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4 • THINGS TO DO 2013
For westbound travelers entering
Prineville, its initial appearance is not
unlike an oasis in the arid high desert
landscape. As the highway descends over the
edge of the rimrock, drivers will see a town rich
with green deciduous trees, and an historic
courthouse anchoring its center. Patches of
farm and ranch land comprise much of the
outlying land, with a variety of buttes and
forested mountains sheltering the community.
Prineville not only provides a pretty picture
from afar – there is plenty to see and do once
you enter the community.
While downtown, stop by the fun and
eclectic mix of shops. For collectibles, antiques,
memorable gifts, art, and creative home décor,
there are dozens of fun boutiques, and stores
with small-town friendly staff. Our flower shops
and feed stores also carry unique and practical
gifts.
Prineville also features fine jewelers, custom
leather work, a saddle shop, and sporting
goods. Looking for apparel? Prineville has a
number of clothing stores, including a
nationally-known men’s western wear store,
every cowgirl’s dream boutique, clothing for
the business professional, a famous custom-
designed clothing line, and everything in
between. Anyone can spend an hour or a
whole weekend shopping their way through
town and finding those perfect treasures.
If you want to take a stroll or pedal through
town, a paved path runs east and west across
town, and spans almost three miles through
Prineville’s Ochoco Creek Park. There are many
other parks, also, which give adventurers a
unique perspective of the town.
For a look at the whole town, check out the
Ochoco State Scenic Viewpoint. Situated at the
edge of the Rimrock, the viewpoint overlooks
not only Prineville, but the Crooked River and
Ochoco Creek valleys, including the Ochoco
Mountains to the east.This is a popular place
for locals to watch summer lightning storms.
Being centrally located, Prineville makes it a
desirable starting point for scenic excursions
in the Central Oregon area. At any given time,
most of the points of interest are within an
hour from Prineville.You can enjoy hiking,
biking, and walking tours on one of the many
trails or byways in the beautiful Central
Oregon area. The Ochoco Mountains are
famous for rock hounding, hunting, fishing,
and exploring old mines. There are also
abundant horse riding trails and camps
throughout the area.They also offer cross
country skiing, snowshoeing, and
snowmobiling in the winter months. Prineville
is within 90 minutes of Mt. Bachelor and
Hoodoo Ski Bowl as well. Both resorts offer
alpine and cross country skiing from
November through early spring.
Prineville offers many amenities in the
outstanding natural beauty of the surrounding
area. There are 11 parks that span more than
100 acres of land in the Crook County Parks
and Recreation District. Crook County’s
moderate weather offers golfers nearly year-
round opportunities to keep their game up to
par.
The weather in Crook County offers the
temperatures and low humidity of the high
desert. It is usually characterized by sunny
days and cool nights. In the summer, it usually
involves sunny, hot days and cool
temperatures at night, with sunny, but cool or
cold temperatures in the winter.
Regardless of the season, visitors will find
that Prineville and Crook County have a variety
of places to explore, things to do, and new
adventures just waiting to be experienced.
Deep in the heart of Oregon