Central Oregon

Central Oregon is a community of cities nestled between the Cascade Mountain Range and the high desert. The scenic beauty of this area is hard to beat with snow capped mountains, forests, countless lakes and rivers, beautiful sunsets, and high desert plateaus. What makes this a favorite place to vacation also entices people to make Central Oregon their home.

Central Oregon offers a wide variety of cultural and recreational activities and events. Some of these include:

• Central Oregon Symphony Orchestra
• High Desert Museum
• Kayaking, canoeing and rafting
• World Class Rock Climbing at Smith Rock and other areas
• Downhill skiing, snowboarding, and sledding at Mt. Bachelor and Hoodoo
• Snowshoeing, snowmobiling, dog sledding, and ice skating
• Cross-country skiing on groomed trails or through the backcountry
• Unlimited camping and backpacking at multiple locations including the Three Sisters Wilderness, Smith Rock State Park, and Deschutes National Forest
• Mountain Biking and Road Cycling. Bend was named as a Top 5 "Best Places to Ride" in Bike Magazine.
• Golfing. Central Oregon was rated 23rd in the 50 Greatest Golf Destinations from Golf Digest Magazine. There are over 20 golf courses in the area.
• Fly fishing enthusiasts flock here for the numerous scenic rivers and lakes that provide enticing and challenging waters to test their skills.
• Trail running

Central Oregon's weather brings four seasons to enjoy. We periodically have snow, but most of the snow hits the mountains and leaves the ground in town bare. Unlike West of the Cascades, we have approximately 300 days of blue sky and see little rainfall. Summer temperatures typically are around 80° and winter temperatures rarely drop below 32°F.

The total population of the three counties that make up Central Oregon is approximately 150,000 people. Bend is the largest community with a population of around 75,000 people.

For more information on the area, use the links on the right.