About this city
Also known as: Oregon's Volcanic Lake Highway
Sprawling across a monumental volcanic alpine basin in Deschutes County just west of Bend, the Cascade Lakes region is a world-renowned natural wonderland and a premier sanctuary for high-altitude eco-tourism. Tied geologically to the volcanic eruptions of the Cascade Range over millions of years, this pristine landscape consists of a network of over a dozen crystal-clear glacial and lava-dammed freshwater lakes. Traversed by the celebrated Cascade Lakes National Scenic Byway, the area provides breathtaking vistas of towering snow-capped peaks like Mount Bachelor, Broken Top, and South Sister. Operating under strict federal environmental conservation mandates, the region contains no commercial urban centers, functioning instead as a legendary destination for deep wilderness camping, trout fishing, and paddle sports.
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Practical Tourism Metadata
Suggested stay: 2–3 days
Paddle a kayak or canoe through the crystal-clear waters of Elk Lake or Cultus Lake under the shadow of snow peaks. Go fly-fishing for trophy native brook trout at Crane Prairie Reservoir. Hike the volcanic lava fields and alpine singletrack pathways along the lake shorelines.