Note: Creation Encounter has been closely following state restrictions and reopening. As such, this trip will proceed as long as the respective counties are in Phase 3 reopening.

Remote SE Oregon has never been a popular tourism destination, yet it's certainly not lacking in natural and historical wonders. We will take short hikes to see and study incredible birds, Indian petroglyphs, Ice Age lake terraces, and the recently glaciated Steens Mountains. We will ponder the early settlement and cowboy history at Round Barn and the historic Alvord Ranch. In the Alvord desert we will explore the salt flats, the borax works, and Mickey Hot Spring's mudpots and fumeroles where thermophiles thrive in water near the boiling point. Most likely we will find southwest reptiles like friendly horned toads and other strange lizards. Perhaps we'll see the hardy Kiger mustangs.

This 5-day, 4-night family-vehicle-caravan will officially begin Wednesday evening August 5 at our base camp at Crystal Crane Hot Springs Campground and Informal Resort with a variety of lodging options (please visit www.cranehotsprings.com). The resort is graciously holding some options open for our group until the end of May. These include several RV and tent sites, a few of the less expensive cabins (like the Waterfront Cabins and the Sage Inn), and of course their meeting room and the shared camp kitchen. Each participant must make their own reservations by calling the resort at 541-493-2312; identify yourself with Creation Encounter and; using your credit card, reserve the lodging option of your choice. After May, your choices will be very limited. The tour will end late morning on Sunday, August 9.

There are limited spaces available for this unique family adventure. To register and hold your place, please send a suggested donation of $229 for families or $139 for an individual. This donation includes all guiding, instruction and evening programs. A month before the trip, each family will be mailed a 20-page field notebook highlighting the fascinating biology, history, and creation/Flood geology we will be studying and will contain a quiz and places for kids to sketch and color. Please make check out to “John Hergenrather”, 1086 Tucker Road, Hood River, OR 97031. Upon receiving this, we will email you a detailed itinerary, a bring list, and other useful information. 

 --Please also note that we have been implementing an Acknowledgement of Risk for our tours---