We’ve been in Central Oregon since Summer of 2018 and while we’ve packed it in and covered a laundry list of epic hikes and sites, wilderness areas and National Parks. . . we’ve only just scratched the surface of amazing things to do in the state.

Oregon is packed full of lush evergreens, alpine mountains, amazing waterfalls, a rolling dusty desert, and a rugged coastline. You could stay busy exploring here for decades.

From the epic, the easy, and the enjoyable, we’ve got you covered with lots of different Oregon adventures. If you’re planning a visit to explore & adventure hopefully you’ll find one or two spots from our list of favorites to add to your list.

Oregon’s Painted Hills are like something from a dream.

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Looking out on The Deschutes River from Bend

Around Bend Oregon:

Smith Rock State Park

Okay so it’s about a half hour north of Bend. . . But we love it so much, it’s no wonder you see it shown as an icon on lots of Bend artwork. Smith Rock State Park is just epic. There’s really no other way to describe it. It’s a world famous rock climbing spot and an epic day-hiking park — where hikers can meander by the Crooked River and along the not-so-miserable Misery Ridge Trail and other routes. You can even hike to see the famous and appropriately named Monkey Head Rock.

I’m happy to just take a chair and plop it down in front of one of these vistas and read a book.

Yours truly, doing some serious Smith Rock ogling.

Tumalo Falls
A little drive about twenty minutes on the northern edge of town in Tumalo. Such a big waterfall tucked right in town! If you visit during Summer you can hike out along trails that run past the waterfall.
McMenamin’s
Stay here if you want a quirky + very cool Bend experience. McMenamin’s hotels, bars, + restaurants are a popular staple throughout Oregon, and each is a little different. The Bend location was converted from an old Catholic School, and is eclectic, funky, and awesomely located right in quaint little downtown Bend. (I want to stay here during our elopement staycation.)
Drake Park & Mirror Pond
One of the prettiest little parks in downtown Bend. Definitely make sure you wander through it if you’re strolling through downtown or staying at McMenamin’s.
Shevlin Park
Maybe a five or ten minute drive from downtown. We’ve only been a few times during the Fall, and it was so beautiful! There were lots of aspen trees and larch pines that turned a pretty gold in the Fall.
Pilot Butte
Right smack dab in the middle of town. Hike or drive to the top and take in a good 360 degree view of Bend and the surrounding epic mountains.
Deschutes River Trail
This is our backyard, and we love it. Several miles of paved + dirt trail run along the rambling Deschutes river. You pass by sections of rapids, through dusty sagebrush patches, ponderosa pines, some cute little neighborhoods- even the Old Mill shopping district (if you get hungry you can hop off the trail and grab a burger or go buy new hiking poles at REI and get back to it).

Tromping along the Deschutes River Trail

Tumalo Mountain

Want a(n almost straight up) hike that will kick your ass a little (and wear out your kids) that delivers an epic summit vista all within twenty minutes of downtown Bend? Tumalo is it.

Mount Bachelor

If you’re a skier you definitely need to check out Mt. Bachelor. We’re newbie baby skiers but we decided when we moved out here that we’d be robbing ourselves if we didn’t take our opportunity to learn to ski! They have an awesome lessons and rentals program if you want help from well-trained experts.

Cascade Lakes Scenic Highway

I love the CLH. I would drive it every day if I could. The Cascade Lakes Highway is one of the country’s most beautiful scenic byways; equal in my heart to the Blue Ridge Parkway (in the Fall). Whether you’re headed out there to park, sit, read, paint, soak it up — or jump off to an epic trail to hike and explore — the CLH is just so special. The road is only open from Memorial Day to the beginnings of the cold & the first proper snow (which was late October this year). We’ve done a few hikes here and there along Sparks Lake and Todd Lake and the views are something beyond breathtaking.

Here are some popular trails, lakes, and areas to check out if you go! (Bring bug spray in the Summer)

Green Lakes Trail

Sparks Lake Trail
Todd Lake Loop
Broken Top (permit will eventually be required for hiking)

Yes, Devil’s Lake along the Cascade Lakes Highway is actually this green.

Yours truly standing on the very edge of the closed-up Cascade Lakes Highway, looking out at those yummy snow-capped mountains.

around The McKenzie River:

So many of my favorite areas that we’ve been to so far are right here along the McKenzie River in the Willamette Valley, which is about an hour and a half West of Bend on the other side of the mountains.

It’s truly magical. The water is a kind of icy blue I can’t describe; and the moss, trees, and greenery surrounding it are an acidic lime green. The surrounding atmosphere is always so full of water vapor coming off the river - as soon as we step out of the car I start breathing deeper and deeper and huffing the air like it’s an inhaler.

Favorites along The McKenzie:

Sahalie + Koosah Falls Loop

If you’re a kid that grew up in the 90s you probably remember the movie Homeward Bound. Remember the scene where Sassy the cat goes over the roaring waterfall? Yeah, that was the seventy three foot high Sahalie Falls!

This is one of my absolute favorite loop hikes that we like to do in Central Oregon. When we need our fix of some waterfalls and some drop-dead gorgeous McKenzie River, it gives me all. You can park at either Sahalie or Koosah’s parking lots (we recommend Koosah- it’s the lesser known of the two) and hike the half mile stretch that runs between the two waterfalls. Or you can do the longer version, the full ~2.5 mile loop that crosses over to the other side of the McKenzie River. I know we need to branch out and do new hikes, but I love this loop so much it never fails to brighten my day.

Late Fall hiking the Sahalie Koosah loop.

Proxy Falls

Proxy Falls are some of the most iconic waterfalls in Central Oregon. The very short ~1 mile loop hike is right off of Highway 242 and will lead you past both Upper Proxy and Lower Proxy Falls. Wear good waterproof hiking shoes if you want to get up close to the falls. Just like some of the best rides at the amusement parks: You WILL get wet.

It’s a seriously popular photographer’s destination, too, so don’t be surprised when you get there and there are one or two tripods set up. (Hence why it’s such an iconic place!)

Tamolitch/Blue Pool

This hike literally brought me to tears because it’s just so beautiful. It’s a pretty easy ~4 mile hike that takes you to Blue Pool which holds truly the most unreal colored water I’ve ever laid eyes on. The trail is lined with giant old growth evergreens draped in moss, and the roaring turquoise and icy blue McKenzie runs alongside you for a good bit of the path. It is an afternoon (or full day if you hike as slowly as I do, taking pictures at every turn) very well spent.

Belknap Hot Springs, Lodge, & Gardens

We just visited here for the first time on my birthday in early February and it was such a magical quintessentially “PNW” experience. It was cold, rainy, misty, and thusly relatively quiet. There were maybe ten other people using the soaking pool with us, and with the air being a misty 40 degrees outside, the 102 degree pool felt delicious. We soaked for about an hour, then got out when we were starting to feel sleepy. We went and changed clothes and hiked across the suspension bridge over the roaring McKenzie River (we saw a LOT of snow this January, so the snowmelt is epic. The river was roaring and all along the highway were tiny little waterfalls that had appeared from all the runoff.) We only hiked for an hour or so, but managed to make our way to the gardens, which are completely magical. I can’t even imagine how neat it would be in the summertime!

around the Southern Oregon Area:

Crater Lake Highway Waterfalls

As you’re driving the highway road that leads to the turnoff for Crater Lake you’ll pass lots of brown recreation signs for Waterfalls. The road is lined with them, and if you can plan a few extra hours for this you can see six or seven amazing waterfalls! The hikes that lead up to them are generally short (.1-.6 miles) and mostly paved, too, though we found lots of ways to climb up/in and get closer to most of them. You could take an entire day just to hike around and explore these waterfalls; or make an awesome few days of it and camp at one of the many nearby campgrounds.

Yours truly being a goober in front of one of the many waterfalls along Crater Lake Highway.

Paulina Peak

When they were trying to decide which of Oregon’s natural wonders should be made into its National Park the debate was between Crater Lake and Paulina Peak. Crater Lake won, but Paulina Peak and its surrounding features are equally jaw-drop-worthy and awe-inspiring and just all-around absolutely gorgeous. The park is super diverse. You can go hike around the lake, go check out the double waterfall that reminds me of a dueling piano bar, hike through the shiny obsidian rock flow, or hike/drive to the summit of Paulina peak.

Around eastern oregon/east of bend:

Oregon Badlands Wilderness

If you want to go hang out with some ancient thousand+ year old Juniper trees you need to head out East to the Oregon Badlands Wilderness area. It’s wild and brambly - in the early to mid Summer it’s filled with desert wildflowers that pop up in the dust like little fireworks. In the late Summer if you can bear the heat you’ll be surrounded by the sagebrush when it’s blooming and golden. And the Junipers. . . They’re just magical. It’s deceiving because you’d expect trees so old to be gigantic - like Redwoods or Sequoias, but they’re squat and gnarled and twisted and beautifully ancient.

Painted Hills / John Day Fossil Bed

Want to feel like you’re in the Wild Wild West? Drive East through the John Day Fossil Bed area to the Painted Hills. We drove out there to check it out right before our state declared an official stay at home order due to COVID-19, and the timing was perfect. It was a much needed escape to someplace almost unreal it was so different and epically beautiful.

Around The Oregon Coast:

Kevin & I haven’t done much coastal exploring together yet. We roamed up the coastline for a few hours with my parents on our way back from the Redwoods & Jedediah Smith State Park in Northern California, but it was just a passing tour. We stopped briefly at Samuel Boardman so Kev & I could scope it out as a possible elopement spot! You could’ve left me there to die, it was that beautiful.

I also got to spend a few days in Lincoln City with my girlfriends last Fall doing a lady-weekend-getaway (which was glorious) where we crafted and drank wine and watched Clueless and spent hours on the beach each doing our own thing, looking for rocks & agates and kicking the waves and roaming the shoreline and building bonfires and sitting and pondering. It’s a glorious thing - to just escape for a few days out of town and go somewhere where you can have a tiny adventure and have no expectations.

Samuel Boardman Scenic Corridor

Near the town of Brookings in Southern Oregon, Samuel Boardman is like something out of a fairytale. The arches and capes and giant rocks are simply stunning. There are several overlooks that dot along the stretch of scenic drive, and every single one is worth stopping at. If you want to get deeper into it there are miles of trail that stretch along the corridor too that you can explore. Some parts definitely got dicey and we’d definitely recommend you have the proper gear if you’re set on exploring here!

-from my gear post:

LET’S TALK ABOUT GEAR FOR A SECOND.

I’ve amassed a lot of good gear over the years. Sun shirts and hiking pants and wool base layers and puffy jackets and sweat-wicking clothing and hiking footwear and enough of this & that from years of working in the outdoor industry. . . that I’ve learned that if I’m well-equipped for my adventure I can be fully-immersed in my adventure.

And while you might be saying “Well good for you, Meggan” - and yes, while it is nice for me and while it helps me get the most out of my hikes, it’s not the point I’m exactly trying to make.

I’m not going to tell you that you have to go out and get the best gear because if you don’t you won’t be taken seriously/ have as good a time/ be an official legit adventurer. False, false, false.

But I am going to tell you to at least make sure you’re prepared with the right kind of clothing and footwear and necessary gear. That might require you to look at your arsenal and see if you need to make any investments in your gear. . . and in another sense, if you need to make investments in your health + personal safety so that you can enjoy yourself to the max. Don’t be heading out on an nine mile hike in cotton socks and brand new hiking boots that aren’t broken-in yet. Just don’t do it.

Because let’s be honest, we’ve all been there. . . Or had a friend along with us that was totally unprepared. There’s nothing worse than setting out on a trip or an adventure and not having the gear to do it correctly.

You’re TIRED. OR YOU’RE BLISTERED AND HURTING. OR YOU’RE BURNT OR FREEZING OR DEHYDRATED OR WEARING CHEAP-ASS FLIP FLOPS AND are very close to ROLLING YOUR ANKLE AND RUINING THE REST OF YOUR VACATION…

And look! There’s a pod of orca whales!

and you couldn’t give two shits less, because you’re miserable and over it.

I’ve been there. (Not specifically with a pod of whales — that would be cool.)

And I’ve seen it countless times over the years as I’ve outfitted and prepared others to go on trips and I asked them to learn from my mistakes. I ask about their plan & their gear and they look at me bewildered. Don’t be that person. There’s nothing worse than being out adventuring or on vacation and you’re trying desperately to enjoy the place you’re in - to be present in the moment. But you can’t because you’re mental focus is on your discomfort.

So here are my favorites.

Here are the pieces I use and wear over and over again that keep me comfortable so i can focus on wherever i’m at.

Interested in shopping all of my faves?

CLICK HERE TO SHOP ALL MY FAVORITE THINGS,

Want to dive deeper into this gear list? Check out my post here on my Oregon + PNW Hiking Apparel + Gear Favorites:

We’ve been in Oregon since August of 2018 and we’ve only scratched the surface. Like I said - we still haven’t done a proper trip to the coast together — nor have we made it to Portland to explore the big city! So while I can’t dive into lots of personal experiences or recommendations just yet on the following places, it goes without saying that they must be mentioned!

More epic spots we haven’t hit yet:

The Suttle Lodge & Boathouse
Just a little outside of Sisters Oregon near Mount Hoodoo ski resort is The Suttle Lodge & Boathouse. We haven’t been here yet but I’ve heard nothing but beautiful things about it from friends & co-workers. It’s on my list for anniversary spots to check out.
Portland
Go get you your urban fix. We will definitely make it to Portland - we just haven’t done it yet because we’ve been more keen on crossing off our nature bucket-list goals and hikes. PDX is quirky and awesome and full of culture and diversity and yummy eats galore. If you’re a city-lover it’s worth your while to fly into Portland, explore the urban scene for a few days and jump-off from there to explore all the cool nature that surrounds it.
Silver Falls State Park (10+ waterfalls!)
We haven’t hiked or camped here yet because I know it’s epically popular (and therefore teeming with people and mosquitos) in the Summer. BUT WE WILL. If you tell me there’s an opportunity to hike a loop that has 10+ waterfalls (some of which you hike behind) I’m gonna be all over that at some point.
Columbia Gorge Area
Just outside Portland, the Columbia river shoots out to the East and the gorge area that surrounds it has SO MANY COOL waterfalls, hikes, epic camping sites that are on our to-do list.
Multnomah Falls
Quite possibly one of the most photographed and quintessential Oregon waterfalls.

Multnomah Falls. Photo by Katie Drazdauskaite on Unsplash — Multnomah Falls. Photo by Katie Drazdauskaite on Unsplash

If you’re setting off on amazing adventures, be a respectful traveler, hiker, + explorer; check the conditions and fire bans before you camp, check for necessary wilderness permits before you head into the backcountry, and remember to leave no trace.

Oregon (and really the entire Pacific Northwest) is packed full of jaw-dropping gems - we could be busy exploring for the rest of our lives. I think we’ll be here for a few more years at least, but you never know how life goes! For now we’re soaking up as much of it as we can and enjoying the adventure every step of the way.

What are some of your favorite spots that I need to add to my bucket list?

See you on insta!

happy birdday to my big borther. ⁣
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if you could see my face right now it’s equally serious … about how seriously bad I want these outfits back. 😜

I have this tendency of turning into (even-more-of-a) little kid during the Summertime.⁣
After a certain number of 9:30 sunsets I just start to assume it will last forever.⁣
I think it’s all the extra light? ⁣
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And then we get to about this po

$☁️ find me here⁣ ⁣ #timwalker #timwalkerphotography #timwalkerfans #dreamscape #surrealistphotography ⁣ ⁣ hi friends! i’m still here - been working on other projects +\or allowing myself the space to not work at all (since I spend my full time$