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The Deschutes River begins at Little Lave Lake in the Cascade Mountains, about 25 miles southwest of Bend, Oregon. After 250 miles, the river discharges into the Columbia River, a few miles down from Biggs. The volcanic history of central Oregon has determined the geology and course of the river. The Columbia River Basalts poured intermittently across the future Oregon for millions of years beginning 25 million years ago. The current major peaks of the Cascades (e.g., Mt. Hood and Mt. Jefferson) emerged 4.5 million years ago, and shifted the western river flow to the north. The upper Deschutes obtained its current form when lava poured from Newberry into the old river courses about 1000 years ago. Because of this recent history, the channel of the upper Deschutes is rougher and steeper than the lower half, which has eroded for millions of years. Evidence of human existence in Oregon goes back over 10,000 years. Native houses have been dated back 2000 years in the lower Deschutes. The first Euro Americans to visit were the Corps of Discovery, led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, which passed the mouth in October of 1805. Peter Skene Odgen made the first journey into the Deschutes country, although not up the river, in December 1825. French-Canadian trappers gave the river its name, "La Rivere des Chutes" or "the river of the rapids", based on its proximity to the Columbia River rapids at Celilo. The Crooked and Metolius Rivers are major tributaries of the Deschutes River. The images begin near the sources of each river and move downriver. Other scenic areas include the Cascade Mountains and Newberry Crater. |
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David Lincoln. All rights reserved. Images
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