442 E. Main Ave. Sisters, OR 97759 nuggetnews.com 541.549.9941
Editor in Chief: Jim Cornelius editor@nuggetnews.com
Advertising: Kimberly Young ads@nuggetnews.com
Graphic Design: Jess Draper jess@nuggetnews.com
Contributing Writers:
Bill Bartlett • Ceili Gatley
Sue Stafford • Chester Allen Sevilla Rhoads
Contributing
Photographers: Bill Bartlett • Jarod Gatley
Cody Rheault • Sevilla Rhoads
Emily Green • Matt Van Slyke
Harper Grace Photography
Sisters Oregon Guide. All rights reserved. The Nugget Newspaper, LLC sistersoregonguide.com
Reproduction in whole or in part (including advertising) without written permission is prohibited. Sisters Oregon Guide and The Nugget Newspaper, LLC assume no liability or responsibility for information contained in advertisements and all content within this publication. The Sisters Oregon Guide (The Nugget Newspaper, LLC) reserves the right to decline any advertising. All advertising which appears in the Sisters Oregon Guide is the property of the Sisters Oregon Guide and may not be used without explicit written permission.
WELCOME TO SISTERS!
Thanks for stopping by our campfire. Let us tell you about this place you’ve found, this place we call Sisters Country.
We’re proud of the community we’ve created in this beautiful spot — the quality schools we’ve built, the worldclass art and music scene, the innovative businesses. Of course we want to share it, especially with like-minded folks who share our values of neighborliness and environmental awareness.
A whole lot of new people have discovered Sisters and Central Oregon. Many of those seek to find a way to make this their forever home. We welcome them all — though we can’t deny that there’s an impact.
Like other mountain towns in the West, housing in Sisters is at a premium price, and the community is trying to figure out how to maintain its character without becoming an exclusive enclave, or growing out of proportion to become just another city.
We’re experiencing the challenges of being “on the map” for people around the world. Staying focused on our values helps us face up to those challenges. Sisters has reinvented itself before, from a timber and ranching town to a tourist town — and we’re still a friendly, neighborly community where people look out for each other, and all of us wake up each morning feeling blessed to look upon the Three Sisters that gave us their name.
— Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief, The Nugget Newspaper
CODY RHEAULT
CODY RHEAULT
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the population of Sisters? 3,823 inside city limits; 10,000± in the school district. What are the Three Sisters Mountains called? Informally — Faith, Hope & Charity. Schools: Sisters School District: elementary, middle, and high school. Total enrollment: 1,150.
How much do homes cost? Median home listing price: $790,000; sold price: $671,500.
What’s the climate like? Sisters is considered high desert. Hottest month is August (avg. temp. 83/51); coldest month is December (40/25). Driest month is August; wettest month is December. Average annual precipitation is 11.4 inches. Average snowfall is 32 inches. There are approximately 162 days of sun each year, and 73 days see some precipitation.
Who are some of Sisters’ largest employers? Black Butte Ranch, 396; Sisters School District, 189; Sisters Coffee Co., 82; U.S. Forestry Service, 72; Sisters Bakery, 60.
Why the Western Theme?
Adopted in the 1980s, Sisters has an architectural theme that requires commercial buildings to resemble a Western town of the 1880s.
Does Sisters have an airport? Yes, Sisters Eagle Airport is located less than a mile from downtown Sisters on Camp Polk Road. 3,550 ft. of expanded and improved runway; airplane tie-downs; fuel available on-site. Year-round access.
Redmond Municipal Airport — Roberts Field
The wider world is just a plane ride away out of Redmond Municipal Airport-Roberts Field (RDM). Located just 20 miles down Highway 126, east of Sisters, six airlines offer direct flights to Portland, Las Vegas, San Diego, Spokane, Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Burbank, Denver, Salt Lake City, and Phoenix. From these hubs, you can get anywhere. Visit www.flyrdm.com.
Sources: Oregon Climate Service/Oregon Economic & Community Development; Realtor.com, Central Oregon Assoc. of Realtors, Economic Development for Central Oregon
Photograph taken from Broken Top (not pictured) Elevation: 9,175 ft.
Middle Sister Elevation: 10,047 ft.
South Sister Elevation: 10,358 ft.
North Sister Elevation: 10,085 ft.
Mt. Washington Elevation: 7,794 ft.
Three Fingered Jack Elevation: 7,841 ft.
Mt. Jefferson Elevation: 10,497 ft.
WHERE TO FIND WHAT
BANKS:
First Interstate Bank
272 E. Main Ave.
541-549-2061. ATM.
Mid Oregon Credit Union
650 N. Arrowleaf Trail 541-382-1795. ATM.
U.S. Bank
123 W. Hood Ave. 541-549-2141. ATM.
Washington Federal Bank
610 N. Arrowleaf Trail 541-549-8110. ATM.
Wells Fargo ATM 665 N. Arrowleaf Trail
BUS STOP:
Gateway Park Mobility Hub 460 US-20
Serviced by:
• Cascades East Transit cascadeseasttransit.com
• Pacific Crest Bus Lines www.greyhound.com
DENTAL:
Gilmore Dental
834 SW 11th St, Redmond 541-504-5707
Sisters Dental
491 E. Main Ave., Sisters 541-549-9486
EMERGENCY/POLICE:
Black Butte Ranch Police
13885 Bishops Cap 541-595-2191
Deschutes County
Sheriff’s Office Sisters Station 703 N. Larch St. 541-549-2302
Sisters-Camp Sherman RFPD
301 S. Elm St. 541-549-0771
GROCERIES:
Black Butte General Store
13890 Bishops Cap Black Butte Ranch 541-595-1222
Camp Sherman General Store 25451 F.S. Road 1419
Camp Sherman | 541-595-6711
Oliver Lemon’s
160 S. Fir St. 541-549-0711
Ray’s Food Place 635 N. Arrowleaf Trail 541-549-2222
Sisters Meat & Smokehouse 110 S. Spruce St. 541-719-1186
The Stand (May–October) 254 E. Adams Ave.
LAUNDRY:
Washable Laundry
247 N. Fir St. 541-249-1222
MEDICAL:
High Lakes Health Care
354 W. Adams Ave. 541-389-7741
St. Charles Medical Center 630 N. Arrowleaf Trail 541-549-1318
Summit Health Care 231 E. Cascade Ave. 541-706-5440
NEWSPAPER:
The Nugget Newspaper 442 E. Main Ave. 541-549-9941
PHARMACY:
Sisters Drug (inside Ray's Food Place) 635 N. Arrowleaf Trail 541-549-6221
POST OFFICE:
694 N. Larch St. 541-549-0412
PUBLIC LIBRARY:
110 N Cedar St. 541-312-1070
VISITORS CENTER
291 E. Main Ave.
SISTERS TIMELINE
7,700 years ago...Evidence of First Americans moving into Sisters Country, using these lands for huckleberry, root and nut gathering, fishing and hunting.
1805 Lewis and Clark note the snow-capped peaks of the “Western Mountains” (Cascade Range), and name Mt. Jefferson after the President who sent them on their journey.
1859 A group of men from Lebanon, Oregon, scout a route for eastern road over Cascades; it becomes Santiam Wagon Road, completed in 1865.
1865 Captain Charles La Follette and 40 men from Company A, 1st Oregon Volunteer Infantry, establish a military camp at Camp Polk.
1870 Samuel Hindman and family, one of the first settlers in Central Oregon, establishes a homestead near the abandoned Camp Polk.
1895 Squaw Creek (Whychus Creek) Irrigation District organized.
1912 Hotel Sisters built.
1923 Fire destroys buildings on Cascade Avenue, including businesses and residences, one being the Sisters Drug Store and Post Office.
1924 Fire starts in a defective flue in the Gist Hotel, destroying buildings on both sides of Cascade Avenue between Fir and Spruce.
1937 Separate Sisters High School building built. (This brick building is now used as the school district administration offices and is on the National Register of Historic Places.)
1940 Sisters Rodeo founded.
1946 Sisters becomes an incorporated city.
1968 Sisters High School closed; students bussed to Redmond High School.
1971 Black Butte Ranch, the Brooks Resources resort, begins selling lots and Big Meadow Golf Course opens.
1975 Jean Wells and Cathi Howell begin the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show; eleven quilts were exhibited in this first show. 2025 was the 50th anniversary show. SOQS continues to be held the second Saturday of July every year.
1992 New Sisters High School (now Sisters Middle School) opens, taking old mascot name: Outlaws.
2003 New Sisters High School opens. B&B Complex fires, burn 90,769 acres.
2017 Roundabout installed at Hwy. 20/Barclay Drive at the west end of Sisters.
2024 Roundabout installed at Hwy. 20/Locust Street at the east end of Sisters.
2024 New Sisters Elementary School opened. Sisters now has a three-school campus located in close proximity at the west end of town. Sisters Park & Recreation District took over the former elementary school site as a new community center and park.
2025 The Flat Fire destroyed five homes and numerous outbuildings, and threatened the Sisters community.
Information in this timeline was graciously provided by Three Sisters Historical Society.
LIVIN’ LIKE A LOCAL
Local folks in Sisters really enjoy the simple pleasures of life in our small town nestled amid the national forest. Most everyone enjoys getting out into nature — some going hard, some just taking it easy. Good food and good coffee are part of everyone’s perfect day — as is enjoying the ambience of town and visiting with friends and strangers alike.
DARRELL COSDEN — SONGWRITER, EDUCATOR
Darrell Cosden’s ideal day in Sisters starts along Highway 242, watching the mountains start to glow with the first tinge of sunrise. If he’s working as a substitute teacher, he might cross the road to Sisters Middle School. He’ll get a good walk in, then work on his music, gathering in the afternoon to play music with friends or heading out in the evening to hear some live music. Or, he might just drive the forest roads, looking for a “Tangerine Sky” sunset.
DAVID MOORE — CONTRACTOR, PRESIDENT SISTERS BUSINESS ASSOC.
For David Moore, Sisters is all about enjoying food, art and nice weather. He loves simply walking down Cascade Avenue, popping into shops and visiting with the proprietors and patrons. He also loves it when he can go into Ace Hardware and find the right parts to finish a job. “I love the quiet, the dark skies — all of it,” he says.
BETH WOOD — POET, SONGWRITER, EVENT COORDINATOR
Beth Wood starts her ideal day with a morning walk — that might well end up at the bookstore. She’ll share coffee with friends, visit the Habitat for Humanity Thrift Store hunting for treasures, stop by The Stand for some farm-fresh produce, and finish things off with happy hour at The Barn.
JEN KOVITZ — COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SPECIALIST
Jen Kovitz has a very specific ideal day: She heads up Road 16 and hikes to Little Three Creek Lake at the height of tadpole season, when they’re so thick they can be scooped up by the armful. Then she’ll head down to town for a visit to Heritage USA for some serious antiquing (“Sisters has the best antiques in Central Oregon,” she asserts). Then she’s off to the bookstore to buy too many books. She’ll finish off the day with a cider at The Barn.
KIMBERLY YOUNG — NEWSPAPER COMMUNITY MARKETING PARTNER
Kimberly’s best day starts with a pastry and a cold brew, followed by antique and vintage shopping downtown. Then she’ll head up Highway 242 to Dee Wright Observatory, make the loop to Proxy Falls, and back into town for dinner at any one of Sisters’ restaurants.
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SO YOU WANT TO MOVE TO SISTERS
You’ve visited Sisters and fallen in love. You think… “If only I could live here…”
That is a scenario that has played out over and over again in Sisters. Visitors become prospective community members. For those looking to relocate or start a business here, start by contacting Economic Development for Central Oregon (EDCO), https://www.edcoinfo. com. This local organization is a wealth of knowledge and resources. You can also get information about employment there. It’s a good idea to subscribe to The Nugget Newspaper — a great way to get a feel for the community you’re dreaming of joining. There’s lots of
information about events, activities, the schools and more.
If you’re visiting in the summertime, recognize that we do have real winter here (most years), so consider whether you are comfortable living with a few months of cold temperatures and snow. Sisters is susceptible to wildfire, so you need to be prepared for all that entails.
Sisters has neighborhoods that suit a pretty wide range of lifestyles. Sisters is home to more than 10,000 people — but most of us live in neighborhoods you can’t see from Highway 20. Sisters Country is dotted with forest and sagebrush subdivisions. To the west lies Black Butte Ranch, which is a
residential community as well as a resort, along with neighborhoods like Cascade Meadow Ranch, Tollgate, and Crossroads, tucked away in the ponderosas. Off to the north lie neighborhoods like Sage Meadow and Indian Ford Meadow, all the way out to Whychus Canyon Estates. In town, there are a number of distinctive neighborhoods. There is a mix of single-family homes and townhomes in many of these neighborhoods, and Sisters has also recently added some apartments. There are many highly qualified realtors in town who can help you find exactly what you’re seeking to make your Sisters dream come true.
INSTAGRAMMABLE SIGHTS
By Ceili Gatley • Photos by Jarod Gatley
SUTTLE LAKE
Suttle Lake is a destination to visit year-round. Tucked in the lush forest along the Santiam Pass, Suttle Lake offers a plethora of recreational activities in the summer — paddleboarding, boating, jetskiing, peddle boats, and dining experiences at the lodge and boathouse restaurants. It’s your perfect place for a lake day with the family or a 3.5-mile hike around the lakeside trail.
THIS IS THE LOCATION OF THE COVER PHOTO!
WHYCHUS CREEK OVERLOOK
A short overlook trail built by the forest service, this loop is an accessible access point for views of the Three Sisters. This overlook gives you 360° mountain views while looking down over the Whychus Creek that meanders its way through the Three Sisters Wilderness.
POLE CREEK RANCH
Situated just west of downtown Sisters along Highway 242, this is one of the most popular mountain viewing spots in the region, Pole Creek Ranch. From a viewpoint along the roadway, you can gaze on the Three Sisters, Broken Top, and many other peaks in our area’s Cascade Range.
BLACK BUTTE/BLACK BUTTE RANCH
Black Butte Ranch is just five miles west of Sisters offering vista views of North and Middle Sisters and a forest of pine trees that greet you on your drive in. In late September and October, the vine maple trees turn a golden yellow-orange making for the perfect fall vibe.
DEE WRIGHT OBSERVATORY
At the summit of McKenzie Pass is Dee Write Observatory marked by its rounded rock structure. The observatory offers spectacular views of Mt. Washington, Mt. Jefferson, and the Three Sisters Mountains. It is a 22-mile drive up McKenzie Pass and a great stop on your road trip or to do some stargazing.
HEAD OF THE METOLIUS
It’s hard to believe that the mighty Metolius River starts from tiny springs in the shadow of Black Butte. It soon becomes a tumbling torrent. Drive 10 miles west of Sisters to the entrance to Camp Sherman and follow the signs along FS Road 14. Park, and walk about 300 yards down a paved path to an overlook that treats you to a calendar shot of the headwaters and Mt. Jefferson.
JEFFERSON VIEW SHELTER
An excellent hike in the winter or summer, offering a mountain vista through the trees. Perfect for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, the warming hut offers a fireplace to keep warm and sheltered, and out of the sun in the summer. The hike begins at the Upper Three Creek Sno-Park, and the trail takes you up a steady route for a round trip of 4.7 miles.
CREEKSIDE PARK BRIDGE
Creekside Park is located at the edge of Sisters on your way to Bend and offers a great picnic spot or a walk around the nearby campground. Creekside Campground is on the west side of Whychus Creek and Creekside Bridge offers a way across the creek. The bridge is a picturesque covered wood bridge framing Whychus Creek where it runs through town.
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF SISTERS
By Bill Bartlett
A summer day in Sisters begins best with an early start, when the air is still cool and the Cascade peaks are sharply defined against the morning sky. Start with a relaxed breakfast from among a dozen options up or down Hood, Cascade, or Main avenues where locally owned cafés open early and the pace is unhurried.
From there, it’s easy to step straight into Sisters’ Westernthemed downtown. Wooden storefronts, art galleries, and small shops invite browsing, and kids often enjoy ducking in and out of candy stores and shops with toys and gear while parents take in the local art, vintage and handmade goods.
By midmorning, head outdoors to take advantage of Sisters’ natural setting. A short hop brings you to Peterson Ridge Trail System, a network of well-marked trails. Choose an easier loop for a casual hike or bike ride through ponderosa pines and open meadows.
Interpretive signs along some routes add context about the landscape, making it engaging for children without feeling like a lesson. Alternatively, if the family prefers water, nearby creeks and small lakes offer places to skip rocks, paddle, wade, or simply relax in the shade.
Late morning transitions naturally into lunch back in town. Food trucks and casual
eateries provide plenty of options, from sandwiches to wood-fired pizza, often with outdoor seating. It’s an easy way to keep things flexible and kidfriendly without sacrificing quality. After lunch, slow things down with a visit to Village Green Park or Fir Street Park, both right in the heart of town.
The parks’ open lawn, shade trees, play structures or splash pad, and occasional summer events make them natural gathering spots. Kids can run freely while parents take a break, and on some days, there may be live music or a farmers market adding to the atmosphere.
In the afternoon, consider a scenic drive west toward the mountains. The road for McKenzie Pass climbs into a dramatic volcanic landscape with viewpoints that feel worlds away from town. Stops along the way allow the family to stretch their legs and take in lava fields, wildflowers, and panoramic views of peaks like North and Middle Sister. It’s a memorable contrast to the morning’s forested trails. Returning to Sisters in the late afternoon, there’s time for relaxed activity. Families who want a bit of structure might
opt for a casual round at Aspen Lakes Golf Course, where the shorter tees and open layout can accommodate beginners. Others might prefer pickleball or disc golf or ice cream and a final stroll through downtown, picking up souvenirs or simply enjoying the small-town rhythm.
As evening settles in, dinner is as simple or as leisurely as the family prefers. Many restaurants offer outdoor seating, and the summer light lingers, making it easy to extend the day. Afterward, a short walk as the sun sets provides a fitting close of quiet streets, cooling air, and the sense of having experienced both the town and the landscape that defines it.
In a single day, Sisters offers a balance of activity and ease, where families can move from shops to trails to scenic vistas without ever feeling rushed. And bring Fido. Sisters loves dogs.
THREE PERFECT DAYS IN SISTERS
By Bill Bartlett
If your plans bring you to Sisters for at least three days, let us help you get the most of them. With so much to do, it’s nearly impossible to lay out all the options. Hopefully this helps. We’ve divided the fun into two options depending on whether you’re travelling with younger children or taking a more relaxed approach to your visit and those seeking a bit of adventure.
Day 1. That’s easy. The same for everybody (see page 16).
Day 2. Casual route. The 242 -McKenzie Pass/Santiam Pass Scenic Byway loop tour. It’s an 82-mile scenic drive. Here are
outstanding examples of both ancient and recent volcanoes, cinder cones, lava flows, and deep, glaciated canyons. Forests along the Byway contain rare old-growth fir and ponderosa pine and are home to a great variety of fish and wildlife, including several endangered species, such as bald eagles, northern spotted owls, Chinook salmon, and bull trout.
The route takes you to Proxy, Koosah, and Sahalie Falls, each short but magical hikes to panoramic cascading flows.
On the way back to Sisters stop at Suttle Lake for canoeing or stand-up paddleboarding
— rentals are available. And/or, drop into Black Butte Ranch for a guided horseback ride or tee up on the Little Meadow Putting Course. This facility features twelve holes of putting with planned lengths between 45 and 105 feet. However, this course can play as eighteen slightly shorter holes or nine longer holes. There is also plenty of room to change tee and hole locations on any given day. Each hole will feature interesting contours that will test even the best putters. All of the holes will have its own ‘fairway’ and
Continued on page 18
provide ample variety.
Picnic along the way or dine at either the lake or the Ranch. Head home for a night out in Sisters, including a movie or one of our many music venues.
Day 2. Adventure route. Head out to one or more of the more challenging and breathtakingly beautiful hiking options like Scout Camp, Tam McArthur Rim or Matthieu Lakes (see hiking guide page 46).
Or if water is your thing, take a half-day or full-day whitewater rafting trip on the McKenzie Wild and Scenic River where a handful of guides offer thrilling outings through deep canyons about an hour from Sisters.
Day 3. Casual route. Jump on your bike — or rent one at
either of our two downtown pro bike shops — and head out the Peterson Ridge Trail at the edge of town. Ride as little or as far as you’d like on over a hundred miles of single-track trails for all skill levels.
Before or after, drive up to Three Creek Lake, about 15 miles, and do all those fun things you did as a kid or wished you had — fish, swim, canoe, paddleboard, hike, picnic in the shade.
Take your furry friends almost anywhere you go in Sisters Country, as dogs are welcome just about everywhere.
Going to or from the Lake stop at the Whychus Creek Overlook Trail for a superb, short accessible hike to the Cascades viewpoint.
Day 3. Adventure route. Drive or bike to Smith Rock State
Park. It’s a 37-mile (each way) spectacular ride past rich farm and ranch land, thousands of Alpacas, longhorn and Highland cattle, streams, wineries, vast hay fields and ending at the second-most visited place in Oregon — Smith Rock.
If you enjoy scenic views of deep river canyons or rock climbing, Smith Rock State Park is the place for you. There are several thousand climbs in the park.
More than a thousand are bolted routes offering miles of hiking and mountain biking trails. Along your trip through the canyon, you might see golden eagles, prairie falcons, mule deer, river otter, and beaver.
Of course, you can switch any of this out for golf or fishing. We have prized courses and trophy fish. Keepreadingtolearnmore!
Planning a Trip to Sisters?
A TOWN GROWING FIREWISE
Firewise volunteer Carolyn Dahlberg with Christina Maier who spearheaded an effort to secure grant funding to treat 88 acres of common area in Tollgate to mitigate wildfire risk. Similar efforts have been undertaken in Crossroads and along Edgington Road.
Sisters is nestled amid the beauty of miles and miles of forest — but that beauty comes at a cost. We live under the continual threat of wildfire, which became very real last summer as the Flat Fire destroyed five homes and numerous outbuildings north of town.
But Sisters is nothing if not resilient and the lessons the community took from the fire were not to live in fear, but to live prepared.
Sisters and its many neighbors are becoming FireWise, utilizing that national program as a basis for preparing for and mitigating fire risk. The City of Sisters is revising its codes to encourage builders and homeowners to make new construction more fire resistant, and neighbors are rallying to reduce fuels in their neighborhoods.
Local residents have sought grants to help their neighborhood communities undertake major fuel reduction projects. For example, Tollgate, three miles to the west of town, is in the midst of a project that is thinning trees and clearing brush in common areas across 88 acres. Other local subdivisions are undertaking similar work.
Residents are learning to create defensible space around their homes and ways in which to make their homes “harder” and more resistant to fire.
Sisters is well protected by multiple agencies with highly capable and professional firefighters and medical personnel.
Sisters is served by the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District. Like most modern fire departments, the majority of calls are medical (73 percent in
2023), and the district has multiple ambulances and a highly trained cadre of paramedics to serve an area that extends from the Cascades east toward Bend. The farm and ranch land east of Sisters has its own Cloverdale Fire District. Cloverdale provides fire protection and responds to vehicle accidents. The Sisters Fire District provides ambulance services for Cloverdale.
Black Butte Ranch (BBR) has its own fire department — including the area’s ladder truck — and the BBR District has its own ambulance. All the districts support each other through mutual aid agreements and respond together to major incidents.
The U.S. Forest Service and Oregon Department of Forestry both stage firefighters here during the summer and fall months.
Vineyard creates a sense of place
By Bill Bartlett
Tucked into the high desert landscape of Central Oregon, Faith Hope & Charity Vineyards sits on 312 acres of rolling terrain framed by ridge lines, a canyon, and the jagged outline of the Three Sisters. Just 25 minutes from Sisters, the property feels both expansive and intimate; part working vineyard, part gathering place.
Owned by Roger and Cindy Grossmann, the vineyard reflects a vision broader than simply producing wine. At its core is an attempt to create a sense of place in a region better known for juniper, sagebrush, and dramatic temperature swings. A 15-acre planting of vines stretches across the property, bordered by a small pond and open grounds where llamas occasionally wander into view.
The tasting room and event space look outward toward the mountains, grounding the experience in the landscape that defines this part of Oregon.
Cindy Grossmann describes the experience this way: “It’s that magical moment when you arrive and the world seems to slow down. A destination with wide open vineyards that stretch around you and there’s a quiet peaceful energy that invites you to settle in and relax a while. Our amazing staff welcomes you like family. Making the whole experience feel warm and personal from the first pour to the last sip.”
The vineyard’s story is closely tied to the challenges of that landscape. When the Grossmanns first opened, their wines were made using grapes
sourced from nearby Monkey Face Vineyards while they waited for their own vines to mature. The region’s short growing season and sharp nighttime temperature drops require a different approach than more established wine regions demand.
Rather than attempt to replicate conditions found in places like the Willamette Valley, the vineyard leaned into research on cold-hardy grape varieties. Work from Cornell University and the University of Minnesota helped identify hybrids capable of surviving frost and ripening within a compressed season. Among those planted was Marquette, a cold-hardy variety with lineage tracing back to Pinot Noir.
That decision began to pay off in 2015, when the vineyard harvested its first block of
Marquette. A second successful harvest followed in 2016, a turning point that transformed an experiment into a viable path forward.
It’s been a labor of love. “The most satisfying part has been the people,” Cindy said. “Watching guests arrive and settle into the quiet magic of the vineyard and the wines. There’s something about seeing that shift happen in real time.
“Just as satisfying is the team that we have built. They have become family and watching them grow alongside this place has been incredibly rewarding.”
Even as the vineyard has evolved, hospitality has remained central. Visitors arrive for tastings, concerts, and events, but the experience tends to feel less formal than at larger wineries.
The approach is deliberately personal, emphasizing conversation and connection. It is not unusual for guests to linger, drawn as much by the setting as by what is in the glass.
Plans for the future suggest the property will continue growing in that direction.
Ideas under consideration include an on-site production facility, guest accommodations, an amphitheater, and a farmto-table garden, each pointing toward a vision of the vineyard as a destination rather than a single-purpose stop.
Underlying that vision is a commitment to farming practices shaped by the environment. While not formally certified organic, the vineyard avoids chemical pesticides, relying instead on methods intended to
support long-term soil and ecosystem health.
The result is a vineyard still defining itself, shaped as much by experimentation as by tradition. In a landscape where grape growing once seemed unlikely, Faith Hope & Charity Vineyards offers a working example of how adaptation and a willingness to rethink expectations can open new possibilities.
Magnificent starry
Skies
One of the most breathtaking aspects of Sisters’ natural environment is our starry skies — an element the community is committed to preserving and promoting.
Sisters is the second Oregon city officially designated as an International DarkSky Community. The local backcountry and the high desert to our east offer extraordinary opportunities to take in awe-inspiring views of the vault of the heavens. The chance to experience soul-stirring encounters with the cosmos is part of the draw to Central Oregon.
Backpackers who venture into the Sisters backcountry can enjoy that experience when it’s at its best, viewing the core of the galaxy during the summer months. You can also touch it with a drive up the McKenzie Highway (Highway 242) to the summit, or venturing up Three Creek Road to the lakes or snow parks.
“You want to get to a place that has the lowest horizon around you, so you can see more of the sky,” said dark skies enthusiast Grant Tandy.
For those enthralled by the night sky, a visit to the University of Oregon’s Pine Mountain Observatory is a worthy excursion during the summer season. Visit https://pmo.uoregon.edu for dates and information. Sunriver
Nature Center & Observatory is another option. Visit https://snco.org for details.
You don’t have to leave town to enjoy those starry skies — and learn more about them. Visitors and locals alike are invited to join Starshine Theater, Explore Sisters, and Sisters Astronomy Club to marvel at our incredible universe right in downtown Sisters at Dark Sky Parties held through the summer months, about a half hour after sunset, at Cliff Clemens Park at 550 N. Larch St. Each group receives a sky map, specialized to the month of viewing, and binoculars to borrow. Participants who stay after the “tour” can get a glimpse into the deep sky through a telescope that magnifies the naked eye by 350X.
2026 DARK SKY PARTY DATES:
Sunday, May 31, 9:30 p.m.
Special Tour: Blue Full Moon
Friday, June 19, 9:30 p.m.
Special Tour : Summer Solstice Saturday, July 11, 9:30 p.m.
Thursday, August 13, 8:45 p.m.
Special Tour: Perseids Meteor Shower
Tuesday, September 22, 7:30 p.m.
Special Tour: Fall Equinox
For more information visit www.starshine-theater.com/ sisters-stargazing-dark-sky-party.
RESORTING TO RELAXATION
Black Butte Ranch has been a beloved destination for families for over half a century.
Black Butte Ranch opened in 1970 and was completed in 1987 with over 1,800 acres and 1,250 homesites. It’s a small city, with its own fire and police department, and is one of the top 20 employers in Deschutes County.
With bike and walking paths, tennis courts, and world-renowned golf courses, there’s plenty to do right on the Ranch — but it also makes a perfect headquarters for your adventures across Central Oregon. The Lodge Restaurant and Aspen Lounge are a dinner-and-drink destination. Robert’s Pub and the Lakeside Bistro offer a range of dining options, and you can enjoy live music on the lawn near the Bistro on Wednesday evenings in the summertime. Groceries can be found on the property at the General Store. The Spa at Black Butte Ranch is the perfect spot to unwind and indulge your body after a full day of play.
The Suttle Lodge offers a retreat on the shores of Suttle Lake west of Sisters. The magnificent log lodge has 11 rooms, and there are cabins scattered across the 15-acre property ranging from the deluxe to the rustic. In the summer season, enjoy dining at The Boathouse after a hike on the lakeside trail, or kayaking on the waters of Suttle Lake.
FivePine Lodge & Shibui Spa lie right in town, within walking distance of Sisters’ activities. The resort, which features an array of lodge rooms and nicely appointed cabins, is designed to be a restorative and romantic getaway (popular with locals as well as visitors) with the personal touch of a bed-and-breakfast. The adjacent Shibui Spa, Sisters Athletic Club, and Three Creeks Brew Pub give FivePine all the amenities of a major resort on a comfortable and cozy scale.
Sisters’ resorts serve up respite, restoration, romance — and lifelong memories.
SISTERS FARMERS MARKET
Each Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., June through October, Fir Street Park in the center of Sisters becomes a bustling open-air marketplace where locals and visitors alike gather to seek out locally grown vegetables, fruits, meats, and eggs, and find artisan products from soaps to pet food to lotions and kombucha.
Sisters Farmers Market is growing a vibrant community that connects Oregon farmers, ranchers, makers, and shoppers. The market provides access to fresh foods, locally made goods, and educational activities in a welcoming environment. Close to 40 local ranches, farms, and artisans are
represented in booths in the park.
Sisters Farmers Market is a program of Seed To Table, a nonprofit educational farm dedicated to connecting food, wellness, and education in Sisters.
The park is full of vendors, and the shopping is unique and fun. Sisters Farmers Market is is a place to connect, a place to make new friends, and a place to have fun.
Kids love to play on the splash pad in the hot summer days, and the Songbird Stage hosts live music.
For more information on the market and events, visit www. sistersfarmersmarket.com.
CODY RHEAULT
EMILY GREEN
A
of Americana!
Whether you’re looking for pub fare or gourmet dining, Sisters has you covered. Sit down or takeaway, take your pick. Want classy dining? You’ve got it. If you’re hunting ethnic food like Asian or Mexican or Italian, you’re covered.
From mouthwatering burgers served with oldfashioned milkshakes to ranch cooking, it’s all here in Sisters. Gourmet sandwiches become destination items for drivers traveling through.
Most all of it is not only homemade, it’s often locally sourced. Sisters is surrounded by rich farm and pasture land where farmers and ranchers are steep into the farm-to-table movement.
Sisters has a lively food truck scene. Not your run-of-the-mill tacos, brats, and kettle corn. You can enjoy wood-fired pizza, a big burrito, or just about anything else you might desire — delectable dining in a fun, relaxed format.
Don’t want to go out? No problem. Just connect with Sisters Delivery and Shuttle to have your order delivered!
And it’s not just the eateries and watering holes where you have options from beer to spirits, wine, and mead. There’s our summer farmers market, our community garden, fresh produce stands, and Seed To Table. The four-acre, organic Seed To Table education farm is all about health and wellness in Sisters — and fresh, wholesome food.
Sisters boasts irresistible bakeries, putting out rustic breads and delectable pastries — with customers sometimes lined up for two blocks!
PARKS
Barclay Park
Located on Cascade Avenue (Highway 20) in the center of downtown Sisters. A lovely respite with a colorful mural. Includes a public restroom.
Bike & Skate
Skaters and cyclists have their own skate park and their own bike park thanks to volunteer efforts by local youth and adult mentors. Bike Park 242 offers jumps and skill features. Located at the west end of the Sisters High School parking lot. Head west from downtown Sisters on Highway 242 (McKenzie Highway).
Cliff Clemens Park
On the north side of Sisters, approximately three blocks from downtown on Larch Street. Large grassy area and play equipment. Available for events for a fee. Electricity is available. Includes a public restroom. Call 541-549-6022 for additional information.
Creekside Campground
The Creekside Campground is a municipal park with 60 sites (of which 23 are full-hook-up sites) and a large grass area. The park is open April to November and is closed for the winter months. Includes a public restroom. Call 541-323-5218 for reservations.
Creekside Park
Creekside Park is located adjacent to Whychus Creek across the covered footbridge from the Creekside Campground. The grassy park has tables and small barbecues for daytime use. There are no events here.
Fir Street Park
Sisters’ downtown park is centrally located at the corner of Fir Street and Main Avenue. This “pocket park” features a splash play area for kids, a performance stage with timber-frame pavilion and seating area, a picnic facility, restrooms, bike corrals, benches, a fire pit with seating, a drinking fountain, and on-site parking. The park hosts Sisters Farmers Market on Sundays and outdoor concerts.
Gateway Park
Mobility Hub
Located at 460 Highway 20 features a Cascades East Transit bus stop, RV dump station, restrooms, walking trails, and the community labyrinth. Yet to be developed on this site is a dog park and EV chargers.
Hyzer Pines
The Hyzer Pines 18-hole disc golf course is located near Sisters High School (same parking lot) on McKinney Butte Road.
SPRD Community Recreation Center
and
Community Park
Located at 611 E. Cascade Ave., the community center offers table tennis, puzzles, board games, etc. in the commons, an early childhood wing, fitness studio gymnasium (drop-in pickleball and volleyball available upon request based on staff availability), and three multipurpose rooms. The fiveacre park includes green space, pickleball courts, playground, basketball court, walking path, shelter, and restrooms.
Village Green Park
Village Green Park is located two blocks south of downtown between Elm & Fir Streets. There is a covered gazebo, barbecue area, playground equipment, and restrooms.
Wildflowers
From Three Creek Lake south of town, to the lands of the Deschutes Land Trust along Whychus Creek, to Iron Mountain a short drive to the west in the Cascades, Sisters Country is painted each summer with the vibrant color of wildflowers. July tends to be the height of the season, so make sure your summer visit includes some time in the field.
Bitterroot: May
April-September
May-June
Bitterroot, Lewisia rediviva. A desert beauty growing in rocky, open soils. White to pink flowers burst from rosettes on the ground. Named for Meriwether Lewis whose samples grew 2 years after collecting (rediviva = restored to life)!
Yarrow, Achillea millefolium. A widespread native at home in sagebrush meadows and pine forests. Leaves are feathery and flowers grow on tall stems in an umbrella-like cluster. Each white flower has 3-5 rays and a yellow center.
Arrowleaf balsamroot, Balsamorhiza sagittata. One of our showiest wildflowers lighting up hillsides with sunny, disk-like faces. Grows in clumps with large wide triangular leaves that have heart-shaped bases. Yellow flowers are 2½-4 in. wide on 1-3 ft. stems.
Red columbine, Aquilegia formosa. A stunningly delicate native that grows in moist, partly shaded areas. Drooping bright red and yellow flowers grow on stalks up to 4 ft. tall. Hummingbirds and butterflies love columbine nectar.
Spotted mountain bells, Fritillaria atropurpurea. A beautifully delicate native lily, found in forests near openings. Brownish bell-shaped flowers have yellow-red spots and grow 5-25 in. tall. This uncommon lily takes a keen eye to find!
Mariposa lily, Calochortus macrocarpus A sagebrush jewel that blooms intensely lavender on tall 8-23 in. stems. Mariposa is ‘butterfly’ in Spanish, and kalo and chortos are Greek for ‘beautiful,’ and ‘grass.’
Scarlet gilia, Ipomopsis aggregata.
Trumpet-shaped, bright red flowers on stems up to 3 ft. tall. Flower color may vary from scarlet, speckled with white, to pale pink, speckled with red. Grows in dry soils in woodland openings and meadows.
Washington lily, Lilium washingtonianum. This native lily seems like it came straight from the flower shop with its classic shape, smell, and size! Large white to pink flowers on tall, 2-8 ft. stems. Grows in dry forests and is named for Martha Washington.
Yarrow:
Arrowleaf Balsamroot:
Red Columbine: May-July
Mariposa Lily: June-July
Scarlet Gilia: June-August
Spotted Mountain Bells: June
PHOTOS AND INFORMATION COURTESY DESCHUTES LAND TRUST
Washington Lily: June-July
ACTIVITIES OPEN TO ALL
Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD) has fully realized its vision for a new community center and park.
The center is located at the former site of Sisters Elementary School at 611 E. Cascade Ave. In 2024, SPRD entered into a longterm lease agreement with the Sisters School District to repurpose the former elementary school into a community center.
The creation of the center was a true community effort.
Construction of the fitness studio, restrooms, and commons area was completed by Bremik Construction.
Volunteers from Kiwanis, Rotary, and community members put in something like 500 hours
on renovation efforts on two multipurpose rooms. In addition to the multipurpose rooms, there is a new fitness studio; two ADA-compliant single-user restrooms; and a revamped commons area, designed as a welcoming gathering space. The gym is open for daytime drop-in public use. Wednesday evenings feature pickleball, and there are evening volleyball and basketball opportunities.
“Our programs and drop-in activities are open to all,” noted SPRD Executive Director Jennifer Holland.
A pre-K play area is open to the public outside SPRD childcare hours. Drop-in gym use is available.
New this year is an expansive community park developed around the community center.
The park has become a draw for local folks and for people passing through town.
Probably the most exciting aspect of that development is the addition of eight new outdoor pickleball courts (see story, page 64). Places to play that popular sport are in high demand. The courts are operational now and in heavy use. At least two of them are always available for public play.
For more information on SPRD programing, visit www.sistersrecreation.com.
GETTING HITCHED
By Bill Bartlett
Sisters Country is popping up more often on destination wedding maps. And why not? Talk about the perfect backdrop for the big day. Memories are forever when you tie the knot in our picture-perfect setting.
Choose from a variety of themes to accent the special day: luxury resort with world-class amenities, ranch, historic river lodge, bucolic winery, or right in town. Heck, you can even honeymoon in a forest fire lookout tower.
Want to get married on horseback? You can do that in Sisters. At the base of a waterfall? You bet. On a mountaintop? Yep. If you’re looking for an alternative to ballroom weddings, or if fancy isn’t your vibe (or your budget), then exchanging vows in Sisters might be for you.
Book early — at least a year in advance. A handful of nearby wedding planners can help create the perfect wedding.
Long Hollow Ranch: www.thelonghollowranch.com/ weddings-events
Pole Creek Ranch: www.polecreek.com/wedding-events
The Suttle Lodge: www.thesuttlelodge.com/groups/weddings
GETTING TUNED IN
There’s music in the air almost all the time in Sisters. From major music festivals to a thriving open mic scene, local musicians mix with national and regional performing artists to create a vibrant music community.
You’ll find all kinds of music here, from classic rock tribute performances to jazz, bluegrass,
classical, and folk-Americana.
Local eateries and watering holes regularly present local and regional music, and music-loving residents stage house concerts and jams.
The scene is enhanced by strong music programs in Sisters schools. Young jazz musicians are encouraged to jam with established pros in jazz
sessions, and the Americana Project cultivates young songwriters and performers. An active fiddle club at Sisters Middle School is producing young fiddlers who have hit the road to experience music festivals in the Pacific Northwest.
Sisters is always reaching for a high note.
PET AN ALPACA
By Bill Bartlett
Make a visit to alpaca ranches where you can get up close and personal, petting, feeding, and “chatting” with them. Alpacas make a gentle humming noise when happy. WHERE TO FIND THEM:
No less than 1,000 alpacas are about a 15-minute ride east from Sisters. Alpaca Country Estates (see ad on opposite page) started with just six Huacaya alpacas in 2006. The 134-acre pastured ranch is set with breathtaking views of the Cascades. Alpaca fiber produces amazingly soft garments and warm throws, rugs, and yarn. The property includes an all things alpaca seasonal farm store. Luxurious alpaca fiber is one of the rarest and most treasured natural fibers in the world. Private tours and group activities are available.
At Paca Picnics (see ad, page 39) you’ll eat, drink, and be merry while surrounded by a pack of friendly alpacas. Picnics happen at Flying Dutchman Alpacas north of Tumalo. The fun is all managed by the same folks who run Alpaca by Design (see ad, page 39), a premium apparel shop in downtown Sisters. Reserve ahead for all activities.
Raina Verhey explained her technique during a Sisters Arts Association Studio Tour.
A TOWN BUILT ON THE ARTS
Brad Earl is an architect by trade and a painter by passion. When he and his wife, Dale, moved west from Philadelphia to retire, they didn’t expect to find a small town with a population of 3,000 people that supported a dozen art galleries. But that’s what they found in Sisters.
Earl remains astonished at — and grateful for — the arts-centric community he found here.
“It’s the friendliest environment I’ve ever seen for creative people,” he said. “It’s extraordinarily inviting and friendly — and all-inclusive.”
Sisters is home to some longtime residents who have become legendary artists: painter and musician Dennis McGregor, woodcarver J. Chester “Skip” Armstrong, painter Paul Alan Bennett — people whose work has garnered a national and even international audience. There
are painters, photographers, sculptors, printmakers — virtually every medium is represented somewhere in the community.
Kathy Deggendorfer is one of the artists who has built a widespread reputation not only for her own work, but for supporting and promoting the work of other artists.
Deggendorfer said that the natural environment is a key factor in Sisters’ flourishing as an arts town. The vista of the Three Sisters Mountains has been an important part of her creative life on a daily basis.
“It’s one of this iconic images that have always been inspirational,” she said.
Like many other artists, that image is recurrent in Deggendorfer’s art.
Through Roundhouse Foundation’s Pine Meadow Ranch (PMR) residency programs,
Deggendorfer and the PMR staff seek to leverage the extraordinary environment to inspire artists in a wide range of media.
Like Earl, she emphasizes
Continued on page 44
PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT
Kathy Deggendorfer
the exceptional richness of the human environment.
“The community is so full of creative people,” she said. “It’s so rich — and small enough that you can meet some of those people.”
The Sisters Arts Association facilitates the interaction between artist and audience, hosting a monthly Fourth Friday Art Stroll through the gallery district of downtown Sisters, and through an annual artists studio tour that allows community members, visitors, and art patrons to interact with artists in their studio environment.
Earl notes that the Association has gone out of its way to be inclusive of artists who don’t necessarily have a formal studio space.
Dan Rickards already had established himself as a wildlife artist when he and his family moved to Sisters. The arts scene was in its infancy then — but the Rickards saw something in the town that drew them.
“The beauty and the temperament of the town was what led us to settle here,” he said.
The arts scene grew around him, and the Rickards became a critical part of it through opening an art gallery and the attached Open Door restaurant. That combination, designed as a kind of campus, has
helped Rickards build relationships with locals and with those who are passing through.
“What happened was the town embraced the arts as a whole,” he reflected.
There is a symbiosis between
Paul Alan Bennett delighted visitors during a Sisters Arts Association Studio Tour with the story of how his career as a painter and printmaker evolved.
the visual arts and music, with many artists crossing over between the two. The Open Door is a longtime music venue as well as being attached to an art gallery.
That kind of melding of
creative impulses creates a mood in the community that Rickards and other artists value deeply. It’s an economic driver, but also a profound cultural asset.
“I think the community benefits from the arts culture here more than they even know,” Rickards said.
Deggendorfer has reaped many rewards from her work “trying to create the kind of community I want to live in” through promotion of art and creativity.
“It’s been one of the greatest pleasures in my life to live in a
community like this,” she said. For more information visit www.sistersartsassociation. org. To keep up with arts-related events in Sisters, pick up The Nugget Newspaper (available at businesses throughout town), or visit www.nuggetnews.com.
PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT
Brad Earl
TREKKING IN SISTERS
THE METOLIUS RIVER
By Bill Bartlett
Hiking near Sisters offers a blend of high desert and alpine environments, where trails shift from sagebrush and open pine forests to lava fields and mountain meadows. What makes the area especially appealing is how accessible these landscapes are. Within minutes of town, hikers can find themselves immersed in quiet, expansive terrain with sweeping views of the Cascade Range.
Closer to Sisters, the Peterson Ridge Trail System provides an inviting introduction. The well-maintained trails wind through ponderosa pine forests, patches of manzanita, and open clearings that frame views of the Three Sisters peaks. The terrain is generally gentle, making it suitable for a wide range of abilities, from families with young children to runners and mountain bikers.
Interpretive signs along the routes add context about the local ecology, and the interconnected loops allow hikers to tailor the length and difficulty of their outing without committing to a long backcountry trek.
Looking to venture a bit farther? The landscape changes dramatically along the scenic route toward McKenzie Pass. Here, trails traverse a striking volcanic environment shaped by ancient lava flows. A memorable stop is Dee Wright Observatory, a stone structure built from lava rock that serves as both a viewpoint and a gateway to short interpretive walks.
Paths through the surrounding lava beds feel otherworldly, with twisted rock formations, hardy wildflowers, and clear sightlines to surrounding
peaks. The contrast between dark volcanic terrain and distant snow-capped mountains creates a sense of scale that’s hard to replicate.
As elevation increases, the experience becomes more alpine. Trails near Three Sisters Wilderness lead into cooler forests, across streams, and into meadows that bloom with wildflowers in mid-to-late summer.
Routes like the Green Lakes Trail, or hikes branching off the McKenzie Pass corridor, offer longer, more immersive outings, often culminating in views of glacial valleys and rugged volcanic peaks. These hikes require more preparation: water, proper footwear, and awareness of changing weather, but reward the effort with some of the most iconic scenery in Central Oregon.
Season plays an important role in shaping the experience. Early summer brings lingering snow at higher elevations, while late summer and early fall provide more consistent trail access and clear conditions. Mornings tend to be cooler and quieter, making them ideal for setting out, while afternoons bring warmer temperatures.
Wildlife sightings — ranging from deer to birds of prey — add another layer of interest, particularly in the quieter stretches of trail.
What defines hiking near Sisters is not just the variety of trails, but the ease of moving between them. In a single day, it’s possible to walk through shaded forest, explore a volcanic landscape, and stand in a mountain meadow, all a short distance of town.
CANYONS & RIMS
Tam McArthur Rim (Full day) • Moderate to difficult
Golf near Sisters reflects the region’s broader appeal: wide-open landscapes, mountain views, and a range of playing experiences suited to both casual visitors and dedicated golfers. Within a short drive of town, three distinct destinations — Aspen Lakes, Eagle Crest, and Black Butte Ranch — offer different ways to experience the game in Sisters Country high desert setting.
Just a few minutes from downtown, Aspen Lakes Golf Course blends natural terrain with a straightforward, approachable layout. Developed in the 1990s on land that had long been part of a family farm, the course was shaped with an emphasis on preserving existing features rather than reshaping the landscape entirely.
That approach is evident in the way fairways move through native vegetation and frame views of the Cascade Mountains. One of Aspen Lakes’ most recognizable features is its deep red sand bunkers, created from crushed volcanic cinders found on the property. The color contrast against green fairways and, in season, snow-capped peaks, gives the course a distinctive visual identity. The overall atmosphere
is relaxed and accessible, making it a comfortable option for visitors looking to add a round of golf to a broader Sisters itinerary.
About half an hour to the east, Eagle Crest Resort offers a more varied, multi-course environment. Its three courses provide different styles of play within a single destination. The Ridge Course moves through a dense juniper forest with expansive views toward the Cascades and nearby rock formations, favoring longer drives and offering a mix of risk-andreward opportunities.
The Resort Course presents a contrast between its front and back nines: the opening holes are more forgiving, while the latter half demands greater precision and course management. For those seeking a shorter round, the Challenge Course offers a quicker option focused on short-game skills, allowing players to complete 18 holes in less time without sacrificing variety. Together, these layouts make Eagle Crest a flexible choice for mixed groups or travelers with varying skill levels and schedules.
Fifteen minutes to the west, Black Butte Ranch features two full-length championship courses set against a backdrop of Ponderosa pine forests and
Notes: More open feel with sweeping bunkers and expansive fairways; strong mountain views throughout.
open meadows. Glaze Meadow, redesigned in the early 2010s, emphasizes elements of traditional golf architecture, including defined bunkering and subtly contoured greens.
Multiple tee options on each hole allow players to adjust the course length to suit their ability, while the surrounding terrain — rolling ground dotted with aspens and pines — creates a sense of immersion in the natural setting. Nearby, Big Meadow offers a slightly different experience, with broader fairways and sweeping bunkers that guide play across a more open landscape. Views of prominent Cascade peaks, including Three Fingered Jack, are a recurring feature, particularly on elevated holes that look out across the region.
Together, these three golf gems highlight the diversity of play available near Sisters. Whether it’s a casual round close to town, a multi-course resort experience, or a full day on championship layouts surrounded by mountain scenery, the region offers options that fit easily into a Sisters visit.
BREAKFAST • LUNCH SOUPS • SANDWICHES
CHICKEN
LAKES & RIVERS
Time on the water is one of the major attractions of Sisters Country. You can make it a chill day of relaxation floating on a placid lake or by a rushing stream — or you can make it a whitewater adventure.
Scout Lake:
Scout Lake is a popular spot for locals and visitors alike to get some time in the water. Children love splashing in its waters. No dogs are allowed at the day-use area, due to sanitation concerns.
From Sisters, travel 13.2 miles northwest on Highway 20, then 1.3 miles west on Forest Road 2070, and then 0.8 miles south on Forest Road 2066.
Suttle Lake:
Suttle Lake is a favorite spot in the Deschutes National Forest. Surrounded by forest, the lake is deep and clear, and everything from a rowboat to a paddleboard to a water-skiing boat are allowed — in separate parts of the lake. Hike an easy trail all around the lake. Cinder Beach provides access for swimmers and water play. Yellow, orange, or red hues from vine maple proclaim the arrival of autumn in September or October.
Travel west on Highway 20 for 13 miles to Forest Road 2070 and turn in.
Three Creek Lake:
Nestled under the majestic Tam McArthur Rim, Three Creek Lake is a popular spot for fishing — or just enjoying a day by (or in) the water. Motors are not allowed on Three Creek Lake, contributing to the serenity of the setting.
There is a primitive boat ramp on the east shore as well as a small store that rents boats. It can be buggy, so don’t forget your insect repellent.
Take Elm Street/FS Road 16 south out of Sisters for 16 miles.
Whychus Creek runs out of the mountains and down through town. You can enjoy it as part of a stroll through Creekside Park, or head up Forest Road 16 to the Whychus Creek Trailhead (4.3 miles south of Sisters) and hike along its waters.
Drive out to the Wizard Falls Fish Hatchery in Camp Sherman and walk along the beautiful Metolius River.
If you want to enjoy a thrilling ride through some spectacular country, head out to raft one of Central Oregon’s wild rivers.
The beautiful McKenzie River is widely regarded as the finest river-running experience in the region. With a steady plunge down the mountains, the river
creates continual excitement for rafters.
This designated Wild & Scenic River is exquisitely beautiful, rolling between stands of tall Douglas fir, western red cedar, western and mountain hemlock, and white alder that line the banks.
The Deschutes River has long been a popular destination for rafters. The short Upper Deschutes is suitable for a family outing with children as young as seven, according to the guidebook “Whitewater Rafting in North America.” The relatively brief run features the Class IV thrills of Big Eddy, which rolls and swirls in a lava canyon formed by the region’s volcanic activity. The rest of the trip offers more mellow rapids in a scenic environment.
The Lower Deschutes offers a series of exciting rapids, and multi-day rafters have the chance to explore the canyons. Numerous outfitters offer outfitting and guide services. Not only do they supply the equipment, but their experience and expertise make running the rivers safer.
Check with local resorts for information.
The Metolius River near Sisters is beautiful — but navigating it is best left to highly experienced expert boatmen.
CAMP SHERMAN: PARADISE IN THE TALL PINES
By Sue Stafford
The picturesque spot known as Camp Sherman lies in the southwest corner of Jefferson County within the Metolius Basin, a geologic treasure trove that provides hints into the formation of the basin. Between volcanoes, glaciers, earthquakes, and a fault scarp (vertical movement of one side of a fault in the earth’s surface), the basin is now bounded by Black Butte on the south, the Cascade Mountains to the west, Green Ridge on the east, and Jefferson Creek to the north.
Camp Sherman has been a draw for centuries of those seeking to slow down the pace and enjoy some of the most beautiful natural scenes in the American West.
What to do in Camp Sherman:
• Camping — there are a number of fine campsites along the Metolius River (see listings, page 76).
• Hike — You can walk along the Metolius River at many points. The most popular section lies between Wizard Falls Fish Hatchery and Canyon Creek Campground.
• Fish — The Metolius River is a legendary (and challenging) fly-fishing-only stream.
• Visit Camp Sherman Store — a place that will take you back in time, while filling your needs for good food and drink. They make outstanding
sandwiches.
The history of Camp Sherman is as unique as the place itself. Peoples’ eyes light up when questioned about the old days and many residents have more than one story to share.
Native Americans
Indigenous peoples were visiting the basin and its fish-filled river for centuries before Captain John C. Fremont crossed the Metolius River on December 1, 1843, with his Indian guide. Mpto-ly-as is a Native American word meaning white fish or “stinking fish” for all the salmon that came up the river to spawn and die. Artifacts have been unearthed at multiple archaeological sites that indicate the Metolius basin has had human inhabitants since before the eruption of Mt. Mazama (Crater Lake) 7,700 years ago.
One longtime Camp Sherman resident recalled that in the early to mid-1930s, an Indian woman would visit each summer with huckleberries to sell, carried in a deerskin pouch. She was dressed in doeskin, with her baby in a papoose on her back, and riding horseback.
In 1855, a United States treaty deeded land to the Native Americans and established Warm Springs Reservation where the Warm Springs, Wasco, and Paiute tribes still live today as the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.
JAROD GATLEY
Homesteaders
In 1862, the Homestead Act opened up settlement in the western U.S., allowing any American to put in a claim for up to 160 acres of free land. General Land Office records of 1881 show there were five homesteads within the upper Metolius basin. An 1882 map of the area shows a wagon road winding through the forests along a route very much like the present-day road from Highway 20 to Camp Sherman and on to the east.
In 1884, David and Margaret Allingham and family came over Santiam Pass from the Willamette Valley. At first they settled along Whychus Creek, moving a year later to the Metolius. Trading a squatter two horses for his cabin and corral, Allingham established his ranch along the Metolius River.
A house was built in 1890, with lumber from the sawmill at the Graham Ranch (near present-day Black Butte Ranch). That house eventually became a guard station when the Federal government took over in 1906, but unfortunately no longer stands. Supplies for the area came from Prineville and the mail was delivered weekly from Prineville to Camp
Polk, located northeast of the current Sisters.
In 1893, President Grover Cleveland created the Cascade Forest Reserve, which in 1908 became the Deschutes National Forest. That designation included the land in the Metolius basin, which meant there would be no more homesteads, the reason why today the percentage of private land in the basin is so small.
Camp Sherman Cabins
The next influx of inhabitants to the basin came from Sherman County beginning in 1908. There are various stories related to how that county’s wheat farmers discovered the Metolius but, once they did, whole families began to make annual pilgrimages every summer to camp on the river’s bank, fish, and recreate. Lots were available to rent from the Federal government for $5-$15 a year. They were allowed to build cabins as long as they were neat and substantial.
Regulations required there be 50 feet of space between the riverbank and the cabin, with that space to remain open to the public, which is still the Continued
case today on both sides of the river.
William Henrichs, O.L. Belshe, and Martin Hansen, all of Sherman County, built the first three cabins in 1916. Judge Henrichs is credited with naming the enclave Camp Sherman, after posting signs along the route from Sherman County to the Metolius, to guide the farmers. In the beginning the trip was a three-day journey in wagons or riding horses. When the automobile took the place of horses, all their supplies and some small farm animals were carried in collapsible crates on the running boards, with special racks on the back for their luggage.
Lou Reznechek grew up in Camp Sherman and went to school there. She told of the Madsen Dairy that operated until 1942 and Mr. Madsen who also delivered firewood. She remembered how perishables were stored in cooler boxes set in the icy waters of the Metolius because of no refrigeration.
Camp Sherman Store and Post Office
The heart of Camp Sherman has always been the store and post office. The store began as a platform tent and was run by Dick Fuller. After the tent, a
small store was built in 1917 by Frank Leithauser, who had the grocery store in Sisters. In 1922, the current building was constructed by Ross Ornduff from Sherman County. Until 1976, when a separate building was built, the post office was always located inside the store.
Over the years, various proprietors have owned and run the store, some longer than others. One thing they had in common – generously providing for the needs of the community, not only with food but with all kinds of items from fishing gear to penny candy to clothing.
Black Butte School
The first school opened in the 1880s and some students followed blazes on the trees as they walked to school through the woods. A log school was built in 1917 and was used until the present school opened in the 1950s. In the early days students walked and rode horses to school and there was a barn for the horses during the school day. The teacher was a jack-of-all-trades, splitting wood for the pot-bellied stove and assuming janitorial duties in addition to teaching.
The Chapel in the Pines
The Chapel in the Pines was originally part of the Shevlin-Hixon logging town that moved from area to area in south Deschutes County as timber was cut. In 1950, Shevlin ceased operation and Brooks-Scanlon purchased their buildings. A longtime resident of Camp Sherman and an executive with Brooks-Scanlon, Lloyd Blakely, had the chapel moved in the fall of 1957 to Camp Sherman — in two pieces. With the efforts of many people and businesses, the little chapel was refurbished and ready for congregates. When services began, there was a Catholic mass on Sunday morning and a Protestant service in the afternoon. Since 1980, there has been one nondenominational service on Sunday morning.
Lodging
Camp Sherman has always been known for its river and fishing. Early on, tourists began to come stay and play, requiring lodging to be built, particularly Hansen’s Resort (later called Lake Creek Lodge), the Heising Ranch, Circle M Ranch, the old Metolius River Lodge, and Camp Sherman Resort. Later came Haglund’s Resort, Twin View Resort, The Pines Resort off Metke Lane, and Metolius Meadows
guest ranch.
A dollar would buy an all-you-can-eat chicken dinner at Hansen’s, including pie made from huckleberries purchased from the Warm Springs tribes. Hansen also owned the 80 acres across from the resort where his sheep grazed and he put in a rustic nine-hole golf course. The resort had a lodge and cabins with or without housekeeping services.
In 1935, Hansen sold all of his property to Mrs. Bertha Perry Ronalds, part of the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco family, who was looking for a special summer home. Being a citizen of Monaco, she couldn’t own land so she immediately “resold” the property to Hays (Bud) and Robley McMullin, who changed the name of the lodge to Lake Creek Lodge and proceeded to modernize the rustic cabins. The new lodge had a large living room with a beam ceiling and impressive fireplace.
Mrs. Ronalds proceeded to build several beautiful homes, barns, an arena, and a swimming pool in the meadow across from Lake Creek Lodge for accommodating her guests. After she left Camp Sherman in 1940, the property passed through
several different owners and at one time was Metolius Meadows Dude Ranch. Today that property is the Metolius Meadows housing development.
The Community Hall
Nowhere are the traditions of Camp Sherman more evident than at the Community Hall. It has been the scene of potlucks, community meetings, memorial services, school programs, weddings and receptions, and dances. The Fourth of July pancake breakfasts over the years have raised funds for a number of worthy causes.
The original construction of the hall was a total community effort. When it was decided that residents of Camp Sherman needed a place to gather, in the spring of 1948 building began, on land donated by the McMullins. On the first day, 50 volunteers arrived to help clear the building site, aided by Sisters garage owner George Wakefield who used his wrecker to pull out jack pines.
Local full-time residents did all the construction work while summer residents contributed equipment and furnishings for the completed hall. There
were a number of fundraising events held as well, including a bear barbecue.
The interior of the hall is all knotty pine with beams made of hand-peeled logs, a signature of local log cabin builder Luther Metke. A small balcony overlooks the large room downstairs. It was dedicated in 1949 and is now listed on the National Historic Register.
Camp Sherman has grown over the years with new faces appearing at the store and post office. One thing remains constant — the feeling experienced when in Camp Sherman of being surrounded by something bigger, an energy that heals and restores. Store owner Kathy White believes Camp Sherman is “a healing place, a magical place.”
When there, the pace of the day slows. White says that when she has worries all she needs to do is go sit by the water. The gurgling of the river, the melodies of the birds, and the wind softly sighing through the ponderosas combine to create a soothing forest symphony. One can almost imagine the spirits of those early inhabitants watching, hoping that those who inhabit Camp Sherman today will continue to love the land and protect its traditions.
BIKE AND SKATE IN SISTERS
Sisters has a hidden gem for those who like to test their skills on two wheels. Bike Park 242 is located just off the McKenzie Highway (242) at the far west end of the Sisters High School parking lot (1750 McKinney Butte Rd.).
Bike Park 242 features four hand-shaped, progressive dirt jump lines ranging from beginner to expert. There are also two pump tracks with one designed for smaller riders and the second shaped for more advanced riders, although both pump tracks may be ridden by
all levels. A pump track is meant to be ridden for as many laps as possible without pedaling. The beginner-friendly technical skills section consists of ground-level skinnies, rock drop-offs, and smooth wooden rainbow-like features.
The park is open sunrise to sunset, April-October. SPRD offers a series of Pump & Jump clinics in the summertime. Visit www.sistersrecreation.com and search activities.
Bike Park 242 is maintained and managed by Central Oregon Trail Alliance (COTA) reps and
volunteers and SPRD.
In the same location you will find Sisters Skate Park — designed and built with the impetus and assistance of the skateboarding community at Sister High School.
The park is unsupervised. It offers skaters three main bowls and a number of street features.
The park has been in place for over a decade, and in 2023 underwent renovations. The additions include a new entrance, half-pipe, and many other small features.
Cast Your Line…
By Chester Allen
I sat on the bank of the Metolius River and watched the long shadows of a summer evening stretch across the clear water.
Just 30 feet upstream, right next to the rocky bank, a trout’s nose — a big nose — poked up and sucked down a bright yellow Pale Morning Dun mayfly. Then another one. Then another one.
I crept up the bank — staying on my knees. I saw a huge redsides rainbow trout as it rode a pillow of soft water and rose again. This was one of the biggest rainbows I have ever seen on the Metolius. I cast my fly, and it dropped into the water about 24 inches upstream of the trout. The fish rose, the fly vanished, and I set the hook.
The fish exploded into a run to deep water — then my fly popped out.
An exacting paradise
This sounds weird, but that lost fish is exactly why I live in Sisters. I live to fish the Metolius on an almost-daily basis. Like many local — and visiting — anglers, I’m addicted to the beauty and challenge of this clear, rushing spring creek where wild trout rise to insect hatches every day of the year.
I’ve seen blue-winged olive mayflies hatching in the middle of winter many times — even during light snowfalls. At the same time, trout on the Metolius are very picky, and you have to have the right fly and present it in the right way to catch fish.
The gin-clear water gives the trout great views of your fake fly, and many of the fish have been caught and released several times. It is common to see nice trout hover just
below your carefully tied fly — and turn away. This is fabulous —and frustrating. Each fish caught and released is special.
The Metolius is world famous for its beauty, its cold spring water — and those picky wild trout.
Other places
Locals and visitors fish other water, and there are many great trout streams and lakes nearby. For a relaxing evening with easier trout, the beautiful Three Creek Lake is just 18 miles from downtown Sisters. My wife, Heather, loves packing a dinner picnic to share with friends — and then everyone fishes the evening caddis hatch or mayfly spinner fall. This alpine lake nestled next to the Tam McArthur Rim is full of beautiful rainbow and brook trout.
The Middle Deschutes is 30 minutes away — with brown and rainbow trout. Suttle Lake is a short drive for brown trout and smallmouth bass. The famous Lower Deschutes River is an hour away.
So many waters, so little time!
Second chances
Many people visit Sisters to fly fish — and then they find a way to live here. Having world-class fly fishing in the neighborhood is like having a second chance at a simpler, natural, beautiful life — especially when the Metolius trout drive you nuts.
Two weeks after I lost that massive trout, I was sitting in the same spot on the Metolius. A trout began rising on that same bank — for big Green Drake mayflies.
It was the same fish! I slowly started to crawl into position….
TOP HATCHES ON WATERS Central Oregon
green drake
The hatch goes from about Memorial Day weekend to the end of June. The trout in the Metolius come crashing to the surface to feast on the dark green flies.
blue wing
A tiny little olive mayfly with gray wings. The only mayfly found in Central Oregon hatching all 12 months of the year, so it provides some of the only dry fly fishing in the winter.
callibaetis
Callibaetis mayflies are a lake angler’s dream. It took us many years to invent the fly we call the Black Butte Callibaetis, but wherever the black mayflies are found this fly is a match.
stonefly
Stonefly hatches bring the most tourists to fish a single hatch. The famed salmonfly and golden stone hatches happen on the Deschutes from mid-May until early June.
SISTERS DELIVERS FOR CYCLISTS OF ALL AGES, ALL ABILITIES
By Bill Bartlett
In Sisters, life slows just enough to notice the details: ponderosa pine warming in the sun, volcanic soil crunching under tires, the steady hum of a bicycle rolling into open country. For cyclists, this corner of Central Oregon offers something that feels both accessible and quietly expansive, a place where riding is less about conquering terrain and more about settling into it.
The heart of the local biking scene is the Peterson Ridge Trail system, which begins just south of town and unspools into more
than 20 miles of interconnected single track. Built originally for mountain biking and expanded over the years, the network is laid out in a thoughtful web of loops and connectors, so riders can shape their own experience. Short, scenic outing or a full 15- to 20-mile link-up, the choice is yours without ever straying far from your starting point.
What draws visitors back is the approachability. The terrain rolls rather than climbs, making it genuinely welcoming to beginners and intermediates while still keeping experienced riders interested. Trails flow through open forest and high desert, with filtered light crossing the path and glimpses of the Three Sisters appearing between the trees. The occasional lava rock section or ‘rooty’ stretch asks for your attention without ruining your day. The overall feel is rhythm and continuity, long smooth stretches that invite a steady cadence rather than whiteknuckle survival.
The trail culture matches the terrain. Cyclists share the system with hikers, runners, and equestrians, and the communal, unhurried vibe mirrors the town itself. A nod at a junction, a brief conversation at an overlook, a moment where the land opens wide and quiet. It feels less like a race and more like participation in a landscape. Beyond Peterson Ridge, a growing network of
gravel routes and quiet country roads radiates outward into Sisters Country proper. These rides trade single track for sweeping views past lava fields, ranch land, and alpine lakes, with some routes connecting to longer regional systems for riders who want to push deeper into Central Oregon.
That said, serious cyclists are well looked after here. Sisters typically hosts at least three notable cycling events each year, including the Stampede over Memorial Day Weekend and the Cascade Gravel race soon after. Backroads, the internationally recognized adventure tour company, includes Sisters on several of its long-distance itineraries. And the iconic ride along the Historic 242 Byway toward Dee Wright Observatory and beyond remains a bucket-list route for cyclists across the West.
Timing matters too. Summer brings dry trails and long daylight hours. Fall delivers cooler temperatures and firmer surfaces after the first rains, arguably the finest time to ride. Spring opens gradually, with lower trails accessible early, while winter is better suited to other pursuits.
In Sisters, cycling is simply a way of moving through a place that reveals itself slowly: quiet stretches of forest, a sudden mountain view, and the uncomplicated pleasure of following wherever the trail leads.
& BANGING THE PICKLEBALLTOSSING CIRCLES
Pickleball is a passion for many folks who visit Sisters — and for folks who live here, too. It’s the fastest-growing sport in America, because it is a LOT of fun. You can play as casually or as seriously as you like, and it’s a great way to get good exercise in the sunshine.
Play in Sisters got a massive upgrade this year as Sisters Park & Recreation District opened eight beautiful new outdoor courts at the Sisters Community Park located at 611 E. Cascade Ave. Six of the courts are reserved for Sisters Pickleball Club members from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday–Saturday, with two courts always available for public use, and all eight are available in the afternoon. Sisters Pickleball
Club welcomes new members (www.sisterspickleballclub.com).
Disc golf is another popular activity that draws people to Sisters. Just like it sounds, this game puts groups on a course to drive and putt just like golf — but with the flying discs that used to be called Frisbees.
Disc golfers can throw at Hyzer Pines just a few minutes from downtown Sisters off Highway 242 next to Sisters High
School. It’s a challenging course that is heavily treed with small gaps for distance throws, to work around using backhand and forehand throws.
Another popular course in the Central Oregon area is Pine Nursery, featuring unique high desert terrain.
There is also a course in Redmond near Dry Canyon offering a different type of terrain and views.
SISTERS COUNTRY snowtopia
By Bill Bartlett
Where to play:
• Three Creeks Sno-Park, an easy 15-minute drive straight south of town on Forest Road 16 (Three Creek Road), provides access to 14 miles of Nordic ski trails and several loop opportunities. The trails here are very easy and the views you get on a clear day are absolutely incredible! This is as close to the base of the Three Sisters as you can get on snowshoes without doing winter snow camping.
Here you can find the only designated snowshoe trail in the Deschutes National Forest. An idyllic 4.9-mile out-and-back trek to Jefferson View Shelter.
Snowmobilers have their own haven with miles upon miles (more than 100) of groomed trails, all the way to Moon Mountain and Bend if you’re so inclined. Or connect with four other Sno-Parks!
• Ray Benson Sno-Park is about 25 minutes due west of Sisters off Highway 20 and is a vast winter wonderland north of 4,500 feet. There are nearly two dozen variations with a grand loop of 7.6 miles. Benson is one of the largest Sno-Parks in Oregon, room for every user. And it boasts the sturdy Brandenburg Shelter, plus two others.
The mountain views are flat out stunning. Snowshoers find their happy place on the 5.7 mile south loop.
ON THE RUN IN SISTERS
Sisters’ network of trails beckons to runners of every classification, from casual joggers to serious trail runners to elite athletes.
On any given day, you’ll find runners out on the network of trails maintained by Sisters Trails Alliance, or on the forest roads that crisscross the countryside, cooking the miles, breathing the fresh alpine air, and enjoying spectacular views. Runners also get a workout in at the Sisters High School track when school is not in session. It may be best to avoid the roads
as Sisters’ traffic increases — but with all the off-road opportunities, you won’t miss your miles.
Sisters is home to a variety of running events, from fun run/walk events often keyed to holidays, to ultramarathons that test the mettle of the most dedicated athletes.
Run Sisters Run hosts multiple fun run events through the year, including the Sisters 4th Fest on the Fourth of July, and the Ugly Sweater Run that celebrates Christmas.
Alpine Running has
sponsored a halfmarathon and ultramarathon in the late spring, and the Peterson Ridge Rumble is an established destination event that features three distances — 40 miles; 27.8 miles; and 20 miles on the Peterson Ridge and Metolius-Windigo trail networks each April.
Happy Girls sponsors a 5k/10k/half marathon each fall in Sisters, and other runs across Central Oregon.
Keep an eye on the events calendar in The Nugget Newspaper for updates on events.
BLACK BUTTE RANCH
For more than half a century, Black Butte Ranch (BBR) has built lifelong memories.
For many, it’s an annual destination where families can reconnect with the natural beauty found on more than 1,800 acres of some of Oregon’s most spectacular terrain. Others are just discovering this gem that lies just
eight miles west of Sisters. They, too, will likely be back.
It’s not just the beauty: BBR offers a wealth of year-round activities — from golf on two 18-hole championship courses with mountain views, to horseback riding, to over 23 miles of paved hiking and biking trails, a full-service day spa, indoor and outdoor pool complexes, tennis courts, fitness facilities with cardio and weight equipment, a recreation center with entertainment for the whole family, standup paddleboarding, canoeing, kayaking, and convenient access to some of the finest fishing and whitewater rafting you’ll find anywhere.
The Lakeside area features
an expansive outdoor pool, hot tub, fitness facility, sauna, and locker rooms, — but it’s steps away from a game-filled Activity Center and playground.
There are a dozen pickleball courts to meet the demand for one of America’s fastest-growing sports activities; 14 tennis courts, two bocce ball courts, and two horseshoe pits, along with sand volleyball courts and a full-length basketball court.
There are a variety of dining options, from the Aspen Lounge near the pool, to Robert’s Pub and The Lodge Restaurant.
BBR proclaims itself to be in the business of creating memories — and they do it in style.
BIRDING ACROSS SISTERS
Story and photos by Sevilla Rhoads Home to one of the world’s tallest owls, the Great Gray, and smallest songbirds, the Goldencrowned Kinglet, Sisters Country’s variety of birdlife amazes visitors and continually delights residents. Unlike any other comparatively-sized region, there are 11 different species of breeding woodpeckers here. Sharing and highlighting this bounty with others, every June the East Cascades Birding Alliance (ECBA) hosts a woodpecker festival which draws bird enthusiasts from all over the world. ECBA also provides information on local birding
sites, outings, and links to lists and recent sightings. For visiting birders, the best way to plan without a guide is reviewing ECBA’s website resources, eBird lists (www.eBird.org), and the local birding listserv (www.groups.io/g/COBOL).
Everyone can meaningfully experience Sisters’ birdlife. No matter your mobility needs, sensory abilities, background, economic status, or otherwise, birds are everywhere and there are limitless ways to enjoy them. Some local birding guides are certified in accessible birding outings. The site accessbirding.com is a national resource on accessible birding with links to local guides. Sisters also has available at no cost, an all-terrain wheelchair (www.scadvenchair.org).
Visitors looking for a beautiful place to stay and bird mostly on paved paths might consider Black Butte Ranch. Less extensive, but quieter and closer to the Metolius River trails is Lake Creek Lodge, which welcomes queries about its accessibility features for birders and others and has birding sitspots along the restored creek and wetlands. If
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Canyon Wren in Tumalo.
Orange-crowned warbler at Pine Meadow Ranch in Sisters.
you prefer to camp, Creekside has an astonishing number of birds for being conveniently located in the town.
Sisters Country has many wonderful “birdy” sit-spots, like the covered viewing platform by the Suttle Lake Lodge, picnic tables near Whychus Creek in Creekside Park, and the paved viewing area at the Head of the Metolius.
Any of these spots in early morning, particularly in late spring and early summer, offers a magical immersion in bird sights and sounds.
If you prefer birding by car or while hiking, you can head out in almost any direction from the town of Sisters and, within about 15 minutes, find yourself exploring quiet forest service roads in stunning natural areas with trails and day use stops (www. fs.usda.gov/r06/deschutes). Depending on the time of year, you could find yourself bathing in the songs of a flock of forest warblers or be delighting in chickadees, nuthatches, and kinglets when a hawk swoops in and snatches one away!
Sisters is also close to the Crooked River Grasslands, an often overlooked national treasure (www.fs.usda.gov/r06/ochoco). At first glance, these prairies and canyons may seem still and quiet, but a few minutes of quiet listening and watching will reveal beautiful high desert birds like two bluebird species,
Ruby-crowned Kinglets are commonly found all over Deschutes County.
two types of quail, and many flycatchers. Watch the skies out there for birds of prey, such as Golden Eagles.
One of the best approaches for a visitor to enjoy and learn more about Sisters’ area birds is attending a program or group outing with a local guide. You can find out about these through local lodges and resorts (which often have activity information), The Nugget Newspaper, and posters on the boards of Sisters’ stores and cafes. To verify that a guide is properly registered, check www.oregon. gov/osmb.
Many people visit Sisters Country because the awe-inspiring natural landscapes draw us out to explore and discover. Experiencing the wonder of the area’s birdlife, regardless of whether you are a birder or not, is a fun and meaningful way to deepen your sense of this land and its history.
Bald Eagle at Black Butte Ranch.
CAMPGROUNDS
ALLEN SPRINGS
Season: Year-round (weather permitting).
Location: On Metolius River, 5 miles north of Camp Sherman Store. Access: From Sisters, 9.6 miles northwest on Hwy. 20, then 11.1 miles north on Road 14. Elevation: 2,750 feet. Facilities: Vault toilets, no water. Sites: 16, best suited to tents. Activities: Catch-and-release fishing, trails. Rates: $28-$30 per night. Reservations: recreation.gov or for additional info, call 541323-1746.
ALLINGHAM
Season: May-September (weather permitting). Location: On Metolius River, one mile north of Camp Sherman Store. Access: From Sisters, 9.6 miles northwest on Hwy. 20, then 6.1 miles north on Road 14, then one mile north on 1419. Elevation: 2,900 feet. Facilities: Vault toilets, piped drinking water. Sites: 10. Activities: Catchand-release fishing, trails. Rates: $28 per night. Reservations: None. Info: www.recreation.gov.
CANDLE CREEK
Season: May-September (weather permitting). Location: Last campground on the Metolius River in Camp Sherman. Not recommended for RVs. Access: From Sisters, 12.4 miles northwest on Hwy. 20, then 12.3 miles north on Road 12 and then 1.6 miles east on Road 1200 980. Elevation: 2,700 feet. Facilities: Vault toilets; no water. Sites: 10. Activities: Catch-and-release fishing, trails. Rates: $17 per night. Reservations: Some at recreation.gov or for additional info, call 541323-1746.
COLD SPRINGS
Season: May-October (weather permitting).
Location: On Hwy. 242 west of Sisters. Access: From Sisters, 4.2 miles west on Hwy. 242. Elevation: 3,500 feet. Facilities: Vault toilets, hand-pump drinking water. Sites: 22. Activities: Birdwatching, hiking, biking. Rates: $25 per night. Reservations: Some at www.recreation.gov or for additional info, call 541-323-1746.
CREEKSIDE
Season: April-October with Camp Host. Location: City of Sisters, 504 S. Locust St. Access: From S. Locust St. and from Desperado Trail. Elevation: 3,100 feet. Facilities: Restrooms, showers, tables, and fire pits. Sites: 60 camp sites include 28 full-hookup plus non hookup, tent, and hiker/biker sites. Activities: On Whychus Creek downtown, walking, biking. Rates: $25-$55 per night based on site. Reservations: 541-323-5218 or 541-549-6022. Details: ci.sisters.or.us.
SCOUT LAKE
Season: May-September (weather permitting). Location: Near Suttle Lake, 16 miles west of Sisters. Access: From Sisters, 12 miles northwest on Hwy. 20, left on F.S. Road 2070, then under a mile and left on F.S. Road 2066. Elevation: 3,600 feet. Facilities: Vault toilets, piped water, tables, and fire pits. Sites: 10. Activities: Swimming (beachfront), hiking, popular group/family meeting location. No dogs allowed at day use area adjacent to campground. Rates: $27-$81 per night. Reservations: recreation.gov or for additional info, call 541-323-1746.
SOUTH SHORE SUTTLE LAKE
Season: May-September (weather permitting). Location: On Suttle Lake, 16 miles west of Sisters. Access: From Sisters, 12 miles northwest on Hwy. 20, left on F.S. Road 2070, then under a half mile to entrance on the right. Elevation: 3,400 feet. Facilities: Vault and wheelchairfriendly toilets, piped water, tables, and grills. Sites: 38. Activities: Fishing, boating, water skiing, hiking. Rates: $30 per night. Reservations: Some at www.recreation.gov or for additional info, call 541-323-1746.
THREE CREEK LAKE
Season: June-September (weather permitting). Location: On Three Creek Lake. Access: From Sisters, take Elm Street (becomes Road 16) south 16 miles (last 2.1 miles rough and rocky, not RV friendly). Elevation: 6,500 feet. Facilities: Vault toilets. Sites: 11. Activities: Fishing, nonpower boating, hiking. Rates: $26 per night. Reservations: recreation.gov. or for additional info, call 541-323-1746.
THE MAGIC OF COLOR IN SISTERS OUTDOOR QUILT SHOW
There is a magical day each summer when Sisters blossoms in color, as the whole town is wrapped in quilts. That day is Saturday, July 11, the celebration of the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show (SOQS).
The show has put Sisters on the international map for the quilting community — but it has become much more than a single day festival of fabrics. SOQS has become a week-long celebration of the arts and the creative spirit.
Fabric arts enthusiasts are invited to join a night of creativity and couture at An Evening of Whimsical Design, the SOQS 2026 Friday fundraising event celebrating artistry, imagination,
and the joy of quilting in motion. This one-of-a-kind fashion show will feature stunning quilted garments and accessories designed by talented makers, including our Quilter’s Affair instructors, SOQS Board members, and local artisans.
On show day, visitors to the free, unticketed show stroll through Sisters’ quilt-festooned streets and partake of the hospitality offered by Sisters’ shops and restaurants. Hood Avenue will be closed, making it a pedestrian park where quilt enthusiasts can explore special exhibits that enhance the experience. Some of the special exhibits are returning favorites, and there are new ones that keep the show
fresh and exciting.
SOQS will host a beautiful day at the FivePine Lodge and Conference Center on Sunday, July 12, with quilt artisan and designer Michelle Wilkie.
The week running up to the big day is filled with the events of Quilter’s Affair, hosted by Stitchin’ Post. This annual event is an amazing opportunity to take classes with some of the most skilled and renowned artists in the fabric arts space. Many people return year after year to expand their artistic horizons.
For a rundown of classes and events of Quilter’s Affair, visit https://stitchinpost.com/pages/ quilters-affair-information.
PHOTOS BY CODY RHEAULT
SAT., JULY 11, 2026 • 9 AM–4 PM
1,000+ quilts on display from quilters of all ages and skill levels. Amidst a festival atmosphere, 10,000+ visitors from all over the U.S. and multiple countries come to celebrate the creativity, skill, and heritage of quilting arts. Open to the public at no charge!
WWW.SOQS.ORG
Always held the second Saturday in July . Renowned as the largest outdoor quilt show in the world! SOQS is a 501(c)(3).
GETTING FESTIVE WITH MUSIC
Remember the good ol’ days when you could go to a music festival without buying your tickets on an installment plan and paying $50 or more in service fees? Where you could bring your own chair, grab a beer in less than 10 minutes, and make friends with the people sitting around you? Where you had enough space to bust a move?
Big Ponderoo is on a mission to bring the audience a festival reminiscent of the days before the corporate music monopoly took over — where small-town charm meets world-class live
music for an unforgettable, warm, and personal festival experience. Created by SFF Presents, Big Ponderoo runs June 26-27, 2026 at Village Green Park, right in then heart of town. For more information visit www.bigponderoo.com.
Sisters Folk Festival, where “All The Town’s A Stage,” is an immersive experience in music and community. It is an intimate, multi-genre festival that puts great artists on seven stages throughout town September 25-27, 2026.
Founded by a group of local
musiclovers in 1995, Sisters Folk Festival has grown into a destination event with an international reputation for cultivating a listening atmosphere, combined with a lively, good time. Attendees can expect a unique and transformative festival experience, beyond fantastic live music, from a blend of high profile and lesser-known artists, songwriters, and bands. They perform in intimate settings, including expansive tents, a historic church, and courtyard venues at local restaurants.
CODY RHEAULT
Replac e Missing Teeth
THE BIGGEST LITTLE SHOW IN THE WORLD
Sisters Rodeo is known as “The Biggest Little Show In The World” — and it is. For four days running June 10-14, Sisters will draw the best cowboys and cowgirls in the business to test their mettle against some of the finest stock in rodeo. That’s a tradition that dates back to 1940 — and it keeps on growing, bringing in fans from all across the West.
There are even international groups that come to Sisters each year for the Rodeo.
But Sisters Rodeo’s impact goes way beyond one fun and wild weekend.
The rodeo organization, made up virtually entirely of volunteers, is a major contributor to the Sisters community. The economic impact is big, of course — thousands of people visit Sisters for the rodeo, shopping, dining,
and staying in local lodging establishments.
There are other impacts that are not as visible, but just as important. Each year, Sisters Rodeo grants six $2,500 scholarships to students across the tri-county region — mostly young people seeking a career and life in agriculture.
“We always get a significant number of applicants,” says Rodeo Association Board Member Brian Greig.
Auctions of original poster art often raise thousands of dollars for local charities, and a Real Men Wear Pink fundraiser for the American Cancer Association also raises thousands of dollars each year.
The Sisters Kiwanis Club hosts an annual Buckaroo Breakfast on Rodeo Sunday, which funds its many service projects in Sisters. Other service organizations and school programs work at the Rodeo to raise funds.
So while the show is big, the impact is even bigger from The Biggest Little Show In The World.
A RICH HARVEST OF EVENTS
Sisters will mark the nation’s birth with Sisters 4th Fest at Village Green Park, sponsored by Rotary Club of Sisters and Citizens4Community. A pancake breakfast, a fun run, and a car show are just a sampling of the fun, which will also include live music.
Athletes participate in running events, often tied to holidays, and artists enjoy a monthly stroll through galleries and studios on the Fourth Friday of each month.
Car lovers revel in the
Glory Daze Car Show staged by Sisters Park & Recreation District and sponsored by Rotary Club and Mid Oregon Credit Union on September 12. Classic cars line East Main Avenue and prizes go to vehicles that prove themselves special. The event fills up; register your vehicle early at https://sistersrecreation.com/ special-events/glory-daze.
Sisters Harvest Faire, set for October 10-11 is a destination event. Vendors, many of whom have been coming to Sisters
for decades, offer quality handcrafted items including pottery, metal art, photography, painting, jewelry, furniture, home décor, specialty foods, and much more.
Sisters celebrates Christmas with a Holiday Palooza — a tree-lighting and parade on Saturday, November 28 — that has become a family tradition for visitors and locals alike. There’s always something happening here. Check the events calendar at www. nuggetnews.com to keep up.
BILL BARTLETT
JUNE
SISTERS FARMERS MARKET
Sundays | 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
June through October
Located at Fir Street Park. Local and fresh veggies, meats, fruits, honey, pickles, eggs, ice cream, artisan crafts, grains, and more! Information: www.sisters farmersmarket.com.
4TH FRIDAY ART WALKS
March through December*
Stroll through downtown Sisters and enjoy beautiful art and meet various artists.
*December event held on 3rd Friday. Info: www.sistersarts association.org.
XTREME BULLS
Wednesday, June 10 | 6:30 p.m.
Come see the best in bull riding at the Sisters Rodeo grounds. Purchase tickets at www. sistersrodeo.com.
SISTERS RODEO PARADE
Saturday, June 13 | 9:30 a.m. Downtown Sisters. Come early!
SISTERS RODEO & PARADE
Thursday-Sunday, June 11-June 14
Come to “The Biggest Little Show in the World”! Now in its 86th year. Five performances sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, plus slack on Thursday. Tickets at www.sistersrodeo.com.
BIG PONDEROO
Friday & Saturday, June 26-27
A celebration of Americana music and the arts, located at Village Green Park. Sponsor and contact: SFF Presents, 541-549-4979. Info: www. bigponderoo.com.
2026 EVENTS
JULY
SISTERS 4TH FEST
Saturday, July 4
A pancake breakfast, patriotic flag ceremony, kids on wheels parade, music, line dancing, 5-kilometer run, fire truck tours, hot dog stand, pie-eating contest, lawn games, and a livestock demo. Info: www.sisters4thfest.com.
SISTERS OUTDOOR
QUILT SHOW QUILT WALK
Quilts will be on display inside Sisters businesses during regular hours the month of July. Contact: Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show, 541-549-0989 or www.soqs.org.
QUILTER’S AFFAIR
Monday-Friday, July 6-10
Five days of virtual quilting classes, lectures, and programs. Contact: Stitchin’ Post, 541-549-6061 or stitchinpost.com/ pages/qa-home.
SISTERS OUTDOOR QUILT SHOW™
Saturday, July 11 | 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
The 51st year of the largest outdoor quilt show in the country! Contact: 541-549-0989 or www.soqs.org.
SISTERS OUTDOOR QUILT SHOW™ "SAVE IT FOR SUNDAY" WALKING TOUR & LECTURE
Sunday, July 12 | 10 a.m.
More quilting exhibits and special events that you can save for Sunday, at FivePine Conference Center. Contact: 541-549-0989 or www.soqs.org.
SEPTEMBER
“GLORY DAZE” CAR SHOW
Saturday, September 12 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Cruise through Sisters! All categories, makes and models, with vendors, awards, and music. Downtown on Main Avenue. Sponsor and contact: Sisters Park & Recreation District, 541-549-2091 or sistersrecreation com.
SISTERS FOLK FESTIVAL
Friday-Sunday, September 25–27
The 29th annual celebration of Americana music from blues to bluegrass, includes performances by top folk artists and musicians. Sponsor and contact: SFF Presents, 541-549-4979 or www.sistersfolkfest.org.
OCTOBER
SISTERS HARVEST FAIRE
Saturday & Sunday, October 10 & 11, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. In its 43rd year, this fair brings together over 150 juried vendors of handcrafted arts and crafts, plus food and entertainment. Located downtown on Main Avenue. Sponsor: Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce, 541-549-0251 or www.sisterscountry.com.
NOVEMBER
SISTERS HOLIDAY PALOOZA & PARADE
Saturday, November 28 3:30–5:30 p.m.
Annual Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony in Fir Street Park and holiday parade on Main Avenue. Sponsor: Sisters Park & Recreation District, www.sistersrecreation. com.
DINING DINING DINING DINING
Black Butte Ranch: 7 miles west of Sisters on Hwy. 20. | 877-431-5738 | blackbutteranch.com
| Offering outstanding dining options amidst the most spectacular views in Central Oregon. The Lodge Restaurant features Northwest cuisine and majestic views of the Cascades. The Aspen Lounge offers a scenic vista for inspired cocktails and light fare. Robert’s Pub is the perfect gathering place for families and golfers, featuring salads, burgers, and microbrews. Lakeside Bistro is the ideal spot to take in the beauty of the mountains and lake and enjoy espresso, fresh pastries, savory sandwiches, and artisan pizza. BlackButteRanch.com/dining.
| Set on 312 stunning acres between two ridges and a canyon in Terrebonne, Oregon, just 18 miles from Sisters and 14 miles from the iconic Smith Rock State Park, the vineyard offers a one-of-a-kind experience. The property is a testament to the region’s natural beauty, with the tasting room and event center surrounded by the breathtaking Three Sisters Mountain range. Enjoy wine varieties in our beautiful tasting room at the vineyards complemented by artisan charcuterie boards to seasonal specialties, there’s something for every palate to savor.
HØST Supper Club: 13375 SW Forest Service Road, #1419, Camp Sherman | 541-460-6550 | opentable.com | Experience elevated Pacific Northwest dining amongst the pines of Camp Sherman, a jewel of Central Oregon. Nestled along the banks of restored Lake Creek, this beautifully preserved century-old lodge is perfect for small groups and couples. Locally sourced fare — from the Oregon Coast to local Sisters farms — is expertly accompanied by a curated unique Oregon-centric wine list, specialty cocktails, and local award-winning craft beers. Enjoy the full menu in the elegant dining room, the quaint adjacent bar, or the stunning covered deck (weather permitting). Bar and dining begins at 4 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday. Reservations are highly recommended.
Lazy Z Ranch Wines: 68540 E Hwy. 20, Sisters | 541-588-5299 | lazyzranch.com | One-of-a-kind gathering place where regenerative ranching, handcrafted mead, and community come together. Known for its small batch meads crafted with honey from its own hives and locally sourced fruit, guests can enjoy mountain views, open pastures, live music, food truck and charcuterie boards amongst rustic beauty and modern farmhouse charm.
Luckey’s Woodsman Trailside Kitchen: 352 E. Hood Ave., Unit B. | 541-904-4450 | luckeys woodsman.com | From breakfast burritos to juicy local ranch burgers, macro bowls, and crave-worthy nachos, our menu brings a taste of the PNW outdoors — serving up good vibes, local craft beer, cider and wine. Our dietary-conscious kitchen offers a variety of vegan and gluten-free options. Open daily until 8 p.m. with an amazing tree-shaded lawn to relax with friends or furry companions. PCT friendly, we specialize in off-grid adventure catering throughout Central Oregon, hosting events and being part of the community. Fuel your explorations with delicious, fresh fare. Follow @luckeyswoodsman for more info, weekly happenings, and seasonal events.
Sisters Bakery: 251 E Cascade Ave. | 541-549-0361 | sistersbakery.com | Open since 1981, Sisters Bakery is an essential part of any Central Oregon adventure. Visit our retail bakery in downtown Sisters to get hooked on our scones, sourdough bread, pastries, and smiling faces. Shop our pantry for local salts, teas, homemade jams, and merchandise. Take the beautiful drive and spend a day in Sisters. Open 6 a.m. daily. Be seeing you soon! See ad on inside front cover.
Sisters Coffee Co.: 273 W. Hood Ave. | 541-549-0527 | sisterscoffee.com | Sisters Coffee Co. is a family owned and operated roastery and retailer, based in Sisters since 1989. We focus on sourcing, roasting, and serving highquality craft coffees in our café and throughout our regional wholesale program. Our cafe is open from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., serving fresh baked pastries and locally sourced food items on our breakfast and lunch menus.
Sisters Farmers Market: Located at Fir Street Park. | sistersfarmersmarket.com | Sundays, June through October, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. | Shop from a variety of local fresh veggies, meats, honey, fish, pickles, and more from Central Oregon farmers, ranchers, and food producers. Find the perfect gift from local artists and enjoy live music and weekly kids activities in a welcoming, community environment. The market accepts SNAP and offers a SNAP match up to $20.
Sisters Meat and Smokehouse: 110 S. Spruce St., Sisters | 541-719-1186 | 308 SW Evergreen Ave., Redmond | 458-8995249 | sistersmeat.com | Top-quality, Oregonfirst products, locally sourced when possible. Smoked on-site, meats are hormone- and antibiotic-free, and prepared by third-generation meat experts. Wild game, pork, poultry, lamb, beef, line-caught Alaskan seafood, and complementary products. Wine, cider, and craft beer on tap. Menu features exclusively Sisters Meat and Smokehouse products: meats, cheeses, sauces, sandwiches, entrées, and more. Relax on the outdoor patio or order to-go!
Sisters Movie House & Café: 720 S. Desperado Ct. | 541-549-8833 | sistersmoviehouse.com | We’re more than just movies! Check out our expanded menu from our beloved Movie House Burger to flatbreads, wraps, paninis, and our “Healthical” choices, like gluten-free and veggie options, grain bowls and more. Plus four rotating beers and ciders on draft, and dozens of other beverage options, including fine wine by the glass. So come join us in the cinema, in our 24-seat café, or on our delightful, tree-shaded patio this summer. Sisters Movie House & Café is on the campus of FivePine Lodge, just off Hwy. 20 at the east end of Sisters.
Sno Cap Drive In: 380 W. Cascade Ave. | 541549-6151 | Since 1954, a slice of Americana and a Sisters classic! Hours are subject to change, please see Google. Featuring 100% high-quality ground chuck burgers cooked the old-fashioned way, yummy fries, onion rings, chicken strip baskets, chili dogs, and more. And don't miss the incredible homemade ice cream and milkshakes, including soft-serve. Families have been returning for decades!
Spoons: 473 E. Hood Ave. | 541-719-0572
Spoons serves up classic comfort food with a local touch. Known for its hearty homemade breakfasts, fresh sandwiches, and soups, Spoons has become a favorite gathering place for locals and visitors alike. With indoor and outdoor seating, friendly service, and a welcoming bakery, this is a must-eat destination spot.
Three Creeks Brew Pub: 721 S. Desperado Ct. | 541-549-1963 | threecreeksbrewpub.com | Since 2008, we’ve relentlessly pursued the mission of crafting beer and cuisine of uncompromising quality and consistency; proudly receiving numerous prestigious awards, including the Great American Beer Festival’s Brewery Group of the Year honors in 2020. Offering daily specials, friendly service, and a large “dogs welcome” outdoor patio surrounded by towering pines.
The Barn in Sisters: 171 E. Main Ave. | 541-9044343 | thebarninsisters.com | A lively taphouse, restaurant, and gathering place where community, food, art, and culture come together. Enjoy offerings from beloved food carts including Boone Dog Wood Fired Pizza, Bob’s Electric Mediterranean Cuisine, Rootbound Vegan Eats, and Carmelita’s Mexican Cuisine, each bringing a fresh, farm-driven approach with something delicious for every palate. The venue celebrates creativity with live music, local art, and thoughtfully designed seasonal landscaping that brings beauty indoors and out. Experience a welcoming space where great food, art, and community connect.
Bend/Sisters Garden RV Resort: On Hwy. 20, 3.5 miles east of Sisters | 541-549-3021 or tollfree 888-503-3588 | BendSistersGardenRV.com | Featuring RV full-hookup with 30/50-amp service, camping cabins, furnished cottages, grocery, firewood, propane, laundry, bathhouses, Wi-Fi, miniature golf, heated pool and spa, and off-leash dog park. Big rig-friendly!
Best Western Ponderosa Lodge: 790 W. Barclay Dr. | 888-549-4321 or 541-549-1234 | bestwestern.com | Enjoy oversized lodgepole guest rooms, or deluxe suites featuring twoperson Jacuzzi tub, river-rock gas fireplace, and walk-in rain shower, all nonsmoking. Seasonal outdoor pool and covered hot tub year-round. Complimentary hot breakfast. This 14-acre tranquil setting is just a short stroll to downtown.
DINING DINING
LODGING LODGING LODGING
Black Butte Ranch: Seven miles west of Sisters on Hwy. 20. | 877-431-5738 | BlackButteRanch. com | Our 1,800 pristine acres hold something for everyone in your family, with 36 holes of championship golf, a spa, award-winning restaurants, pools, exercise facilities, biking, tennis, horseback riding, fly-fishing, and more. In winter, explore by snowshoe or crosscountry ski. We’re conveniently located near hiking and mountain biking opportunities and close to Hoodoo Ski Area.
FivePine Lodge & Conference Center: 1021 Desperado Trail | 541-549-5900 or 866-9745900 | fivepine.com | Romance and adventure await at FivePine’s Craftsman-style suites and luxury cabins. Rooms feature pillow-top king bed, gas fireplace, couples soaking tub, and 55-65" flat-screen TV. Guests enjoy a complimentary wine and beer reception, deluxe morning coffee and tea service, Wi-Fi, access to Sisters Athletic Club and outdoor heated pool (seasonal). Complimentary cruiser bikes. FivePine Campus features a restaurant, movie theater, luxury spa, and easy access to downtown Sisters. Rates start at $149. Meeting/event and wedding site available.
GrandStay Hotel & Suites Sisters: 1026 W. Rail Way | 541-904-0967 | grandstayhospitality.com | Enjoy new rooms with kitchens. Start your morning off with a free hot Grand Start® Breakfast. 24/7 gourmet coffee and tea available. Large indoor pool and whirlpool. Complimentary Wi-Fi. Meeting room. Outdoor patio. Grand Returns™ guest loyalty program. AAA, military, and senior rates. All rooms are nonsmoking.
Lake Creek Lodge: 13375 SW Forest Service Road, #1419, Camp Sherman | 541-588-2150 | Nestled into 42 acres of Deschutes National Forest are 22 pet-friendly historic and luxury cabins, with the South Fork of Lake Creek meandering between them. Beyond the property lies the picturesque community of Camp Sherman and world-class fly-fishing on the Metolius River. In addition to the cabins, enjoy a restaurant and bar, cozy lodge, coffee bar, hot tub, seasonal swimming pool, indoor and outdoor event venues, stocked trout pond, basketball, pickleball, tennis courts, and easy access to hiking and cycling trails.
Metolius River Lodges: 12390 SW F.S. Road 1419, Camp Sherman | 541-595-6290 | metoliusriverlodges.com | $165 to $400 | Open all year. Located in the heart of the Metolius Recreation Area. Cottages sleep 1-8 and offer the ability to be a picture window away from the clear spring-fed Metolius River. Come experience the river’s magic away from TVs and noise. Fully equipped with Wi-Fi. Most have kitchens and fireplaces. Firewood available. Walk to Hola Restaurant and the Camp Sherman Store. No pets.
Metolius River Resort: 25551 SW Forest Service Road #1419, Camp Sherman | 877-632-7007 | metoliusriverresort.com | Offering an intimate resort feel and tranquility you would expect from a river cabin vacation. Nestled among the ponderosa pines and aspens are eleven architecturally award-winning cabins that are well appointed with modern amenities and décor. Each cabin boasts views of the Metolius River, just a few steps away. Experience the tranquility of the river to reconnect with nature.
Sisters Inn & Suites: 605 N. Arrowleaf Trail, Sisters | 541-549-7829 | sistersinnandsuites.com | Your perfect basecamp for Central Oregon outdoor adventures! Conveniently located near Ray’s Food Place and local dining, making it easy to fuel up before hitting the trails. Relax in our 100% nonsmoking rooms featuring comfortable beds, free Wi-Fi, cable TV, mini-fridges, microwaves, and coffeemakers. Every room includes a private balcony or patio to take in the fresh air. Kitchenettes available. Pets welcome (small fee).
Sisters Vacation Rentals: 877-632-7007 | sisters vacation.com | Enjoy the comfort, value, and flexibility of a vacation home in Sisters, Black Butte Ranch, Eagle Crest, and Camp Sherman. Share time and make some memories together with family and friends in an inviting gathering room or relax in the privacy of separate bedrooms.
The Stranger Lodge: 511 W. Cascade Ave, Sisters | 541-549-2551 | thestrangerlodge.com | Originally a historic roadside motel, The Stranger Lodge is a thoughtfully designed boutique stay where modern comfort meets High Desert charm. With its artful interiors, cozy gathering spaces and unhurried atmosphere, The Stranger offers more than just a place to stay — it’s an experience rooted in the beauty of Central Oregon.
