The Photography of Dr. Jeff Harper

At the start of a long road trip to the Grand Canyon, Zion and Bryce National Parks, my wonderful wife and I stopped off for a two days of camping along the Deschutes River on the eastern slopes of the Cascade Mountains of Central Oregon. Bull Bend Campground was lovely!

A 3 1/2 hour drive from our starting point in Keizer, Oregon to the Bull Bend Campground through the beautiful Santiam Pass . . .

There was a somewhat bumpy and dusty 2-3 mile drive off the paved road through the dry Ponderosa Pine forest to get to Bull Bend Campground.

The campground was very nice with all the sites actually on the river.  We found a nice one and went about setting up camp.

With our camp set up (complete with our "shower/toilet" tent), we took of for a quick look around.

We were situated in a beautiful forest on a perfect, clear 80f day.

30 feet from our campsite we had the Deschutes River.  Spectacular!

There is a big 300 degree bend in the river which almost creates an island, where the campground is situated.

Incredible nature!

I immediately went back to our camp site and grabbed my camping chair and took it down to the river banks.  This is where I wanted to sit and enjoy life.

The view from my camp chair.  Heaven.

Looking to my left from my camping chair the river bends out and around in a big arch which surrounds the campground.

I took my bike out for a spin around the campground . . . 

Then I rode the road out of the campground . . . for some different views of the river.

The Dechutes River floods at various times of the year eroding the banks.  These sawed-off root snags can be found along the banks.

The forest floor is a complex and beautiful environment . . .

Various tree falls from fires and thinning.

On the next morning my wife and I took a walk out into the forest on a random trail leading away from the river.

There was plenty of evidence that there had been a big burn in the not-too-distant past. Of course, these Ponderosa pines depend on fire to help their seeds propagate.

Such an inviting forest trail . . . on such a gorgeous day!

Our trail "away from the river" eventually lead us back to another bend in the meandering Dechutes River.

I am not sure if I will ever get back to this wonderful place, but I will always remember these fantastic trees.

An absolutely gorgeous place to camp for a couple of days . . .