Join us
Learn about your public lands by joining a Forest Service ranger on an interpretive program. Year round opportunities are available on either the slopes of Mt. Bachelor or in Newberry Caldera. Learn more and register for a program below.
Lava River Cave Tours
June 6 - September 5, 2024
Explore Oregon's longest lava tube during a guided interpretive hike. Explore Lava River Cave with a ranger to learn about how Lava River Cave formed and who calls it home! Tours are 90 minutes and are available on Thursday at 2:00 p.m.; except Fourth of July. Participants must be eight years or older and should dress appropriately for cold weather. Close toed shoes and a flashlight are required. Flashlights are available for a $5 rental fee.
Interpretive Rangers at Mt. Bachelor
Summer: Friday - Monday July 12th, 2024 - September 2nd, 2024
Winter: Saturday & Sunday December 21st 2024 - March 28th 2025
Enhance your ski, snowboard, or mountain bike day by interacting with a ranger! Roving interpretive rangers can be found riding the Pine Marten lift in winter & at Pine Marten Lodge during the summer. Ask a ranger about the history of Mt. Bachelor volcano or the diverse plants and animals who call Deschutes National Forest home. Participants must have their own lift ticket. No registration required; roving program.
Junior Fire Ranger Festival
Friday July 12, 2024
Youth ages 6-12 can become a Deschutes National Forest Jr Ranger! Join Discover Your Forest and Deschutes National Forest Fire Prevention for our first annual Jr Fire Ranger Festival! Learn about the responsibilities of a ranger, Leave No Trace principles, fire ecology, biology and meet Smokey Bear! Jr Ranger Programs are offered in the summer and winter. Dates and times may vary.
Summer Programs at Newberry National Volcanic Monument
Learn about the explosive history of Newberry National Volcanic Monument during daily patio talks at Lava Lands Visitor Center. Interpretive rangers share Central Oregon's volcanic past during thirty minute patio talks; daily at 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. No registration required.
Snowshoe with a Ranger
December 16 - March 31, 2024
Learn about the geology, biology, and hydrology of Deschutes National Forest while snowshoeing along the Egan Cone during an interpretive snowshoe hike with a Forest Service ranger. Snowshoe tours are offered on weekends and during school breaks; except for Christmas and New Year’s Day. Tours start at 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. and last 90 minutes. Snowshoes are provided free of charge. No prior experience is needed. Participants must be eight years or older and should dress appropriately for cold weather.
More Information
Donations are suggested to support Discover Your Forest in providing educational programs and volunteer support to the Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests and the Crooked River National Grassland.
Tour size is limited to first-come, first-served without a reservation
Pets not allowed
Group Tours
Group tours for schools, youth, or other organizations may be scheduled.
Available on weekdays