Widely acknowledged as the ‘capital’ of central Oregon, the booming community of Bend sits fairly close to the dead center of the state and is a regional nexus for a wide variety of exciting and adventurous outdoor activities. Central Oregon’s iconic high desert scenery is only a three hour drive from Portland and thus an easy getaway for a summer weekend. If you’re like most Portlanders, you will probably think to journey to Bend by the most expedient route, likely through Salem and Santiam Pass. This will put you right into the heart of many attractions, yet there’s a quite a lot to be seen on the south side of Bend as well. A less-traveled road trip to the southernly highlights takes a different route, coming in from Eugene through Oakridge and discovering the lakes of the Cascades along the way en route to Newberry Crater and the dramatic Lava Lands near Sunriver.

Oakridge: The back entry to the lakes and woods of the Cascades

To make the most of your weekend, head out on a Friday evening, driving down I-5 into Eugene, then continue then 40 miles inland on Highway 58 (also called the Willamette Highway) to the Cascades gateway burg of Oakridge. While the town doesn’t sport any big-name attractions, it has all the services one could need and is surrounded by the beauty of the Willamette National Forest. Originally a mill town, Oakridge is now becoming known as a haven for mountain bikers. It’s often overlooked, yet serves well as a base for exploring the area and avoids the crowds of more known locales.

The next morning, head out on Highway 58 and make your first stop at Odell Lake, just 2 miles from Willamette Pass and watched over by picture-perfect Diamond Peak. The lake is one of Oregon’s largest at over 3,500 acres and award-winning trout have been caught right here. This area of the Cascades is a patchwork of these lakes which were formed out of glacial depressions filled in by rainfall and are set amongst lush forestlands against a backdrop of the Cascade Mountains. Your companions throughout the day will be the snowy peaks of the Three Sisters, Broken Top, Mt. Jefferson, and Three-Fingered Jack.

Soon after Odell Lake, Highway 58 junctions with the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway and then a larger interchange with Highway 97, the main route between The Dalles and California. If you have time to spare, consider a detour a short distance south and then west on Highway 138 to stop by Diamond Lake. Both Mt Thielson and Mt Bailey overlook the lake which is often titled the ‘Gem of the Cascades’. From Diamond Lake, backtrack to Highway 97 which leads into La Pine. At La Pine, you’ll notice right away that the landscape here has entirely switched out of the lush mountains and fir forests of the Cascades and into the high desert, red soils, and ponderosa pines of central Oregon.

Oregon’s Lava Lands: Local Vulcanism in Action

Bypass Sunriver for a final stop of the day at Lava River Cave, a mile-long lava tube (Oregon’s longest uncollapsed lava tube) with a sandy bottom. This is probably the easiest cave walk ever, it’s exactly like walking a mile underground in a tube (but do bring a flashlight!). Do be aware that the caves are closed through much of the year outside the summer months as not to disturb the sensitive bat population. There is an entrance fee of $5 and the gate is closed at 4pm. Just past the caves is the ranger-staffed Lava Lands visitor center where you can pick up further information about the volcanic attractions in the area.

The next morning, repeat the drive on highways 58 and 97 and continue where you left off with the Lava Cast Forest. The Lava Cast Forest is on 9 mile-long unpaved Forest Service Road #9720 directly across from the turn into Sunriver. The trail is short and paved and features many examples of 7000-year old lava tree cast formations. Across the highway from the Lava Cast Forest, Lava Butte is another popular stop with an excellent panoramic view of the black lava flows that once poured out of this cinder cone volcano.

As you return to Highway 97 and turn to the southeast to visit Newberry Crater National Monument and Paulina Lake. The 17 square mile Newberry Caldera lies within the summit of a 500 square mile volcano that still shows activity even today. As to be expected in a volcanic monument, there are many hikes that showcase the volcanic features and history of the area. Two of the most popular hikes are the Newberry Crater Obsidian Trail alongside one of the largest obsidian flows in the world, and the Odgen National Recreation Trail along Paulina Creek, home to no fewer than 20 waterfalls. The monument does have a $5 entrance fee and hours vary by season.

From the monument, it’s an hour back to highway 97 and into the city of Bend proper. Bend of course, offers many attractions of its own, should you have time remaining: Drake Park, Pilot Butte, the Deschutes River Trail, the High Desert Museum, just to name a few. You may want to stroll through the Old Mill district and enjoy a local beer before your return drive back home.