CROC is hosting a four day Central Oregon orienteering fiesta near Bend, Aug 6-9.
This will also be the 2026 Western States Orienteering Championships!
Thank you for your patience as we add all the information to this web page. The information below may be incomplete until this message is removed!
Enjoy the return of our popular Deschutes Daze festival, last held in 2021, this time featuring courses for all ability levels, a regional championship, a National Ranking Event (sanctioning pending), and a new map.
One National Ranking Event (sanctioning pending) with standard OUSA Competitive and Open Classes
Western States Championship spans three days
For competitive and recreational participants
Thursday August 6: Crooked River National Grasslands, Day 1, on a new map (Blue Hatchet)
Friday August 7: Crooked River National Grasslands, Day 2, with the event center at a new location on our existing map (Orchard)
Saturday August 8: NRE competition (sanctioning pending) at Dutchman Flat near Mt. Bachelor
Sunday August 9: Peterson Ridge south of Sisters, Oregon on a map we first used in 2021, newly improved.
The first two days feature high desert open terrain including juniper woodlands, sparse sagebrush, and dry meadows. The scents of juniper and sage will welcome you to two days of adventure in this special place. Race start elevation at 3000’ on Day 1 and 3500’ on Day 2.
The third day of racing is on the Dutchman Flat map, created in 2003 by Valentin Vladimirov and updated many times including this year. The courses include areas of fast-running forest with little undergrowth under a dark canopy of massive firs. Alpine meadows and a clear running creek also traverse the course area. Nordic ski and snowshoe trails add interesting navigational handrails. The race start elevation is 6400’ with 800 m walk from parking.
The fourth day at Peterson Ridge brings us to the classic Cascades east slope environment. Open forest with huge ponderosa pines, a giant’s volcanic rock garden with cliffs and monoliths, and arid scrubland with aromatic sage and snowbrush. Elevation 3800’
The climate in Central Oregon in July is typically warm and dry. Average high temperatures are around 27°C (80°F), cooler at Dutchman Flat. There is a risk of excessive heat. The probability of rain is very low.
Registration Information
Use the registration form to sign up for
Orienteering courses
Camping at Tumalo State Park
T-Shirt
Saturday Evening Banquet in the Park
Note: registrations will be limited at 150. It is possible that registration will close early when we reach this capacity limit.
| Race | Adult | Junior age 20 and under | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular registration ends TBD at midnight PDT |
Day 1, 2, 4 Day 3 NRE package |
TBD | TBD |
| Late registration ends TBD at midnight PDT |
>Day 1, 2, 4 Day 3 NRE package |
TBD | TBD |
Refunds
Please register if you plan to come. Refund requests will be considered if your plans change or if you are not feeling well. Please contact the registrar.
For courses
100% if requested at least one week before the event
(or if you are staying home due to illness or injury)No Refund after that
For banquet and camping
100% if requested on or before July 25
No Refund after that
The T-shirt is not refundable but we can mail it to you.
Events
All event information in this table is subject to change. Please refer to the official Event Bulletin for detailed information such as driving directions.
All events will have assigned start times, 10 am - noon
| Date | Venue | Event | Venue Location | Walk to Check-In |
Walk to Start |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday August 6 |
CRNG Beginner, Short Adv, Medium Adv, Long Adv |
Point-to-point |
About 15 miles SE of Madras 35 mile drive from Bend |
1 - 10 min | 1 min |
| Friday August 7 |
CRNG Beginner, Short Adv, Medium Adv, Long Adv |
WSC Point-to-point |
About 15 miles SE of Madras 35 mile drive from Bend |
5 min | 10 min |
| Saturday August 8 |
Dutchman Flat 8 standard courses |
WSC NRE Classic Distance |
Park at the Mt. Bachelor Ski Area West Village parking lot 20 miles SW of Bend |
10 min | 10 min |
| Sunday August 9 |
Peterson Ridge Beginner, Short Adv, Medium Adv, Long Adv< |
WSC Point-to-point |
About 10 miles south of Sisters which is 20 miles NW of Bend |
1 min | 1 min |
NRE = National Ranking Event, results sent to OUSA for your national ranking
WSC = Western States Championship event, results combined to determine the 2026 Western States Champions
Accommodations
Tumalo State Park Group Camp
We have reserved both group campsites at Tumalo State Park, lat long coordinates: 44.1284, -121.3315. (Copy/paste these into Google maps or mapping app to get driving directions.) Just 6 miles from Bend.
This is a full service campground with well maintained showers. The group camp is set apart from the other campsites, shaded by tall ponderosas. The restroom building has electrical outlets. There is water next to the tent sites.
You can sign up for tent camping in the group campsite with your Deschutes Daze registration. Each reservation is for one tent (single, couple, or family) with one car, for 3 nights (Thursday through Sunday). There are 20 spaces, of which 2 may be occupied by a small camper such as a Sprinter van.
Other Camping
Sisters Creekside Campground has reservable sites in a pleasant setting in the town of Sisters.
Pringle Falls Campground in La Pine has reservable sites along the Deschutes River.
Skull Hollow Campground about 9 miles from Terrebonne has non-reservable sites but is not likely to fill up. It is pleasant but hot during the day. No water
Haystack Reservoir Campground about 13 miles from Terrebonne has reservable and non-reservable sites. It is pleasant but hot during the day. Swimming allowed if no cyanobacteria advisory. No water
Public showers may be available at Juniper Swim & Fitness Center
800 NE 6th St. Bend, OR 97701 , Tel. (541) 389-7665, call to confirm
Up in the mountains, there are several walk-in, low-cost, high-scenery, Forest Service campgrounds located on Century Drive west of Bend (near the Dutchman Flat event). These are first-come, first-served, not reservable (no water)
Dispersed camping is allowed in the national forests, for example on the road to Dutchman Flat or around our new Peterson Ridge map south of Sisters (no water)
Other Lodging
There are numerous hotel/vacation rental/B & B options in Bend
Contact
Please use this contact form to reach the Deschutes Daze 2026 planning team