This Oregon city stands ready to augment FMCA members’ next convention experience.
By Peggy Jordan
Associate Editor
June 2004
Thousands of FMCA members will point their motorhomes in the direction of central Oregon this summer. They’ll be headed for fun at the association’s 72nd International Convention, to be held August 16, 17, 18, and 19 at the Deschutes County Fair and Expo Center in Redmond.
This is the second time the 132-acre site will host FMCAers for fellowship, seminars, entertainment, and opportunities to peruse exhibits of motorhomes and RV merchandise. In August 2001, 5,331 coaches (commercial and family members combined) filled the fairgrounds. The facility, which opened in 1999, is picturesque, backdropped by snowcapped mountain peaks.
FMCA members will probably find Redmond a pleasant place to be in August, when the weather is typically sunny and warm and humidity is low. This part of the state averages only 8.64 inches of rain per year. Redmond sits at an elevation of 3,077 feet above sea level.
Redmond’s population has more than doubled since 1985. Part of the reason for this growth is its location right on U.S. 97 in the center of the region. The Central Oregon Community College maintains a satellite campus in Redmond, and a city-owned airport operates in town. But the area’s biggest employer is Eagle Crest Resort, a multifaceted relaxation spot with golf courses, restaurants, sports facilities, horseback trail rides, and overnight accommodations (no camping, though).
North Dakotans Frank and Josephine Redmond chose to pitch their tent in this area in 1904 because a canal and rail line were proposed there. In 1905 investors formed the Redmond Townsite Company, and by 1906 they were selling lots near the operational canal. Some of the families who bought lots in the town were friends of the Redmonds from North Dakota. By 1910, the city had a population of 216, and in 1911, the Oregon Trunk Line Railroad arrived.
Over the years, Redmond has been home to a Civilian Conservation Corps Camp and a U.S. Air Force training base. Today FMCA visitors will find several campgrounds in the area (see the accompanying sidebar), as well as shopping areas, stores, and restaurants. And, while you’re there, consider these local attractions:
- You can play a round of golf at more than 24 public and private golf courses in the general area; Eagle Crest Resort (541-923-4653) is the biggest in town, with three 18-hole courses and an 18-hole putting course.
- Kids of every age can visit Rudolph and friends at a reindeer ranch called Operation Santa Claus, two miles west of Redmond. The reindeer are bred and raised to bring a real-life touch to Christmas displays around the country. The ranch is located at 4355 W. State Route 126. For more information, phone (541) 548-8910.
- Petersen Rock Garden and Museum, south of town on U.S. 97, is a four-acre park with miniature landscapes made by Rasmus Petersen (1883-1952), a Swedish immigrant who farmed the area. Little castles, and replicas of Independence Hall and the Statue of Liberty are among the sculptures he made over a 17-year span. The park is located at 7930 S.W. 77th St.; phone (541) 382-5574.
- You can have dinner and watch a show while riding on the Crooked River Dinner Train, which boards north of town via U.S. 97. Passengers take a three-hour trek between Redmond and Prineville through the Crooked River Valley and are entertained as an action-packed Wild West story is performed. Phone (541) 548-8630 or visit www.crookedriverrailroad.com for more information.
- Smith Rock State Park, located on U.S. 97 north of Redmond, is popular among rock climbers but also offers hiking and views of a scenic canyon. Make sure you take your towed car; the park is inaccessible by motorhome. Cline Falls State Scenic Viewpoint, a comfy rest area with fishing access to the Deschutes River, is only four miles west of Redmond on State Route 126.
These are just a few of the many intriguing sites that await visitors. For more information about what to see and do in the Redmond area, contact:
Redmond Chamber of Commerce
446 S.W. Seventh St.
Redmond, OR 97756
(541) 923-5191
E-mail: info@visitredmondoregon.com
www.redmondcofc.com
For information about Oregon travel destinations and more ideas about what to do in the state, contact:
Oregon Tourism Commission
775 Summer St. N.E.
Salem, OR 97301-1282
(800) 547-7842
(503) 986-0000
www.traveloregon.com
Convention Area Campgrounds
The following may not be a complete list, so please check your favorite campground directory or FMCA’s Business Directory, published each January and June in FMC magazine and online at FMCA.com.
Redmond
Desert Terrace Mobile Estates
5063 S. U.S. 97
Redmond, OR 97756
(541) 548-2546
Green Acres RV Park
7777 S. U.S. 97
Redmond, OR 97756
(541) 923-0868
www.rverschoice.com/greenacres
Highway 97 RV Park
351 N.W. Maple Ave.
Redmond, OR 97756
(541) 548-4157
Bend: approximately 15 miles south of Redmond
Bend Kampground, C3240
63615 N. U.S. 97
Bend, OR 97701
(541) 382-7738
Bend Keystone RV Park
305 N.E. Burnside Ave.
Bend, OR 97701
(541) 382-2335
Bend Trailer Park
335 S.E. Roosevelt Ave.
Bend, OR 97702
(541) 382-8438
Crown Villa RV Resort, C2573
60801 Brosterhous Rd.
Bend, OR 97702
(866) 500-5300
(541) 388-1131
www.crownvillaresort.com
Tumalo State Park
62990 O.B. Riley Road
Bend, OR 97701
(800) 551-6949 information
(800) 452-5687 reservations
(541) 382-3586 information
www.oregonstateparks.org/park_45.php
Sisters/Bend KOA
67667 U.S. 20 W.
Bend, OR 97701
(800) 562-0363 reservations
(541) 549-3021 information
www.koa.com/where/or/37151.htm
Culver: approximately 16 miles north of Redmond
Madras-Culver KOA
2435 S.W. Jericho Lane
Culver, OR 97734
(800) 562-1992 reservations
(541) 546-3046 information
www.koakampgrounds.com/where/or/37149.htm
Prineville: approximately 16 miles east of Redmond
Crook County RV Park
1040 S. Main St.
Prineville, OR 97754
(800) 609-2599
(541) 447-2599
www.prineville-crookcounty.org/parks/parks_rv.cfm
Sun Rocks RV Resort, C7000
14900 S.E. Juniper Canyon Road
Prineville, OR 97754
(541) 447-6540
www.sunrocksrvresort.com