Black Butte Ranch Blog
Category : bike paths
Plan a Fall Foliage Trip
(Photos courtesy of Kate Thomas Keown)
There’s no need to travel all the way to Vermont to see incredible fall foliage. There are many amazing areas here in Oregon for viewing the beautiful autumnal hues of red, orange and gold. There is even a web-blog called Oregon Fall Foliage where you can get information about the best areas in Oregon for viewing the changing colors. You can also call the Fall Foliage Hotline at 800.547.5445. If you really want to get your fill of fall you need to come to the Ranch. As you drive in along Hawks Beard you’ll pass through a grove of Aspens that is absolutely stunning. There is one section of Hawks Beard where you are completely engulfed by aspens on both sides of the road and if you’re there during the afternoon you will experience the “glow” from the fluttering, golden leaves. If
you’re riding along the bike paths at the Ranch you’ll most likely go through an area I like to call the “enchanted forest” where the pathway cuts through an aspen grove that is awe-inspiring. The Ranch is surrounded by fall foliage and there are many vistas of the surrounding mountains rife with color.
Autumn is also a great time to get in some hiking. Near the Ranch is the short but steep trail up Black Butte(see blog post dated August 27, 2009), or you can follow the Proxy Falls Loop Trail just off Highway 242 where patches of red and orange vine maple decorate the lava fields along the trail. Also, while staying at the Ranch, another “must do” hike that is particularly great for families, is along the Metolius river (Camp Sherman – Wizard Falls Hike). This is quite special during autumn. Check out our “What’s Happening at the Ranch” guide for a complete listing of guided hikes that take off from the Ranch, including the Wizard Falls hike.
Cycling in Central Oregon
amateur and pro to men’s amateur and pro (even former Tour de France rider Floyd Landis was there – photo courtesy of Jim Williams). It was a very hot afternoon and I certainly did not envy those men and women having to give it their all that day. The coolest thing about all of this is that it says Central Oregon is a great place to cycle. The week after the Cascade Cycling Classic, Bend hosted the USA National Road Cycling Championships. Wow, what a follow up.
If you are staying here at the Ranch or are planning a visit this summer or fall, don’t forget that we have 18 miles of bike paths (great for all levels of riders, even the wee ones). If you didn’t bring your bike, just head out to Glaze Meadow Recreation Center and see Eric to rent an amazing Marin comfort bike for touring the Ranch( we even have an on- site bike repair shop). For the more adventurous ones Eric can guide you to some of the best mountain bike trails in the area. Click here for a pdf of the Ranch bike path map. You just never know what you might see along the way.%20copy.jpg)
It’s Hotter than a Cat on a Hot Tin Roof!
Yikes! In case you’ve been too busy to notice, or possibly on a cool exotic vacation somewhere else, it’s been hot here in Central Oregon. The forecast for today is 94 to 100! Same for tomorrow, but cooling in the evenings, hallelujah. It may be hotter than “a cat on a hot tin roof” but these are really the “Dog Days” of summer. I know you have heard that phrase before, but do you know where it originated from? According to Wikipedia – the term “Dog Days” was first used by the Greeks (during Aristotle’s time) as well as the ancient Romans, named after Sirius ( the “Dog Star”) the brightest star in the heavens besides the Sun. The ancients believed that the Dog Days signified the period of time when Sirius rose just before or at the same time as the sun( which is no longer true) supposedly adding to the sun’s heat creating a stretch of hot and sultry weather. In Ancient Rome, the Dog Days extended from July 24 through August 24. The Old Farmer’s Almanac lists the traditional timing of the Dog Days as the 40 days beginning July 3 and ending August 11, coinciding with the ancient rise of the the Dog Star, Sirius.
Ranch has so much to offer during these hottest days. You and your family (two adults and two kids) can golf after 4pm every day at Glaze Meadow Golf Course for only $60! That’s a cool deal. You could also spend your day chillin’ at the Glaze Meadow Recreation Center pool. The Kids will have a blast in the spray playground(see below) doesn’t that look like fun? There’s also a great snack shop, where you can buy sandwiches and drinks (pop, water, etc.) and enjoy the cool water.
