After a good amount of driving south on I-5 and then south-east on US-26, it was time for a few breaks from the road, first in the town of Madras:
And then, impulsively, at Peter Skene Ogden State Park, on US-97 just north of Bend, where one is rewarded with views like these, if willing to dangle with one's camera over a 300-foot drop:
Once in Bend proper, I spent a good amount of time in Drake Park, which offered a substantial number of walking trails with some shade and nice breezes off the Deschutes River - all within just a block or two of the heart of downtown:
Just a short drive south of town is the Lava Lands Visitor Center and Lava Butte, all part of the Newberry National Volcanic Monument.
There is so little parking at the top of Lava Butte that one must wait for an appointed half-hour window to drive to the top, on a very curvy and yes, very RED, road!
But the views are much worth the effort...
Another day brought another short drive to the town of Sisters, with its distinctly Western theme!
But hey, the horse sculptures aren't only in Sisters - here's one from a park in Bend as well:
But of course, it would be crazy to come this close to Crater Lake without making the additional drive to see this incredible monument - and yes, it is as incredible as everyone says it is!
There are multiple possible routes between Western Washington and Central Oregon - some more interesting than others. This trip was my first time experiencing the portion of US-97 north of Bend up to the Columbia and the Washington border. It undoubtedly made for a longer trip than heading back towards I-5, but what fascinating country, and what an opportunity to see a different angle on some Cascade peaks that what I'm used to!
