Snowshoeing in OregonPlan a fun winter vacation

Mount Bachelor/Three Sisters Wilderness: Best for Families

Bend in Central Oregon has a bull's eye on it during the summer tourist season. Families that come for a winter vacation, however, will enjoy a slightly saner place. The Cascade Lakes Highway runs 22 miles from downtown Bend to Mt. Bachelor ski resort and connects people with five Sno-parks and the Nordic Center at Bachelor. Diehard skiers and riders can shred the runs on the mountain; those in search of tranquility can chase pine trees and mountain vistas while navigating the snowshoe trail system from Bachelor's Nordic Center.

Another option is to try the Virginia Meissner or Swampy Lakes sno-parks and follow one of several marked routes to the warming shelters. Shelters are for picnicking, sipping brandy, conversing with friends and drying outvbut not for overnight camping. If the family includes a furry friend, snowshoe at Wanoga near the sledding hill. Dogs are welcome here but not on the north side of the Cascade Lakes Highway. For a memorable excursion, surprise the kids with a moonlit night hike---it's magical. The only sound you'll hear is the plop-plop of snow falling from tree branches.

Crater Lake National Park: Best for Solitude

It's quiet here. When the wind blows, you can hear the ice crystals blowing across the top of the snow pack, according to Stephanie Duwe, a Crater Lake National Park ranger who leads winter snowshoeing tours. Winter reveals a new face, she said, adding that one of her favorite parts is "looking into the belly of a volcano." Ranger-led snowshoe hikes start at 1 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays from late November through April, depending on snow pack and COVID restrictions. The tours last two hours and explore forests and meadows along the rim of the crater. Snowshoes are free and reservations advised.

For experienced backcountry showshoers, start at Rim Village and tromp your way to Discovery Point for views of the caldera and Wizard Island. If attempting the 33-mile circumnavigation, plan three to five days and be sure to get an overnight snow-camping permit at the visitor center.

The park's west and south entrances are open year-round. The park's café is open 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., the visitor center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.