: Visit the Central Oregon Welcome Center for a regional orientation. Then head downtown to historic Drake Park before embarking on the Cascade Lakes Highway tour, one of the most scenic drives in the country.

Mt. Bachelor: About 20 miles from town, Mt. Bachelor ski lifts operate all summer long to take sightseers to the 9,065-foot summit. From there, overlook the remarkable volcanic skyline and gaze well into neighboring states. The experience provides one of Oregon's most beautiful views.

The High-Mountain Playground: From Mt. Bachelor, enter the alpine lake country. First is 600-acre Sparks Lake, chosen as the memorial site to commemorate the work of Ray Atkeson, Oregon's photographer laureate.

Nearby, there are several entries to the 200,000-acre Three Sisters Wilderness, with 111 lakes and endless trails. A few miles beyond is Devils Lake with its white pumice floor.

At Elk Lake, a year-round resort (accessible by cross-country skis in winter) includes a complete marina. Neighboring Hosmer Lake is famous for its Atlantic salmon population. Lave and Cultus Lakes also offer resort facilities, while across the highway, Crane Prairie Reservoir is known for outstanding fishing and as a breeding ground for osprey.

As the highway loops east, it passes North and South Twin Lakes, both symmetrical in shape and about 60 feet deep. South Twin Lake offers a resort and marina. And on the other side of the road, Wickiup Reservoir is another well-known fishing hole.

Little Deschutes River and LaPine: Past Twin Lakes, follow the road to Pringle Falls, the Experimental Forest and on to the Little Deschutes River, a popular rafting stretch. The tour rejoins Hwy. 97 at LaPine. A few miles north of town, LaPine State Recreation Area is an ideal base camp to use while exploring the lava lands and wilderness areas.

Newberry National Volcanic Monument: North of LaPine, follow Forest Service Road #21 to enter Newberry Crater, the West's newest National Monument. This massive volcano includes a five-mile wide caldera encompassing obsidian fields, deep mountain lakes, lava formations and waterfalls. Paulina and East Lakes provide camping and resort facilities.

Sunriver: An alternate tour route veers left after Twin Lakes, following Fall River to the fish hatchery, and past the Deschutes River/Big River Campground before arriving at Sunriver.

Here, a complete resort community includes two championship golf courses, tennis, stables, a resort marina and the Sunriver Nature Center with live animal displays, a botanical garden and planetarium. Across the highway, Lave River Cave and the Lava Cast Forest provide remarkable displays of volcanic history.

The High Desert on Display: As you follow the tour route on its final leg, stop at Lava Lands Visitor Center where displays describe the region's volcanic past. Visit the top of the butte where wonderful views and interpretive trails await.

A few miles north, The High Desert Museum brings to life the natural and cultural heritage of the Intermountain West through nationally renowned exhibits, interactive displays and wildlife shows.

For a tour route brochure to learn of other Hwy. 97 loop drives contact chambers of commerce along the route, or write the Corridor 97 Association, P.O. Box 230, Bend, OR 97709. 1800/800-8334.

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