The Heart Of The Oregon Outback Is An Outdoorsy Place To Retire On The California And Nevada Border

If you're looking to make a bold choice as to where to spend your golden years, consider Lake County, Oregon, which made Stacker's list of the best counties in Oregon for retirees, ranking No. 9 out of 25 based on criteria like climate, healthcare, and recreational activities. But it's the latter category where Lake County truly shines. Nestled on the state's southern border with California and Nevada, the county seat of Lakeview is closer to Reno than to Portland (225 miles versus 350 miles, respectively).

Lake County lies at the heart of the Oregon Outback region. Wild, rugged, and sunny, this high desert region's 8,275 square miles are blanketed in mixed conifer forests, open desert dunes, pristine rivers leaping with fish, and jewel-like lakes. There are just over 8,000 people living here, giving it a population density of one person per square mile, sparser than that of Alaska. The lifestyle is overwhelmingly rural, with old-fashioned Wild West vibes. And even though the population is thin on the ground, Lake County folk are warm and friendly, with a strong sense of community and connection — something that has been scientifically shown to be of benefit as we age. 

There are four distinct seasons in Lake County, including summers with dreamy average high temperatures in the mid-80s and cold, snowy winters. However, this part of the state is spared the gloomy overcast skies and rain Oregon is famous for. That weather system peters out over the Cascade Mountains to the west before reaching Central Oregon.

Life in Lake County revolves around outdoor recreation, so if that's your style, this could be a great place to retire. If you're a rugged individualist whose idea of retirement is to hunt, fish, and someday die with your boots on, then the Oregon Outback is a place you could live your best life. It has all the magic of a place like Montana, without an influx of city slickers driving real estate through the roof.

Lake County is a bikepacking and gravel riding mecca, a style of riding avidly pursued by older riders. The route Bikepacking.com calls the state's best, simply titled the Oregon Outback, traverses all of Lake County on the way to its terminus at the Columbia River. One cyclist, Scott Sloan, called finishing the 364-mile route "an excellent 75th birthday gift" in a Facebook post in the group Cycling for those aged 70+. So if you're a keen cyclist priced out of retiring in the outdoor adventure capital of Bend, the Oregon Outback region might be an even better fit.

You can even take to the skies here. Lakeview is known as the "hang-gliding capital of the West," thanks to thermal updrafts that create ideal conditions for soaring. A summer festival is devoted to the sport. Gliders launch from the top of Abert Rim, a towering cliff overlooking breathtaking Lake Abert, Oregon's only saltwater lake. And that's just one of the region's unusual lakes. Straddling the California border, dazzling Goose Lake is a secluded spot for fishing and camping, while the Warner Wetlands are a 40-mile chain of lakes separated by dramatic sand dunes.

The county's largest city, Lakeview, is nicknamed "Oregon's Tallest Town" due to its elevation of nearly 5,000 feet, almost as high as Denver. The average home price in Lakeview is around $200,000, and for that, you can expect to get a single-family Craftsman-era bungalow or mid-century ranch house. A one-time logging town, Lakeview has struggled economically in recent decades, but its tight-knit community has a lively character, as shown recently when the town's elderly residents banded together to produce the Outback Naked Calendar. Featuring locals, including some in their 80s and 90s, the venture raised money the town needed to fund winter snow plowing. (Don't worry, there are strategically placed props like cowboy hats.) The effort succeeded wildly, and they plan to repeat the exercise. Just think: If you retire here, you could audition to bare it all for next year's calendar.

In a Medicare.gov survey, 81% would recommend the local Lake Health District Hospital (the national average is 71%), but the scope of care is limited, so seniors might need to travel to Klamath Falls, 96 miles away, for some procedures. There is a network to support seniors aging in place, via ElderCare Lake County, offering transportation, shopping, and even help figuring out tech devices. In all, Lake County is a great place to spend your young, fit retirement years, less so if you expect to need a lot of medical care.

The beautiful high desert town of Paisley has a rustic hot springs resort and a quirky, old-fashioned western bar, the Pioneer Saloon. Summer Lake Hot Springs is the ideal spot to take in the Oregon Outback's astonishing stargazing. You can gaze up through the cold, crisp winter air, marveling at the Milky Way, while soaking in a steamy outdoor pool. Paisleans have a sense of humor, too, hosting an annual Mosquito Festival in honor of "the area's most persistent residents."