Central & Southern Oregon

Cowboy adventures, white-water rafting, quiet mountain retreats – these diverse regions have all this and more. The area’s geological history, marked by explosive volcanic activity, is showcased at several parks, most notably Crater Lake National Park. Smith Rock State Park is also worthy of a visit if you enjoy scenic views of deep river canyons or rock climbing; there are several thousand climbs in the park.

Southern Oregon is especially known for the fast moving waters of the Rogue River for river rafting, or on the Mackenzie River. Canoeing and kayaking are available near the town of Bend, as is a mile-long lava tube, Lava River Cave; it takes about 1.5 hours to tour the entire cave. Bend is a typical small town in America, with a river that bends its way around the town. It is a bustling, cultural destination; its small downtown section features an ‘artists walk’ on the first Friday of the month with the last Friday having a ‘musicians walk’.

Human history is marked in Jacksonville as the site of the 19th century gold rush and as you drive southwards towards the California border the countryside diversifies into green valleys interspersed with high desert county.