After visiting Smith Rock State Park. we stumbled upon this wayside/overlook where you can enjoy…read morevertical basalt cliffs and secenic river canyon over the Crooked River in Oregon. This spot is on the boarder of the Deschutes and Jefferson counties. This stop is located just 9 miles North of Redmond or 26 miles from Bend on the US Route 97 where this a rest area and viewpoint with tons of parking. Facilities include restrooms, picnic tables and dramatic viewing of the Crooked River Canyon from the pathways or the bridge. For photographers this is an amazing place to get a shot of the Crooked River Canyon and surrounding areas. You can also walk across the historic Crooked River High Bridge just north of the park. Three historic bridges connect both sides of the canyon, unfortunately only one can be crossed today by pedestrians. Two of Oregon's tallest mountains- Mt Hood and Mt Jefferson are visible from the viewpoint on a clear day. Fun facts: the park was named in honor of Peter Skene Ogden who led the trapping parties of the Bay Company back in 1925. Worth a stop to take in the views and enjoy part of history!

First of all, the restrooms here a the best rest stop restrooms I've been to, clean and like 10…read moreindividual stalls! Why don't other places do this? Anyways onto the real reason we stopped, we went here at the end of August. Made our way here after Smith Rock which was only about 10-15 minute drive, it was a beautiful sunny day, the view was breathtaking both ways. They had bungee jumping on the bridge when we went so that kinda blocked a bit of the view but was really cool to watch.

Oh man - how I wish this splash pad and area was here when I was a kid growing up in Redmond…read more As a parent - it is so fun to watch your kids run around this cute little splash pad. If you grew up in the area - you can reminisce about how the place has grown - the old library and post office (which have both moved on to bigger buildings) are within eye view. Watching my two children play with these buildings in sight definitely brought back some nostalgic feelings. As a kid - what a blast! The splash pad rotates through several different blasts and I saw many kids (including my own) enjoying themselves immensely. There was plenty of seating for parents to sit and still be able to watch their children and a huge grassy area where you can sit and have a picnic. Obsessed!

While staying in Redmond we stumbled upon this cute little park with a splash pad area. My 1.5 year…read moreold had a blast! A little hesitant at first but with all the other kids playing there she quickly adapted. I saw a concession stand there but didn't try any food. There were sit down tables with umbrellas for shade and a free tree shade areas in the park. A couple places to sit near the water but you can get wet there. A great park! Lots of street parking and there is a centennial public parking lot across the street.

My family and I had an amazing time exploring the Redmond Caves! We took our family, including our…read more5-year-old niece, and everyone had a blast. The area was very well-maintained with hardly any graffiti, which was a pleasant surprise. We were able to explore four of the six caves, and it was a fantastic adventure. Some of the entrances were a bit tricky, but it made it all the more exciting. Walking completely through one of the caves, entering on one side and exiting on the other, was a definite highlight and a really unique experience! ​A few tips for future visitors: don't rely on your phone's flashlight--you'll need something more powerful to really see the caves. Sturdy shoes are a must for navigating the rocky terrain, and be sure to watch your head! The rocks are very unforgiving, as we learned with a one pretty good bump on the head. We highly recommend this spot for a fun and memorable family outing!

I've been to a decent amount of caves and this was a different experience. Without looking at the…read moremap, it doesn't look like much. The caves were neat, but watch your head in them! Bring your own flashlights and I'd recommend close toed shoes.