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| Deschutes National Forest | |
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IUCN Category VI (Managed Resource Protected Area)
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Sparks Lake and South Sister |
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| Location | Oregon, USA |
| Nearest city | Bend, Oregon |
| Area | 1,800,000 acres (7,284 km2) |
| Visitors | 3,162,000[1] (in 2006) |
| Governing body | U.S. Forest Service |
The Deschutes National Forest is a United States National Forest located in parts of Deschutes, Klamath, Lake, and Jefferson counties in central Oregon. It comprises 1.8 million acres (7,300 km²) along the east side of the Cascade mountains.[2] In 1908, the Deschutes National Forest was established from parts of the Blue Mountains, Cascade, and Fremont National Forests. In 1911, parts of the Deschutes National Forest were split off to form the Ochoco and Paulina National Forests and parts of the Cascade and Oregon National Forests were added to the Deschutes. In 1915, the lands of the Paulina National Forest were rejoined to the Deschutes National Forest.[3] A 1993 Forest Service study estimated that the extent of old growth in the forest was 348,100 acres (140,900 ha).[4] Within the boundaries of the Deschutes National Forest is the Newberry National Volcanic Monument, containing cinder cones, lava flows, and lava tubes. Deschutes National Forest as a whole contains in excess of 250 known caves.[5] The Forest also contains five Wilderness areas, six National Wild and Scenic Rivers, the Oregon Cascade Recreation Area, and the Metolius Conservation Area. Forest headquarters are located in Bend, Oregon. There are local ranger district offices in Bend, Crescent, and Sisters.[6]
Recreational activities in Deschutes National Forest include boating, fishing, wildlife watching, and hiking, as well as mountain biking on an extensive system of trails.[7] Hiking and skiing can be done on Mount Bachelor, a stratovolcano in the Cascade Range.
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