Greg Burke Website
Alder Springs
Located on Lower Whychus Creek, Alder Springs is an oasis in the high desert. The trail starts at the top of the Whychus Creek Canyon, where you’ll enjoy wide open […]
Read MoreJames Parsons
Please note that the road to Alder Springs is seasonally closed. There is a gate located on Forest Service Road 6360 that is locked from December 1 through March 31 every year to help protect winter range for the local deer populations. Hiking and biking are welcome beyond the gate during the closure, but please respect this motorized closure.
The rugged canyons and rushing whitewater of the proposed Whychus-Deschutes wilderness offer spectacular vistas and wildlife-viewing opportunities year-round, but spring is a particularly lively time to visit this area. Snowmelt from nearby volcanoes rushes to the confluence of Whychus Creek and the Middle Deschutes River, a uniquely seasonal sound to accompany you as you hike, fish and bird-watch in this remarkably wild area.
Greg Burke Website
Located on Lower Whychus Creek, Alder Springs is an oasis in the high desert. The trail starts at the top of the Whychus Creek Canyon, where you’ll enjoy wide open […]
Read MoreAlong with the snow-swelled rapids of the Middle Deschutes River, a springtime hike along the Scout Camp loop trail will offer opportunities to see perennial wildflowers start to bloom and western juniper “green up” as chlorophyll is sent back to leaves after retreating during winter. Birds and other wildlife have relied on Western juniper berries throughout the winter and this tree continues to be a key food source in early spring. As always, the striking canyon geology and spectacular views of the confluence of Whychus Creek and the Deschutes River are not to be missed.
Frank Israel
The Scout Camp loop trail on the Middle Deschutes River is one of the most spectacular hikes you’ll find in Central Oregon. About a third of a mile from the […]
Read MoreIn the coming months, a hike on the Flatiron Rock trail in the Oregon Badlands Wilderness will offer stunning views of wildflowers covering the ground among lava formations, ancient juniper and beautiful views of the Cascades. Sagebrush buttercup leads the way as one of the earliest wildflowers to bloom in the area. Hedgehog cactus, Oregon sunshine and bitterroot will come into bloom by mid-April, lending a new color palette to 10,000 acres of desert wildlands forever protected as wilderness. And with wildflowers come pollinators. Native bees and bumblebees begin hatching and working these blooms as the days get warmer. You may even see pictographs as you venture through the area, as it is the ancestral land of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs and Northern Paiute. These fragile and important cultural artifacts are to be admired, but not touched.
Feeling up for a challenge? Hike, run or horseback ride all 50+ miles of trails in the Oregon Badlands Wilderness at your own pace as part of our Badlands Challenge.
Mike Stahlberg
The Flatiron Rock trail offers a wonderful introduction to the Badlands, winding through inflated lava and old-growth juniper woodlands for about 2.5 miles to one of the most prominent rock […]
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These suggested hikes and the surrounding Central Oregon Backcountry are located on lands traditionally and presently inhabited by members of the Wasco, Warm Springs, Paiute, Bannock and Shoshone tribes.
To add to your day outside, check out the VisitBend website for a comprehensive directory of all the hotels, camping, and other lodging options in Bend, along with all your options for dining and other activities while in the area. Just be sure to keep your mask on and keep your visit COVID-safe.
Visit BendBy Scott Bowler and Lace Thornberg After months of rejuvenating itself in subtle ways, Oregon’s high desert begins pulsing with undeniable signs of spring’s arrival in March, April and May. […]
Read MoreLegacy gifts are about planning for the future – your future and the future of Oregon’s wild desert lands, waterways and wildlife. Contact Allison Crotty at (541) 330-2638 or email to discuss your […]
Read MoreSpring is fast approaching in the high desert. As the daylight hours grow longer, signs of the shifting season can be seen popping up across the region. The desert will […]
Read MoreBy Scott Bowler What’s there to do in the desert in the winter? Watch wildlife! In many ways, especially at lower elevations, winter’s cold weather can provide some great hiking […]
Read MoreAuthor: Scott Bowler | Published: Dec. 15, 2020 | Updated: Dec. 21, 2021 | Category: Phenology Winter may seem harsh, and it is indeed a difficult time to live outdoors, […]
Read More“A Year in Oregon’s High Desert” offers escapism you can feel good about Feeling stressed? A dose of natural beauty could help. Studies have shown that spending time in a […]
Read MoreDid you know that, in addition to rivers, the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act can also protect creeks, streams and lakes? Wild and Scenic desert waters take many forms and […]
Read MoreHike to Hole in the Ground, one of author William L. Sullivan’s favorite high desert destinations! This weird, half-mile-wide pit really looks like a meteorite crater, but it is in […]
Read MoreSenator Ron Wyden is looking to add more Wild & Scenic Rivers to Oregon’s legacy of protected waterways and you have the chance to conserve 825 miles of desert rivers […]
Read MoreWow, it’s hot out there in the high desert! At least much of the time … not so much at night … and not every day either. (I can clearly […]
Read MoreAuthor: Scott Bowler | Published: July 2, 2020 | Updated: June 3, 2021 | Category: Phenology Across Oregon’s high desert, plants and animals spend the summer months “searching” — for […]
Read MoreIn a recent editorial, The Bulletin asked a good question: “how much land does Oregon have that is appropriate for wilderness?” The answer is a lot. A heckuva lot. In […]
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