The Three Sisters Mountains, part of the Cascade Range that runs north and south through Oregon and separates the Willamette Valley from the high desert area of Central Oregon.
Two of the Three Sisters photographed from the highway between Sisters and Bend.
Typical open spaces in Central Oregon’s high desert.
The Deschutes River at Tumalo State Park between Sisters and Bend. There is a wonderful day use area at the park with picnic tables and play areas. Also camp grounds right next to the river. They say fishing here is excellent.
You will see lots of wildlife like this pair of Canadian Geese heading north for the summer months.
The Deschutes River where it passes through Redmond.
Deer are very comfortable and tolerant of humans at Eagle Crest Resort in Redmond. They don’t seem to mind the golfers one bit.
The Stitchin’ Post in Sisters is a fantastic quilt shop with hundreds (probably thousands) of bolts of quilting fabrics. I’ve driven over the mountains from Portland many times (about a three hour drive in good weather) just to spend several hours here and day dream about the quilts I could make. I know I’ll never live long enough to finish the projects I already have but it is fun to think about buying more.
The Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show is one of the best quilting events in the country. The whole town is draped in the most beautiful quilts one could imagine. This year’s theme is “Cascade of Color” and over 1,200 quilts will be displayed in all their splendor. If you are a quilter this show is something not to be missed.
Most of the building in this quaint little town are covered with quilts.
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An old, abandoned gas station on the highway between Sisters and Redmond. It must be from the 1920’s.
And, of course, the car to go along with the station.
The High Desert Museum in Bend is a must see stop when you are in Central Oregon. This beautiful new facility is over 53,000 square feet and covers 135 acres. You can go inside a tipi and walk through a recreated mining town or visit a 1880’s working ranch and sawmill.
The Museum contains over 30,000 artifacts from Native American headdresses to frontier firearms and is just 10 minutes from downtown Bend.
Handmade, hand beaded garments and accessories of the Plateau Indians.
Ceremonial Headdresses
An authentic stage coach from the late 1800’s.
One of two wounded bald eagles that reside at the High Desert Museum. It was awesome to see one of these majestic birds up close.
A replica of a settler’s cabin, tight living quarters during the long wintery months.
A replica of the style of tipi used by Native Americans in this area.
And this is the kind of change in weather that is so unpredictable and common here. I took this photo at 9:00 am and by 2:00 pm all the snow was gone and the sun was shining.
The central area of Oregon is so beautiful and is a striking contrast to the coastal areas to the west and to the fertile Willamette Valley that lies between the Coast Mountain Range and the Cascades. I hope you’ve enjoyed accompanying me on my Spring Break and will consider coming back for a visit someday when you can experience all this for yourselves.
Additional places you might like to visit while you are here:
John Day Fossil Beds National Monument
Crater Lake National Park, the deepest lake in North America
Cathy, your photographs are really beautiful. Thanks for sharing them with us.
What a fun tour. Thanks for sharing!
I loved your spring break! Oregon is a beautiful state.
What beautiful country! Looks like you had a great time!
Absolutely delightful Cathy!
Thank you for sharing your beautiful photos with us, I really enjoyed them. xo~m.
All gorgeous photos – I would love to see the quilt place!
Wow Cathy, what a wonderful tour, I realy enjoy to see all of this panoramic photographs. I love river, so will definitely remember to visit Deschutes River next time I go to Oregon. My husband keep promising me that we will make the time to drive up to Oregon. Hopefully in summer.
Cheers,
elra
I love armchair travel..real travel too now..but armchairs pretty rewasrding also..Thanks so much!
I love w/e trips:)
OKAY you had me at this is the view from the car.
I wanna visit.
I wanna see Oregon.
I love mountains.
Thank you for the wonderful photos, Cathy! What awesome scenery. I love the shot of the blue river and the red twig dogwood on the banks!
Thank you for the tour of the quilt show, the museum and all of the artifacts along the way.
Looks so fun!
Beautiful photos! I never think of Oregon as part desert…but it is!
Great photos! Thanks for brining us along. 🙂 We have a beautiful country, don’t we?
Oh Cathy…your photographs are just beautiful. Thanks for going on a filed trip and letting us see things through your eyes! Such a treat. I can feel that fresh air all the way over here in Kansas!
Be sure to come over and visit my blog today!!!!!!!!! There’s a surprise!
Hugs, Nancy 🙂
Great pictures. Thanks for sharing them with us.
What a beautiful place. It feels like I’ve visited Oregon now.
Thanks again,
Ramona
I really enjoyed this virtual visit to central Oregon. What a beautiful area. Thank you for sharing it.
Cathy, I’m getting all nostalgic looking at these photo’s! Almost all of them I’ve been to. I really miss the beauty of Oregon. Thanks for the pictures! Wow, that road looked trecherous!!
Thank you all for taking this little trip with me. I’m so happy you enjoyed it. Where shall we go next?
What a delight! The photographs are classic and really allowed so many of us to experience what you saw.
Happy Twirls,
Libby
Loved seeing your tour! It brings back great memories of a beautiful place.
Beautiful photos, Cathy. We have traveled central Washington state, but not Oregon. I enjoyed this trip. The quilt shop…have heard about this place for years….I would not dare enter…you know what I mean….
Great photos, Cathy. I would love to go to the Sisters Quilt Show!
I haven't been there for awhile, but love it all – from the Quilt show in Sisters to Sister, just beautiful. I think I once rafted that river between Sisters and Bend. It was a wild ride, but so fun. I would love to do that again.
Thanks for the tour! I haven't yet been to that part of Oregon, but like Washington it is definitely a state of many different climates. I recently visited the Pendleton area and was really surprised at the landscape around there too. Love the old gas station and all of the quilts!