Oregon put this rust-colored canyon on its Seven Wonders list and the rest of America is sleeping on it

Oregon’s crown jewel of canyon country

Central Oregon hides a canyon that most people outside the Pacific Northwest have never heard of, and that’s their loss.

Smith Rock State Park sits about 30 minutes northeast of Bend, where 650 acres of rust-colored cliffs drop straight into the Crooked River.

Travel Oregon put it on the official list of the state’s Seven Wonders, and it’s the only state park on that list. The canyon earned that spot for good reason, and the view from the rim is just the beginning.

Volcanic fire built this canyon 30 million years ago

Long before anyone set foot here, a massive volcanic caldera collapsed and packed layers of ash so tightly they fused into rock called welded tuff. Later lava flows buried those layers under basalt.

Then the Crooked River spent millions of years cutting through all of it, leaving behind a canyon of towering spires and sheer walls. Nobody agrees on where the name came from.

One story credits an 1850s Oregon lawmaker named John Smith. Another says a soldier named Smith fell from the rock in 1863.

The cliffs where American sport climbing took off

In 1975, a 14-year-old named Alan Watts started climbing here when Smith Rock was little more than a local practice spot.

By the early 1980s, he was drilling bolts into the rock face to protect harder and harder routes, which climbers elsewhere found deeply controversial. But the style caught on.

Smith Rock became home to America’s first route rated at the 5.14 level, a climb called “To Bolt or Not to Be.” The sport that took root here eventually grew large enough to land in the Olympics.

More than 1,800 routes from first-timer to elite

The park has more than 1,800 climbing routes, and over a thousand of them use the bolt-protected sport climbing format that Watts helped pioneer.

You can also find traditional climbing, bouldering, and multi-pitch routes that take you high above the canyon floor. The walls face mostly south, which means sun most of the year and climbing in every season.

If you’ve never touched a rope before, several local guide services provide gear and instruction so you can try it on actual rock.

The spire that looks like a face staring at the sky

Monkey Face is a 350-foot free-standing spire, and from the right angle, it looks exactly like what it’s named for.

It’s the most photographed formation in the park, and it draws elite climbers to routes like “Just Do It,” rated 5.14c and considered one of the hardest test pieces in the country. You don’t need to climb to get a close look.

The backside of the Misery Ridge Trail brings you right to it, and you can stand at the base and look straight up at the rock.

Misery Ridge earns every letter of its name

The park’s most popular trail is also its toughest.

The Misery Ridge loop covers about 3.7 miles and climbs 800 feet through switchbacks with almost no shade. Your legs will feel it on the way up.

But at the top, the whole canyon opens up below you, the Crooked River threads through the floor, and the Cascade Mountains line the western horizon.

On the way up, you’ll pass close enough to active climbing walls to hear the gear clinking on the rock.

Flat paths along the river for a different pace

Not every trail here wants to punish you. The River Trail runs about two miles along the canyon floor, flat and easy, with the Crooked River on one side and cliff walls on the other. Families with kids do well here.

The Canyon Trail is about 1.5 miles with several overlooks between the parking area and the river.

If you want fewer people and more birds, the Wolf Tree Trail is quieter than the main routes and draws birdwatchers who know about it.

Golden eagles nest on these cliffs every year

Look up and you’ll find golden eagles and prairie falcons riding the thermals above the canyon.

They nest directly on the cliff faces, which is why the park closes certain climbing areas from mid-January through Aug. 1 each year to protect the birds. Down at river level, otters and beavers work the water.

Mule deer show up in the sagebrush flats at dawn and dusk. Canyon wrens echo through the walls.

One warning: rattlesnakes are out on warm sunny days, so watch where you step on the trails.

Cast a line in the Crooked River

The river running through the park isn’t just scenery. Fishing is allowed in designated stretches, and both fly fishing and spinning gear are permitted.

Rainbow trout, brook trout, and mountain whitefish are the most common catches. You’ll need an Oregon fishing license before you start.

The river sections away from the main trails run quietly and calmly, which makes them a real contrast to the busier parts of the park. It’s a good way to slow the day down if climbing and hiking aren’t your focus.

Bikes, horses, slacklines and sunrise shots

Mountain bikers have designated trails to work with, and horseback riders can use certain paths and even ford the river at some crossings. Trail runners favor the Summit Trail loop and Misery Ridge for the elevation.

Slacklining between rock formations pulls in a different crowd entirely.

Photographers know to show up at sunrise and sunset, when the tuff walls shift from rust to deep orange and gold depending on the angle of the light. The canyon looks different every hour of the day.

Three hundred days of sun, but summer bites hard

Central Oregon averages about 300 days of sunshine per year, which makes Smith Rock accessible almost any time. Summer is the tricky season.

Temperatures can hit 100 degrees or higher, and the exposed trails hold heat. Get out early if you’re going in July or August.

Spring and fall give you comfortable temperatures and good conditions for both hiking and climbing. Winter brings cold and thinner crowds, and serious climbers still come for the quieter walls.

Parking costs $5 per day, or you can pick up an annual Oregon State Parks pass for $30.

The canyon stays in your head long after you leave

Most state parks have a trail or two and a nice view.

Smith Rock has a canyon with 600-foot walls, a river at the bottom, world-class climbing history written into the rock, and wildlife nesting overhead.

You can spend a full day here and still not cover everything. The climbers who come from across the country know what the place is.

The hikers who wander down to the river at sunrise and find themselves alone in the canyon know it too. The light on those walls does something to you.

Visit Smith Rock State Park in Oregon

Smith Rock State Park sits at 9241 NE Crooked River Dr. in Terrebonne, about 30 minutes northeast of Bend. The park opens daily at dawn and closes at dusk, year-round.

Day-use parking runs $5 per vehicle, and an annual Oregon State Parks pass costs $30. Walk-in tent camping at the Bivouac area runs on a first-come, first-served basis.

Dogs are welcome on leash. Restrooms, picnic areas, and a welcome center are near the main parking lot.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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