Central Oregon Backcountry

Greg Burke   Website

Central Oregon Backcountry

A Fascinating Landscape

Rugged river canyons, ancient juniper woodlands, and rolling grasslands make the Central Oregon Backcountry some of Oregon’s most beloved public lands. Wild places like the Oregon Badlands Wilderness and South Fork Crooked River provide boundless opportunities for exploration and adventure.  

This region holds features found nowhere else: junipers that are among the oldest trees in Oregon, Indigenous rock art and artifacts that tell the history of this region, and some of the last wild habitat for wildlife like golden eagles and steelhead.

voices

Sarah Graham, Sage Sustainers Member

Sarah Graham, Sage Sustainers Member

“I contribute to ONDA monthly because it adds up to a larger annual gift than what I’d be able to comfortably afford if I were to do a simple one-time donation annually. I’m able to give more to ONDA this way and have greater impact which is important to me, and my dog Polly.”

fact

Young Desert Horned Lizard

Young Desert Horned Lizard

In the summer these lizards begin foraging for food as soon as their body temperature rises as the heat of the day increases. They feed on slow-moving, ground-dwelling insects. In the fall they hibernate by burying themselves in the sand.

Latin name: Phrysonoma platyrhinos

voices

Cregg Large, member since 2009

Cregg Large, member since 2009

“I came to Oregon 12 years ago from Texas. Texas, for all its size, has very little public land. Coming to Oregon has made me realize the special gift we as Americans have in our public lands. Volunteering with an organization like ONDA is my way of reciprocating for this gift. Through restoration efforts, I feel we are helping leave a better place than we found it. Through advocating for protection for public lands, we safeguard migration routes for animals and keep the land where it belongs: with the public.”

Ancient juniper in the Oregon Badlands Wilderness

Greg Burke   Website

Flyfishing the Middle Deschutes River

Brian O'Keefe   Website

Alder Springs Trail

Greg Burke   Website

Lava formations in the Oregon Badlands Wilderness

Greg Burke   Website

Our Favorite Places in the Central Oregon Backcountry

More Information

South Fork Crooked River

The Place Rising from springs amidst central Oregon’s sagebrush sea, the South Fork Crooked River winds through the canyons of the South Fork Wilderness Study Area before joining up with […]

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Oregon Badlands Wilderness

Central Oregon’s Backyard Wilderness Located just 15 miles east of Bend, Oregon Badlands Wilderness is a 30,000-acre area filled with fascinating lava flows and ancient juniper trees. Here, you will […]

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