Oregon's Underrated Desert City Is A Tourist-Free Hidden Gem Offering Scenic Views And Outdoor Adventures

When you think of Oregon and the Pacific Northwest, you likely think of lush forests, thundering waterfalls, and stunning rocky coastlines. In other words, you wouldn't consider the Beaver State as a desert destination. But you'd be wrong to think that. Much like California to the south, Oregon boasts arid landscapes just as it does snow-capped mountains. Don't believe it? Check out the desert city of Culver, smack-dab between two of the state's most popular tourist destinations. 

Culver sits just 45 minutes north of Bend, the naturally breathtaking mountain city known for its craft beer, art, and proximity to outdoor adventures, and just over two and a half hours southeast of Portland. It's also half an hour outside the Warm Springs Reservation, the ancestral home of the Tenino, Wasco, and Paiute peoples. Though it may be a small town, Culver is just over a 20-minute drive from Redmond Municipal Airport, offering nonstop flights from major West Coast cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco. You can fly into Redmond from other parts of the country via hubs like Denver and Phoenix. 

Once you've thrown your preconceived notions of Oregon landscapes out the car window, get ready for an unforgettable experience in the Oregon desert with Culver as your launching pad. 

Culver is an ideally located gateway to a variety of trails and recreation areas to scratch any itch you might be feeling to see some showstopping landscapes. 

South of town you'll find the Otter Bench Trail, which offers unmatched views of Crooked River Gorge. Nearby you'll find other places to hike like Steelhead Falls and Alder Springs Falls as well as the unbelievable Smith Rock State Park, complete with several rock faces for climbers and trails for hikers. Speaking of the Crooked River, you can't visit Culver without wandering through the Crooked River National Grassland, tucked in the foothills of the equally beautiful Ochoco National Forest. Situated southeast of Culver, Crooked River National Grassland boasts hiking trails at Rimrock Springs, Grey Butte, and Skull Hollow, each providing access to a wide range of natural features. Further east in the heart of Ochoco National Forest, you'll similarly have a variety of trails to hike and wilderness to explore, such as the Bridge Creek Wilderness and trails for Round Mountain, Lookout Mountain, and Line Butte. You can even see an old mine via the Mother Lode Mine Trail. 

North of Ochoco National Forest and Crooked River National Grassland is John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, a one-of-a-kind piece of history resembling Arizona's extraordinary Painted Desert. Get up close and personal with the fossils and the awe-inspiring colorful canyons at the Painted Hills Overlook, Painted Cove Trail, and Carroll Rim Trail Viewpoint. 

Once you've worked up a sweat outside, it's time to lay back with some other leisure activities in the Culver area. Culver itself has all the charm of a desert town in the American Southwest without the blistering summer heat. Get your morning pick-me-up at Carolyn's Coffee Shop or grab a bite to eat at Beetle Bailey Burgers, Juniper Cove Bar & Grill, or the Round Butte Inn. For hotel accommodations, however, you'll need to head north to the town of Madras, which boasts a bevy of options like Quality Inn and Motel 6. You can also opt to rough it outside town at the Haystack West Shore Campground or the Haystack Reservoir Campground, both of which sit on the banks of the Haystack Reservoir. 

Water activities like boating, kayaking, and swimming are permitted at the Haystack Reservoir, but why stop there? Culver sits next to the Cove Palisades State Park, home to Lake Billy Chinook. Be advised that to use any manually powered boats 10 feet or longer, such as a kayak, you'll need to apply for an Aquatic Invasive Species permit. The same goes for all motorboats and sailboats longer than 12 feet using all Oregon waterways.