Marion Falls is a Hidden Treasure

Marion Lake, on the west side of Santiam Pass, is a lovely lake that we had never seen during all the years we have lived in Central Oregon. The drive to the trailhead is longer than what we normally travel for our day hikes (roughly 1.5 hours), but the 10 mile gravel road off Hwy 22 to the trailhead is well maintained and easy to access. We hiked to Marion Lake on a late September Saturday in which the air quality in Bend was poor. Reports showed that the quality of the air west of Santiam would be better than in Bend, so we felt a hike in this area would be warranted and were able to obtain two passes.

Once we arrived, the trail began with a fairly short hike through the woods to Ann Lake, a smaller body of water in which the lake's rocky outlet flowed under our trail, creating interesting sounds. Past this point, the wooded trail continued until we reached larger Marion Lake. The trail steepened here, passing through some burned forests until we eventually reached Marion Mountain. There should have been great views of Mt. Jefferson and Three Fingered Jack from the peak of this mountain, but they were shadowed through smoke. After a short break, we returned down the trail, sampling wild blueberries which were still hanging from their fall foliaged bushes. We knew there was a trail somewhere to Marion Falls in the area, but it wasn't until we consulted with a couple of hikers we met that we were directed to the non-maintained social trail which is not on current maps. We quickly discovered why the forest service does not want people to hike this direction; the path has places which are extremely steep, slippery, and can be dangerous. Careful hikers will find plenty of rocks, trees and roots to hold onto to travel up and down this path, however, to obtain great views of both Upper and Lower Marion Falls. 

The entire hike was 12.24 miles with 2381 feet of elevation gain. We will return to this section of the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness soon. There are many trails which we need to explore!

Hike Tam McArthur Rim to Broken Top For a Different Approach to No Name Lake

Each year we hike to Broken Top from different trailheads, often arriving at our final destination at No Name Lake, the beautiful glacial aqua blue lake located on the eastern edge of the mountain. One of our favorite hikes includes first a trek to Tam McArthur Rim overlooking Three Creeks Lake outside of Sisters which in itself can be the destination for many. For us, this extended hike passes Tam McArthur Rim on the well marked but "not maintained" trail to Broken Hand and then to the rim overlooking No Name Lake. The total trip for us includes a side trip north of Broken Hand into the safer, but longer path around Broken Hand and then up to the rim. This hike exceeds 10 miles and 2000 feet of elevation gain, but is well worth the trip for the beauty of close views of all Three Sisters and Broken Top. At one point on the hike, views from Mt. Bachelor to Mt Hood are visible - 9 total Cascade Peaks.

Awbrey Glen is an Established Bend Luxury Subdivision

Brooks Resources broke ground on Awbrey Glen in 1993 and completed the subdivision in 2006. Its 156 homesites were sold individually to buyers who were able to hire their own contractor to build their custom home, subject to architectural guidelines. This created a neighborhood of unique high end homes, many of which bordered Awbrey Glen Golf Course. Today there are 375 members of Awbrey Glen Golf Club, a private club offering the golf course, restaurant, pool, fitness facility, and many activities. People who live at Awbrey Glen tend to enjoy their home and social life.

Awbrey Glen Sales Prices Dropping

Unlike Bend in general, home prices in Awbrey Glen are going down. This may be partly because Awbrey Glen's listings are limited. With only 156 homesites in a fully built subdivision, Awbrey Glen home sellers are fewer than other developments in Bend. Homes there are of varied size and value. It may be...

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Awbrey Butte is One of Bend's Premier Luxury Neighborhoods

Originally developed by Brooks Resources in 1984, Awbrey Butte was "finished" in 2005. Containing over 1800 acres with 782 homesites, Awbrey Butte remains one of Bend's most prestigious neighborhoods. The development focused early on large homesites providing for privacy and retained much of the natural landscape and mature trees which existed there. Many homesites were situated to provide for Cascade Mountain, city or eastern views. A large number of the homes were built at a time in which natural woods were popular and the resulting neighborhoods often contained many large, lodge-style homes. Today's home buyers usually recognize the quality of these beautiful properties and may remodel them to a more current look while retaining much of the original ambiance.

Market Trends for Awbrey Butte Homes

Awbrey Butte experienced the same market trends of most of Bend during the past three years. Covid c...

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What's in the September 2023 Bend Premier Real Estate Newsletter?

• Bend Real Estate Sales Cooling
• Air Fryer Apple Fritters
• 9 Things You Should Do to Your Home Before Fall Starts
• Crater Rim Trail at Newberry National Volcanic Monument
• Homeowners Have a Lot of Equity Right Now