There’s never a bad time to visit Black Butte Ranch—the 1,800-acre resort community is a gem all year long—but there’s something undeniably special about summer. Maybe it’s the sun-kissed Cascade peaks that tower over the ranch, all the outdoor activities at your doorstep, crisp nights around the fire pit at your vacation home, or curated activities for everyone in the family.
Whatever brings you to Central Oregon this summer, you’ll find plenty to love about your time at Black Butte Ranch, which is 40 minutes from Bend and just 15 minutes from Sisters. Even so, its wooded location offers a sense of tranquility that feels far removed from the hustle and bustle of Central Oregon.
So as you start planning your perfect vacation, here’s the ultimate summer guide to Black Butte Ranch.
Black Butte Ranch Vacation Rentals
Geared to Your Trip
Your home away from home should offer exactly the experience you want from a relaxing vacation.
So no matter what kind of stay you’re looking for—or the size of your crew—you’ll find the right lodging with Black Butte Ranch rental homes. Choose among 120 privately owned vacation homes, condos, and lodge rooms crafted and decorated to make your stay as memorable as possible.
Each home is customized with its own unique decor and amenities; options for groups of all sizes include budget-friendly lodge rooms, one-bedroom condos, and six-bedroom homes that can accommodate up to 12. Perks include state-of-the-art kitchens, plenty of natural light, loaner bikes to get around the resort, and more. Dogs are allowed in several homes at Black Butte Ranch, as well, so feel free to bring Fido.
Enjoy Some of the Most Scenic Golfing
in Central Oregon
You don’t have to go far for a world-class golf experience; depending on your home, it may be right outside your door.
Golf at Black Butte Ranch includes two championship golf courses, a creative putting course, and several offerings for the dedicated golfer—such as lessons, clinics, group discounts, annual events, and more.
The resort’s Glaze Meadow Golf Course is as iconic for what’s on the course as what surrounds it. Over the course of 18 exciting holes, the course challenges golfers with elevated greens, deep bunkers, well-groomed fairways, and rolling hillsides. Along the way, golfers can soak in views of nearby Cascade peaks (including Mount Washington and one of the Three Sisters) and, in autumn, colorful quaking aspen.
The lengthy Big Meadow Golf Course, meanwhile, spans more than 7,000 yards and surrounds its dramatic fairways and broad bunkers with forests of pine and aspen, as well as Three-Fingered Jack rising above it all.
Other highlights include the 12-hole Little Meadow Putting Course, stay-and-play packages, and annual events that range from tournaments to sidewalk sales.
Enjoy a Spa Day at Black Butte Ranch
You’re on vacation, and you deserve to relax—so rejuvenate and recharge with help from the Spa at Black Butte Ranch.
Some of the resort’s many spa services include six types of massage (as well as three options for couples massages), full body treatments, and facials; if you can’t decide, the spa’s packages bring together a few highlights. A few massage offerings are even available at the Lakeside pool. Whatever you choose, all spa services include the use of Black Butte Ranch’s hot tub and steam room.
Explore the Unique Landscapes at Your Doorstep
One of the more remarkable features about Black Butte Ranch is how seamlessly the resort community integrates with its natural surroundings—and the many ways it invites its guests to explore those ecosystems. And since sunny skies linger all summer long at Black Butte Ranch, there’s never a bad time to get outdoors.
Cyclists, for instance, can rent bicycles and trailers for exploring the nearly 20 miles of paved paths that crisscross Black Butte Ranch; rentals are available on an hourly, daily, three-day, or weekly basis, and delivery and pickup services are available. The resort even offers recommended bike rides around Black Butte Ranch and beyond, from on-site outings through meadows and wetlands to mountain bike excursions in the surrounding forests.
The quiet Phalarope Lake sits at the northern edge of Black Butte Ranch and affords some of the resort community’s best views of surrounding Cascade peaks. So if you’d like to unwind with a day on the water, a variety of rentals are available—including canoes, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards (SUPs), and stand-up pedal boards that look similar to traditional SUPs, but which are pedal-powered.
If you’re looking to stretch your legs, the Lakeside Nature Trail parallels Phalarope Lake and offers epic wildlife-watching opportunities; keep an eye out for rainbow trout leaping out of the lake, osprey diving for dinner, or even otters frolicking about.
You can even saddle up for a quiet horseback ride with the on-site Black Butte Stables, which has been leading trail rides at Black Butte Ranch for more than two decades. Outings are geared toward beginners and veteran riders alike, head through the quiet forests and wildflower-covered meadows surrounding the ranch, and afford photo-worthy views of Broken Top, Mount Washington, and the Three Sisters rising above the tree line.
Find a Fun Activity for Everyone in Your Crew
Even if the outdoors aren’t your thing, Black Butte Ranch offers several vacations’ worth of on-site activities for everyone in your family or friend group. The Black Butte Ranch Activity Guide is updated monthly and offers ideas for making the most of every experience throughout your vacation.
Some of the many activities highlighted in the guide include a number of tennis and pickleball courts (the latter surrounded by a forest of ponderosa pine), six swimming pools (some of which boast scenic views), wellness opportunities (including pools, a hot tub, yoga classes, and a state-of-the-art fitness center), and even family-friendly stargazing opportunities through a telescope that’s 100 times as powerful as the human eye. And that’s to say nothing of the many day camps, workshops, classes, and other children’s activities at Black Butte Ranch.
Hungry? You’ll find plenty of great dining options at Black Butte Ranch. Grab breakfast, pastries, or lunch at the Lakeside Bistro—or make a dinner reservation at Robert’s Pub, which serves all your favorite Pacific Northwest-inspired pub dishes alongside locally brewed craft beer and regional wine.
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Your Ultimate Guide to Golfing at Black Butte Ranch
Turning off Highway 20, shrouded on both sides by ponderosa pine trees, it doesn’t take long to leave the forests of Central Oregon behind for a wide-open, laid-back vacation at Black Butte Ranch—sitting in the shadow of a half-dozen Cascade peaks. Once you’ve arrived at the ranch and kicked off your shoes, how you enjoy the ranch is limited only by how many vacation days you get to use. But one of the most popular activities at Black Butte Ranch is golfing. You’ll find two championship courses, a creative putting course, and a variety of fun ways to engage with the game—including lessons and clinics, annual events, group discounts, and (for the hearty golfer) stay-and-play packages.
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Things to Do in Sisters, Oregon
Sisters is a small town with an adventurous spirit. The downtown area has the look and feel of a Western boomtown, paying homage to the community's Western roots. The City of Sisters is what you get when you mix cowboy and ranching country with outdoor adventure, farm-to-table dining and luxury accommodations. At the base of the Cascade Range where the mountains meet the forest, Sisters stands as a destination for adventure of all kinds. Read on to discover our ten favorite things to do while in Sisters.
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Hiking Black Butte – Central Oregon’s Iconic & Majestic Cinder Cone
From a distance, Black Butte looks like it doesn’t quite match the picturesque alpine mountains that surround it. The volcanic rock that emerges above the tree line gives the impression of a hill constructed with loose stones that was carelessly dropped in the middle of the woods. Unlike the Cascades that puncture the horizon to the west and north, Black Butte can be hiked and enjoyed in under four hours.