Mark Morical/The BulletinThe Chush Falls Trail starts out through an area burned by the 2012 Pole Creek Fire.

Expect more sunny warm days ahead in Central Oregon. For relief, the wilderness near Sisters offers plenty of shaded trails, creeks and mountains to explore while staying cool.

Be sure to check whether you need a Central Cascades Wilderness Permit before setting out. 

For a full list of conditions updated regularly, please visit centraloregonexplore.com

Hiking and Day Use Sites

NOTE: Cascade Wilderness permits are now required for 19 trailheads for day use and all trailheads for overnight use in the Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Washington and Three Sisters Wildernesses from June 15 through October 15.

Deschutes National Forest

• Bear Valley Trailhead: Open
• Black Butte Trailhead: Open; snow-free with light downfall
• Black Crater Trailhead: Open; snow-free some downfall
• Buttes Loop Trailhead: Open 
• Cabot Lake Trailhead: Open; snow-free with moderate downfall
• Cascade Lakes Welcome Station: Closed
• Canyon Creek Meadows: Open; Central Cascades Wilderness Permit required
• Chush Falls: Open; snow-free to falls
• Cinder Beach Day Use: Open; operated by the Suttle Lodge
• Cinder Hill Day Use: Open
• Green Ridge Lookout: Open
• Green Ridge Trail: Open
• Head of Jack Creek Trailhead: Open; snow-free and clear; possible downfall
• Metolius River Trail: Open
• Jack Lake Trailhead: Open; snow-free and clear; Central Cascades Wilderness Permit required
• Jefferson Lake: Open; snow-free and clear
• Lake Creek Trail: Open; snow-free and clear
• Lava Camp Lake Trailhead: Open; Central Cascades Wilderness Permit required
• Lower Black Butte Trailhead: Open
• Lower Bridge Day Use: Open
• Lower Canyon Creek (West Metolius Trailhead): Open; snow-free and clear
• Metolius-Windigo: Open
• Millican Crater Trailhead: Open; clear from TH to point approximately two miles up trail
• Park Meadow: Open; snow-free with some downfall
• Pole Creek Trailhead: Open; snow-free with moderate blowdown between TH and junction with Green Lakes Trail
• Rockpile Lake: Open; snow-free with light downfall on first mile
• Round Lake Trailhead: Open; snow-free with moderate downfall
• Scott Pass Trailhead: Open; snow-free with possible downfall
• Scout Lake Day Use: Open
• Sisters Cow Camp: Open
• Sisters Mirror Trailhead: Open Central Cascades Wilderness Permit required
• Suttle Lake Day Use: Open; snow-free and clear
• Tam McArthur Rim Trailhead: Open; possible snow; Tam Rim Horse trail has light deadfall; Central Cascades Wilderness Permit required
• Whychus Creek Overlook Trailhead: Open; snow-free and clear
• Whychus Portal (Lower Whychus Trailhead): Open; snow-free and clear
• Wickiup Plains Trailhead: Open; snow-free on first three miles; unknown beyond

Ochoco National Forest

• Alder Springs Trailhead: Open

Willamette National Forest — Three Sisters Wilderness Area

• Benson/Tenas Trailhead: Open; Central Cascades Wilderness Permit required
• Dee Wright Observatory: Open
• Foley Ridge: Open
• Hand Lake Trailhead: Open; Central Cascades Wilderness Permit required
• McKenzie River Trail: Partially open; closed from Tamolitch Falls Trailhead to Frissell Boat Launch due to fire activity
• Obsidian Trailheads: Open; Central Cascades Wilderness Permit required
• Patjens Lake Trail: Open; Central Cascades Wilderness Permit required
• Proxy Falls Trailhead: Open
• Tenas Lakes Trailhead: Open
• Separation Lake Trailhead: Open
• Rainbow Falls Trailhead: Open
• Robinson Lake Trailhead: Open
• Tamolitch Blue Pool: Open

Camping

Deschutes National Forest

• Allen Springs Campground: Open
• Allingham Campground: Open
• Big Cove Boat-in Campground: no campfires
• Camp Sherman Campground: Open
• Cold Springs Campground: Open
• Driftwood Campground: Opens
• Gorge Campground: Open
• Graham Corral Horse Camp: Open; no water
• Green Ridge Lookout: Open; no open availability; no campfires
• Indian Ford Campground: Open
• Jack Creek Campground: Open
• Lava Camp Lake Campground: Open; Central Cascade Wilderness Overnight Permit required
• Link Creek Campground: Open
• Lower Bridge Campground: Open
• Lower Canyon Creek Campground: Open
• Monty Campground: Opens Memorial Day; no campfires
• Perry South Campground: Open
• Pioneer Ford Campground: Open
• Riverside Campground: Open
• Scout Lake Campground: Open
• Sisters Cow Camp Horse Camp: Open; no campfires
• Smiling River Campground: Open
• South Campground: Open
• South Shore Campground: Open
• Three Creek Lake Campground: Open
• Three Creek Meadow Campground & Horse Camp: Open

Cycling

East of Bend trails

• Dry River Canyon: Closed from Feb. 1-Aug. 31
• All other trails riding well

Phil’s Trail Complex

• Some trails are closed weekdays until 3 p.m. Friday
• Storm King closed between Storm King’s junction with Phil’s Trail and Grand Slam
• EXT, Storm King Upper: Closed
• Pinedrops, Helipad, Lower Whoops: Sandy/loose
• All other trails riding well

Wanoga Trail Complex

• Tiddlywinks, Dinah Moe Humm: Sandy/loose
• All other trails riding well

North of Skyliner trails

• All trails riding well

Swampy Lakes trails

• All trails riding well

Cascade Lakes trails

• Metolius-Windigo (Lava Lake): Sandy/loose
• All other trails riding well

Mt. Bachelor

• Hot Dust, Redline: Sandy/loose
• All other trails riding well

Sunriver area trails

• Black Rock, Crater Rim: Sandy/loose
• Royal Flush: Closed
• All other trails riding well

Prineville and Ochoco trails

• Scotty Creek: Variable
• All other trails riding well

Sisters trails

• Metolius-Windigo (99 Upper), Suttle Tie: Sandy/loose
• All other trails riding well

Maston complex

• All trails riding well

Redmond trails

• All trails riding well

Madras East Trails

• E-Bikes allowed on all trails
• All trails riding well

Waldo Lake Region

• Cultus Lake Loop: Variable
• Waldo Lake: Closed
• All other trails riding well

Cascade Crest

• Bachelor Mountain, Bruno Meadow, Bugaboo Ridge, Coffin Lookout, Heart Lake: Variable
• Swamp Peak: Deep snow
• All other trails riding well

McKenzie Region

• McKenzie River trail closed from Tamolitch Trailhead to Fissell Boat Launch due to Knoll Fire
• Frissell: Deep snow
• All other trails riding well

Fishing

Updated at 10 a.m. Aug. 18

• Middle Deschutes (Benham Falls to Lake Billy Chinook): 3,620 cfs; brown trout, rainbow trout; no recent report; artificial flies and lures only, no limit on brown trout
• Metolius River: 1,360 cfs; bull trout, rainbow trout; good fishing reported; fly fishing only upstream of Bridge 99, artificial lures and flies permitted below; catch and release only; public access to Wizard Falls Hatchery remains closed
• McKenzie River (at Clear Lake): 206 cfs
• McKenzie River (near Belknap Springs): 211 cfs; rainbow and coastal cutthroat trout; fire cleanup still being conducted in the area, access may be limited; all nonadipose fin-clipped trout must be released; lures and artificial flies only
• Lake Billy Chinook: Bull, brown and rainbow trout, kokanee, smallmouth bass; anglers in the Deschutes arm are seeing bull, brown and rainbow trout, while a few bull trout are being caught in the Metolius arm; for the remainder of the reservoir, harvest is limited to one bull trout over 24 inches under the daily trout limit; anglers can now keep five kokanee in addition to daily trout limit; no bag or size limits on brown trout and bass

Fire danger is currently listed as Extreme in the Deschutes, Ochoco National Forests and the Crooked River Grasslands. The Willamette National Forests fire danger is listed as High.

Industrial Fire Precaution Level has been raised to Level 2 as of July 28.

As of July 22, 2020 Deschutes River access is closed due to safety concerns and to prevent further erosion to the riverbank. The access point will be closed until further notice. For more information visit bendparksandrec.org

• Peregrine and Prairie Falcon climbing closures are now in place for the First Kiss area (north of Monkey Face)and the Smith Rock Towers areas.

• A parkwide ban on drones is in effect for remainder of nesting season.