Cline Falls State Scenic Viewpoint facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cline Falls State Scenic Viewpoint
Picnic area at Cline Falls park
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Type	Public, state
Location	Deschutes County, Oregon
Nearest city	Redmond
Area	9 acres (3.6 ha)
Operated by	Oregon Parks and Recreation Department

Cline Falls State Scenic Viewpoint is a fun state park located near Redmond, Oregon, in the United States. People also call it Cline Falls State Park. It sits right next to the beautiful Deschutes River. The park is about 9 acres big, which is like nine football fields! The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department takes care of this lovely spot.

Discovering Cline Falls

Cline Falls is a cool spot on the Deschutes River. It's about four miles west of Redmond, Oregon. The falls got their name from Doctor Cass A. Cline. He was a dentist in Redmond who owned the land nearby.

The falls are just north of where Highway 126 crosses the Deschutes River. In the 1950s, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department bought land near Cline Falls. They wanted to create a park for people to visit during the day.

Exploring the Park Grounds

Cline Falls State Scenic Viewpoint is a park for day visits. It covers 9 acres on the east side of the Deschutes River. You can find it on the south side of Highway 126. Even though the park is named after Cline Falls, the falls themselves are a little bit north of the highway. This means the falls are not actually inside the park!

The park has a big, open grassy area. Tall trees like ponderosa pines, western junipers, poplars, and locust trees surround it. These trees reach all the way to the river's edge.

You can also find different types of nature areas here. There are riparian areas right by the river. These are wet places where special plants grow. There are also dry, sagebrush-covered hills and rocky canyon rimrocks.

Wildlife in the Park

Many cool animals live in these areas. You might see blackbirds, canyon wrens, American dippers, song sparrows, and finches. Other songbirds stop here when they fly south or north for the seasons. Look up, and you might spot Prairie falcons and golden eagles flying around!

The Deschutes River flows past the park. It has parts with small rapids and other parts with calm, still water. The rapids flow around huge rocks. The calm areas create wetlands along the shore. These wetlands attract lots of different wildlife. You can often see Canada geese and other water fowl in these wet areas.

Small mammals also live in the park. These include the Great Basin pocket mouse and sagebrush voles.

Fun Activities at the Park

Cline Falls State Scenic Viewpoint is a very popular place. It's the closest park with river access to the city of Redmond. Many local people come here to have fun.

There's a big open lawn perfect for playing games or just relaxing. But most visitors come to the park to have a picnic and go swimming. The park has different swimming spots. Some are deep, calm pools, and others are shallow coves. There are even short parts of the river with swift water. These are great for inner tubing!

Fishing and Boating

You can also go fishing in the Deschutes River from the park. The calm pools and areas near big rocks are good places for trout. Fishermen can catch native rainbow trout, brown trout, and bull trout in the Cline Falls area.

The Deschutes River is also excellent for rafting, kayaking, and canoeing. One popular trip is a 14.5-mile journey. It starts at Tumalo State Park and ends right here at Cline Falls State Park. Another fun trip starts at Cline Falls State Park. It goes 11.5 miles downriver to the Lower Bridge Recreation Site. For this trip, you need to carry your boat around Cline Falls. The falls are about half a mile downstream from the park.

Park Rules and Facilities

Cline Falls State Scenic Viewpoint closes during the colder winter months. When it is open, there is no charge to enter the park. Please remember that drinks for adults are not allowed in the park. The Deschutes County Sheriff's Department helps make sure everyone follows this rule.

The park has several helpful facilities for visitors:

• Public restrooms with flush toilets
• Picnic tables
• Barbecue grills
• Horseshoe pits
• A station for cleaning fish

Images for kids

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  A special image of Cline Falls.

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  The Deschutes River flowing through Cline Falls State Park.