Friends and Neighbors of the
​Deschutes Canyon Area: What We Do
Tom Iraci, FANs member and professional photographer, created a video that shows some of our work and play, along with the beauty of the Deschutes Canyon Area public lands.  Enjoy!
Guide to Common Native Plants of the
​Deschutes Canyon Area
written by FANs President Marilynne Keyser

This field guide includes the most common native plants on public lands near Crooked River Ranch in Central Oregon.  This guidebook is small (8.25 x 4.5 inches) and durable, so you can take it on your hikes to identify native shrubs, bunchgrasses and wildflowers on the many trails around Lower Whychus Creek, the Middle Deschutes and Lower Crooked Rivers.  Organized by bloom time, this field guide is especially helpful in February through September.

FANs of the Deschutes Canyon Area member price is $10 and non-member price is $12.  Your purchase helps support FANs projects that preserve and restore public lands in the Deschutes Canyon Area.
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CLICK HERE to learn more and order Guide to Common Native Plants of the Deschutes Canyon Area.
Earth Day Cleanup on Rim of
Wild & Scenic Middle Deschutes River
Thursday, April 22,  8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Join a great group of FANs members and friends as we work to clean up the rim of the Wild and Scenic Middle Deschutes River, located south of Crooked River Ranch.  In honor of Earth Day, we will clean up trash on flat terrain along the canyon rim.
Learn more and sign up to help.
Join a FANs Spring Guided Hike!
All guided hikes are free. To help reduce damage to the trail, minimize social impacts on other visitors, and protect wildlife habitat, group size is limited to 8 hikers, and pets are not allowed. Registration  opens one month before each hike.  If the hike is full, sign up on the wait list, and you will be notified if a space becomes available.  If you have to cancel, send us an email at fansofdeschutes@gmail.com.  This will open up the space for another hiker.  Standard Covid precautions will be in effect.  Maintain 6 feet of distance from other participants and bring a face mask to wear if temporary physical spacing requires it.
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Big Falls Ridge Hike
Tuesday, April 20, 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Rating: Moderate, 4 miles off trail
Guide: Jeff Scheetz
​This trip is a good chance to practice navigation skills due to the rolling trail-less terrain. We will adapt the training to the needs of the participants, but will target the USGS benchmark (Big Falls) as a destination (USGS quad map is Steelhead Falls). Hikers should bring relevant maps, compasses, and GPS receivers to enhance the learning environment. Generic topographic maps will be provided. There will be some fences to negotiate since this public land was once grazed.
This hike is limited to 8 participants, including hike leader and co-leader.
Learn more and sign up for this hike.

Foley Waters Hike
Wednesday, April 28, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. 
Rating: Moderate, 2.5 miles loop
Guide: Eric Hanson
We will follow lesser known paths with a bit of cross country travel. Our adventure will include spring “greenies and growies,” a touch of local history (who the heck is Foley Waters?), a fraudulent gold mine, Deschutes River access, some local geology and a really pleasant hike with elevation change of 100 feet.
Learn more and sign up for this hike.

Tam-a-lau Trail Hike
Thursday, April 29, 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. 
Rating: Moderate, 7 miles loop
Guide: Cindy Murray
This outing will offer spectacular views of Lake Billy Chinook and the entire Cascade range. The trail begins at the Upper Deschutes day use area located in the Cove Palisades State Park. We will climb up the canyon on a switch-back trail with elevation gain of 600 feet.
Learn more and sign up for this hike.

​Our Lens on Learning series is available on video:

What's Blooming Now on the Canyon Rim?  May 2020
Presentation by Marilynne Keyser
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What's Blooming Now in the Grasslands?  June 2020
Presentation by Marilynne Keyser

​What's Blooming Now in the Riparian Zone?  August 2020
Presentation by Marilynne Keyser

Common Weeds of the Deschutes Canyon Area  Sept. 2020
Presentation by Marilynne Keyser

Mysteries of the Belted Kingfisher  Oct. 2020
Presentation by Marina Richie

Wildfire Myths & Realities:  How Can We Protect Our Communities in the Era of Climate Change  Jan. 2021
Presentation by George Wuerthner

Beautiful Birds of Central Oregon  Feb. 2021
Presentation by Chuck Gates
Tom Iraci created a video titled "Beauty in the Canyons,"  featuring images from the Deschutes Canyon Area.
Friends and Neighbors of the Deschutes Canyon Area
fansofdeschutes@gmail.com
P.O. Box 2127, Terrebonne, OR  97760
541.771.FANS (3267)