The Oregon that is not costal

A trip to the Redmond, Bend area is a trip into the history of the United States. The Eagle Crest Resort was a great place to stay and enjoy the amenities on site. The resort has a beautiful, 18 hole golf course as well as an 18 hole putting course.

The unit we stayed in was a 2 bedroom and had a wonderful master bedroom upstairs. Be prepared for steps. The master bedroom had a whirlpool tub, separate shower and a deck overlooking the river. The main level had a second bedroom, a second bath, a nicely equipped, full kitchen, gas fireplace and another deck.

The resort has several recreation centers with pools and workout rooms. There are 3 restaurants on site. There is a breakfast and lunch restaurant in the hotel, a bar and dinner spot over by the river, and another dinner location that is open till 7pm. We ate in 2 of the 3, and the food was great. You can also use the many walking paths and rent bicycles during your stay.

We had dinner at the Pine Tavern in Bend. It is a great place to sit back and relax and enjoy some great food. There are 2 trees growing out of the building through the roof, and the tavern backs onto the river.

You start off with hot scones and honey butter. The salads and soups are great. We had a variety of food from chicken to fish and all were excellent. We topped off our meal with a Marion Berry cobbler. These berries are local to Oregon and a great treat.

The High Desert Museum has a piece of history from the first inhabitants of this country to the machine age.

We saw how the Native Americans lived and hunted in this area. There is also a sawmill, log homes, and a mustang corral with an adopt-a-horse program.

There are stagecoaches, as well as a sheepherders’ wagon.

Outside you can take the walking trails to see homes for porcupines, otters, birds and small wildlife observation area. You can stop by the large gift shop for books or memorabilia.

The views at Smith Rock State Park are definitely worth the trip. This park is an internationally renowned location for rock climbers.

There are camping areas that run $4.00 for bivouac area, $3.00 for day use and $25.00 for yearly use.

The red rocks border the Crooked River. Millions of years ago, this was a major center of volcanic activity. The multi colored rocks are formed of volcanic ash and "welded tuff". Wildlife is abundant, particularly deer and small mammals. Birds use the ledges for their nests and geese nest along the river.