Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway
Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway is a National Scenic Byway in Oregon. Within Oregon it covers roughly 70 miles. The map below shows its route. Use “Plan a drive” to open it in the Road Sorties route planner — already routing along Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway with scenic roads turned on, ready to add your own stops.
This byway climbs from Bend into the high Cascades past Mount Bachelor and strings together a chain of alpine lakes beneath the volcanic peaks of South Sister and Broken Top. Sparkling water, lava flows, and old-growth forest line the roughly 66-mile route, with countless trailheads, campgrounds, and paddling spots. The upper road closes under deep snow each winter.
- Mount Bachelor
- string of alpine lakes
- South Sister & Broken Top
- Bend
- ~66 miles
Designated for its scenic qualities
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Places to stop along Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway
Drake Park
Bend's riverside park on Mirror Pond, the town's front lawn along the Deschutes and a pleasant start or finish to the loop.
High Desert Museum
A natural and cultural history museum south of Bend with live otters, raptors, and porcupines, plus an 1880s ranch and sawmill on its trails.
WebsiteLava River Cave
A mile-long lava tube in Newberry National Volcanic Monument that you walk with your own lantern; it stays near 42 degrees even in summer.
Sparks Lake
A shallow, lava-rimmed lake below South Sister and Broken Top, beloved by paddlers and photographers for its mirror-still mornings.
Devils Hill
A rugged lava flow where Native pictographs survive and where Apollo astronauts trained in the 1960s for the volcanic terrain of the Moon.
Elk Lake
A resort lake with cabins, a campground, boat rentals, and a lodge restaurant beneath the Three Sisters.
Crane Prairie Reservoir
A reservoir of drowned snags famous for big rainbow trout, with an osprey management area where the birds are often seen fishing.
Where to Stay along Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway
34 campgrounds and RV parks sit within about 5 miles of Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway.
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Photos of Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway
What is a National Scenic Byway?
National Scenic Byways are roads recognized at the federal level for at least one outstanding quality — scenic, natural, historic, cultural, archaeological or recreational — that gives travelers a reason to seek them out rather than just pass through.