5. Jefferson Park

Courtesy of Lance Beck

Affectionately known simply as “Jeff Park,” this stretch in Central Oregon is a local favorite and popular with day hikers, photographers, families, and weekenders. For the most part, the terrain is smooth and easygoing and the open plains provide a colorful contrast to the steep, rocky slopes of glacier-covered Mount Jefferson. Hikers that arrive after the snow melts in late summer may find themselves walking through meadows that have burst to life with indian paintbrush, lupine, and a plethora of magenta, purple, and pink wildflowers.