In so many ways, Central Oregon is the heart of the Beaver State. It sits in the geographic center of Oregon and is where so many cultures and landscapes collide — where the snow-capped Cascade Mountains descend to the wide-open high desert, where lava flows reside alongside award-winning museums, and where innovative menus meet tried-and-true culinary favorites.
With a region as vast, diverse, and varied as Central Oregon, it’s easy to see it all from a few of our highways, byways, and backcountry roads. These outings showcase the communities that make Central Oregon so special and reveal how conditions can change with just a short drive. It’s easy, for instance, to trade the cool mountain air of the Cascades for the warmer high desert—or the clear skies above Prineville for the moon-like landscapes around the Newberry Volcanic National Monument.
To help inspire your next getaway, we’ve put together a few road trips around the region for when you want to see the many sides and flavors of the region:
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We’ve arranged each itinerary in a certain order — south to north or west to east, for instance — but you can start and end wherever you’d like. Most take two hours or less, one way, which gives you plenty of time to stop and see the sites along the way. If a one-day adventure isn’t enough, check out overnight stays in Central Oregon for the perfect hotel, motel, resort, or campground.
Journey from La Pine to Prineville
This excursion follows Highway 97 north from La Pine — near the southern terminus of the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway — and turns east onto Highway 126 in Redmond. From there, the road passes through ranchland and high-desert landscapes before arriving in downtown Prineville — the oldest city in Central Oregon.
From La Pine, head north on Highway 97 — and stop into the resort community of Sunriver for lunch. Century Commons Taps & Trucks is a food-cart pod that hosts seven carts dishing cuisine from around the world, as well as a bar that pours local craft beer, cider, and kombucha. At Sunriver Resort, enjoy upscale, farm-to-table takes on Pacific Northwest fare at one of the resort’s many eateries. For inspiration, read up on the best restaurants in Sunriver, Oregon.
Further north, near where you turn east toward Prineville, grab a flashlight from your trunk and check out the Redmond Caves Recreation Site. Collectively, the site is made up of five caves that formed after a lava flow thousands of years ago — and offers plenty of opportunities for easy exploration today.
Your journey ends at Prineville Reservoir State Park, just 20 minutes south of Prineville. The sprawling park sits on the shore of its namesake reservoir and boasts opportunities for paddling, fishing, wildlife-watching, relaxed hiking, and camping. In 2021, it was named an International Dark Sky Park — and is an outstanding place to spot planets, shooting stars, and (in summer) the Milky Way arcing overhead. Learn more about observatories and stargazing in Central Oregon.
Find Adventure From Sisters to Madras
This road trip covers it all: Experience the Old West charm of Sisters, the growing city of Redmond, and high-desert escapes at local vineyards and dramatic parks. Our suggested outline begins in Sisters, heads east on Highway 126, turns north onto Highway 97 in Redmond, and ends around Madras and Lake Billy Chinook.
Start on two wheels, rather than four, by checking out some of the roughly 20 miles of singletrack at Peterson Ridge Trail System in Sisters. After grabbing a rental from Blazin Saddles, ride through forests of ponderosa pine on fast, flowy trails that are mostly flat and largely free of technical obstacles. For more, get the rundown on mountain biking in Central Oregon.
On your way to Redmond, refuel with well-balanced wines and wood-fired pizza — topped with fresh, local ingredients — at Faith Hope & Charity Vineyards. In addition to beloved food and wine, the winery’s tasting room affords wide-open views of the Three Sisters to the west; the peaks were given the names Faith, Hope, and Charity by early European-American emigrants in Central Oregon, which is how the winery got its name. Remember to drink responsibly, and consider a tour or transportation arrangements.
To the north of the winery, and southwest of Madras, sits The Cove Palisades State Park at Lake Billy Chinook — where the Deschutes, Metolius, and Crooked rivers collide. The Cove Palisades is home to a variety of outdoor attractions — such as camping, hiking, boating, and paddling. There’s a lot to see and do at the park, so we’ll understand if you decide to spend a full day or weekend at Lake Billy Chinook.
Travel Through Time to Warm Springs
Leave the crowds behind on this drive, which eschews many of Central Oregon’s best-loved sites for the path less traveled. Begin in Antelope, and spend most of your time on backroads as you follow a C-shaped loop through Shaniko, Maupin, and Warm Springs.
Start in the blink-and-you-miss-them communities of Antelope and Shaniko. Antelope was designated Oregon’s first International Dark Sky Community in 2024, and its night skies offer ample opportunities for stargazing — where a telescope isn’t necessary for dramatic views. Consider bookending your trip with an overnight stay at the Antelope Basecamp, home to 10 remodeled A-frame cabins. Nearby Shaniko is a popular ghost town — home to a number of abandoned buildings that make the perfect backdrop for scenic photo ops.
Up next is the city of Maupin, which resides in a canyon along the Deschutes River and is a delight in all four seasons. In summer, the Lower Deschutes hosts some of the best whitewater rafting in Central Oregon. In fall and spring, the namesake cascade at nearby White River Falls State Park roars at the site of a former hydroelectric plant.
If you’re visiting at lunch, stop into The Riverside for an approachable selection of house-made pub grub; the menu covers salads, sandwiches, steaks, and a decadent macaroni-and-cheese dish crafted with five cheeses. The pub’s spacious patio is just across the highway from the Deschutes River.
After a day of small-town fun, throw on your bathing suit and unwind at Kah-Nee-Ta Hot Springs Resort. The resort hosts a restaurant, overnight rooms, hiking trails, and other attractions on the banks of the Warm Springs River; of course, the wide variety of soaking pools — with private tubs and two public pools available — is the resort’s biggest draw. See why Kah-Nee-Tah is one of the top family-friendly resorts in Central Oregon, and learn about other activities in nearby Warm Springs.
Get to Know the Heart of Central Oregon
It’s hard to get lost on this adventure, which begins on Highway 97 in Madras and heads south through the heart of Central Oregon. Along the way, you’ll get to know a few new stops that showcase the charm of Madras, learn about the natural history and modern-day wildlife of Central Oregon, and enjoy endless adventure in the Newberry National Volcanic Monument — and you’ll never have to leave the highway for any of it.
Start with lunch in Madras, whose old-school downtown blends old-school cool and a creative energy buoyed by a new slate of exciting restaurants and brewpubs. One popular stop is The Spot, a two-story outpost that delivers plenty of outdoor seating, on-site food trucks, a taproom that pours Central Oregon beer and cider, and a kitchen dishing quick bites for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. To the south, Initiative Brewing’s brewpub features 16 house-made beers on tap, allergy-friendly and vegetarian-friendly pub grub, and plenty of seating for the whole family.
As you head south, spend a few hours at the High Desert Museum near Bend and Sunriver — one of the best museums in Central Oregon. The indoor-outdoor museum shares the area’s natural and cultural history through immersive and bilingual exhibits, dozens of live animals — including porcupines, river otters, raptors, lizards, and snakes — are on display, and regular events and reenactors bring the past to life in countless delightful ways. If you’re hungry, the museum’s Rimrock Café serves fresh sandwiches, wraps, burgers, and other appetizing bites — with a shady patio if you’d like to eat outside.
Not far from the museum is the Newberry National Volcanic Monument. In all, the 57,000-acre monument is made up of three separate units around Sunriver and La Pine that show off the awe-inspiring power of Newberry Volcano through an underground lava tube, a lava-strewn forest, a panoramic butte, several campgrounds within an active caldera, and more. Most of the attractions are open and snow-free between May and October. Gather your bearings at the Lava Lands Visitor Center, and learn more about fun things to do at Newberry National Volcanic Monument.
Follow Other Fun Trails in Central Oregon
We’ve shared some of our favorite outings, but they’re not the only ways to make the move around the central region of the state. Here are a few ideas for diving into our creativity, culinary spirit, and craft-brew excitement.
Note that these so-called trails are self-guided, which means they’re not really trails you follow from Point A to Point B — but rather collections of attractions centered on a certain theme. If a trail sounds interesting, feel free to pick and choose the sites that align with where you’ll be, where you’d like to go, and what captures your imagination.
Central Oregon Mural Trail
Whether you’re traveling with kids or are a kid at heart, the Central Oregon Mural Trail offers one dazzling, photo-worthy stop after another. In all, the self-guided trail comprises 10 murals, crafted by local artists, that draw inspiration from those famous “Greetings From…” postcards.
Each is tailored to the city or town where it’s found. In Warm Springs, for instance, the colorful mural features wildlife, the Deschutes River, and a greeting in the language of the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs; Sunriver’s mural, meanwhile, pays tribute to the horses, meadows, and mountain views common across the community.
High Desert Food Trail
All across Central Oregon, passionate makers, dedicated farmers, thoughtful crafters, and tenacious growers ply their trade and share their food and drink with visitors from all walks of life. The High Desert Food Trail offers an introduction to their efforts — and the chance to savor the flavors of the region.
In all, roughly 50 breweries, distilleries, eateries, markets, farms, ranches, and overnight stays can be found throughout the trail — with stops that host a diverse lineup of offerings. That means you can sip cider and spirits in La Pine, stay the night in Sisters, nosh on regional fare in Warm Springs, and grab fresh produce at markets and restaurants in Bend.
Bend Ale Trail
When Deschutes Brewery launched out of a converted law office in 1988 in downtown Bend, it sparked a craft-beer revolution in Central Oregon — one that hasn’t slowed down in the decades since.
Get familiar with craft breweries in Bend and Central Oregon on the Bend Ale Trail, which features a passport that you can get stamped for visiting roughly 30 taprooms and brewpubs across the region. Visit enough stops, and you’ll earn a prize that celebrates our culture of craft beer.
Calendar of Events
If you’re looking to blaze your own trail and want inspiration, browse our Central Oregon calendar of events for the latest markets, art exhibits, music festivals, concerts, and more. If it’s happening in Central Oregon, it’s on our calendar.
Finally: Be sure to visit the Oregon Department of Transportation’s TripCheck tool, especially in winter, for road closures, live traffic cams, construction updates, and more.
