Located just 9 miles north of Redmond, Peter Skene Ogden State Scenic Viewpoint is a stunning roadside attraction if you are traveling on US Route 97. Basalt cliffs rise steep and high from both sides of the Crooked River, a tributary of the Deschutes. The two sides are connected by historic bridges that create a dramatic glimpse of central Oregon’s geological and historical features. The park land was once owned by the Oregon Trunk Railway and was later acquired by the State between 1925 and 1930. Eventually the park was named after explorer, fur trapper and Hudson Bay Trader Peter Skene Ogden, who entered the Crooked River Valley in 1825. This viewpoint, which is popular with photographers, has a restrooms and a picnic area.