Skiing continues into July where the U.S. Ski Team has trained for 29 years.

Mt. Bachelor offers 3,100 vertical feet of skiing served by four high-speed lifts and 3,200 acres of glades, bowls and groomed trails. On Memorial Day, lift rides begin for non-skiers to the 9,065-foot summit for spectacular views of three states and the Central Oregon Cascades. Service includes a cafe, barbecues, picnic sites and mountain bike rentals. For information call (800)829-2442.

For skiers, Shilo provides complimentary shuttle service to and from Mt. Bachelor’s super-shuttle at the base of Cascade Lakes Highway. Check Shilo’s Front Desk for the schedule.

Six miles south of Bend on Highway 97, a 150-acre museum of indoor and outdoor nature, art science and history exhibits is surrounded by the Deschutes National Forest. This museum highlights live otter, porcupine, and birds of prey. Twenty acres of trail-side exhibits feature walk-through dioramas. An indoor Desertarium showcases bats, kangaroo rats, burrowing owls and other small animals of the high desert. Call (541)382-4754 for a schedule.

A quaint, four-acre park of miniature bridges, towers, terraces, and buildings constructed in intricate detail using different types of rocks. A small picnic area, lily ponds, and a few roaming peacocks add to the features. North on Highway 97 nine mile, left at 61st Street.

Lava Butte is a unique, volcanic cinder cone with a paved road to the top which provides an outstanding view of the Cascades. Lava Lands Visitor Center, at the base of the bluff, offers automated displays and slide shows describing the history of the area’s volcanic activity. Interpretive trails surround the crater, over the lava flow and through the forest. Naturalist on duty. Eleven miles south of Bend on Highway 97. Open daily, mid-March-October.

Follow "Deschutes River Views" signs to the end of the road (from Lava Lands Visitor Center). Park at the picnic area and walk across the bridge 1/2 mile downstream to view the spectacular untamed rapids. These dramatic falls (which are actually rapids) are featured in several movies.

An 89-mile scenic loop, the Cascade Lakes Highway, comprises two separate tour routes. Surrounded by mountains, lakes and forests that delight motorists, cyclists and hikers, these official scenic tour routes offer exciting day-long excursions during your summer or fall visit to Central Oregon. Sites include Fall River Fish Hatchery, Pringle Falls Experimental Forest, Osprey Observation Point, numerous lakes, Dutchman Flat, Devil’s Garden, and Drake Park. A brochure of these tours explaining sites is available at the Chamber of Commerce.

Call (541)389-0803 for schedules and productions.

Eighteen miles northwest of Bend, two miles west of Redmond on Highway 126. Operation Santa Claus is the world’s largest commercial reindeer ranch and home to more than 100 domesticated reindeer. This ranch is open year-round for self-guided tours. Guided tours for groups of ten or more. Special events occur during year-end holiday season. Call (541)548-8910 for more information.

Call (541)382-8381 for schedule of summer performances.

Call (541)548-0365 for summer schedule.

ORION GREENS: 9-hole course within the City limits of Bend. (541)388-3999.

RIVER’S EDGE: 18-hole course and driving range, on the Deschutes River near Awbrey Butte. Close to Shilo Suites Hotel - Bend. (541)389-2828.

MOUNTAIN HIGH: 18-hole course and driving range, 3 miles south of Shilo Suites Hotel - Bend. (541)382-1111.

BEND

January--Free Ski Day, Mt. Bachelor

February--Homestead Skills Showcase, High Desert Museum

March--Oregon Winter Special Olympics, Mt. Bachelor Spring Break Special, High Desert Museum

Buddy Werner GS Championships SL, Mt.

Bachelor

St. Patrick’s Day Celebration

Junior Olympic Championships, Mt. Bachelor

April--Annual Wine Tasting, St.Francis Parish Hall

Northwest Cup Finals, Mt. Bachelor

May--Bayberries and Holly Festival

Pole, Pedal, Paddle Race, Mt. Bachelor

July--Old Fashioned Fourth of July Celebration, Drake Park

Bend Summer Festival, Downtown

Traditional Rug Hooking Class, High Desert Museum

Cascade Cycling Classic, Central Oregon

Cascade Children’s Festival, Drake Park

August--Antiques at the Drake, Drake Park

October--Halloween Ghost Train Ride, Shevlin Park

All Hollows Costume Ball

November--Bayberries & Holly Festival

Annual Holiday Sale, High Desert Museum

December--Christmas Parade Weekend, Downtown

Nutcracker Ballet, Bend High School Auditorium

REDMOND

July--Central Oregon Airshow, Redmond Airport

July/August--Deschutes County Fair, Deschutes County Fairgrounds, Redmond

August--Annual High Desert Celtic Festival, Deschutes County Fairgrounds

November--Redmond Starlight Christmas Parade

SISTERS

May--John McAdams Memorial Run

June--Sisters Rodeo, Rodeo Fairgrounds

July--Sisters Roundup of Gems, Cascade Street

Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show

September--High Mountains Dixieland Jazz Festival

October--Sisters Harvest Festival, Downtown

December--Christmas Parade

MADRAS

For rodeos, horse shows and other Madras scheduled events, and information on the above events, please phone Bend Chamber of Commerce at (541)382-3221 for a calendar of events for Central Oregon.