Overview

Mt. Bachelor rises to 9,068 feet, one of the prominent fleet of volcanoes towering above the Central Oregon high desert. It joins a string of five mountains that comprise a volcanic chain in the rugged Cascades outside of Bend. Here, eruptions collided with glacial ice 10,000 years ago, leaving a visual feast of a landscape shaped by lava flows and cinder cones scattered across the plateau.

Winter buries the mountain with an annual snow pack up to 200 inches deep. No wonder the lifts run for skiing well into May at the same time that summer bursts onto Bend's lower elevation plateau with its rainbow of outdoor recreation: cycling, fishing, hiking, golfing, whitewater river rafting, flat water paddling, rock climbing, and more.

The Deschutes National Forest, which flanks 100 miles of the Cascades, gushes with more than 500 miles of rivers and sparkles with 150 blue lakes. Smith Rocks beckons climbers to its crags, and Newberry Volcanic Monument lures hikers to explore one of the country's largest obsidian lava flows. The Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway entices both sightseers and cyclists with its rolling chains of gleaming lakes.

The region has its claims to fame. Central Oregon rivals Arizona for the number of sunshine days per year, and Bend has the largest number of restaurants per capita in Oregon - both which add up to the makings of a great vacation.

Mt. Bachelor opens in summer for sightseeing, dining, hiking, and scenic lift rides. The Pine Marten Express runs up to the Pine Marten Lodge, where views span other nearby volcanoes. A hike up to the summit yields clear-day sights of Mt. Shasta in California and Mt. Adams in Washington. The U.S. Forest Service also gives interpretive talks on the mountain several times a day.

The resort's base area holds a day lodge, but no overnight accommodations. Most vacationers stay in Bend, 22 miles to the east, where they have quick access to the historic old town with shopping, breweries, and cultural events. Two nearby resort communities - Inn of the Seventh Mountain and Sunriver - cater more to those looking for out-the-backdoor access to golf, fishing, bicycling, and hiking.

Get to Mt. Bachelor and the Bend playground by air. The Portland Airport is the nearest regional hub, serviced by most major airlines. Allegiant Air, Delta Airlines, Horizon Air, United, and United Express fly into the Redmond Airport, which sits 16 miles north of Bend.

Good highways also connect with this land of fire and ice. Portland is three hours away via U.S. Highway 26; Eugene is about three hours away via U.S. Highway 20 and State Highway 126. The drive from Northern California will take you about 4.5 hours, while the route will take about six hours from Boise and seven hours from Seattle.