Vista Butte

Few destinations offer such expansive vistas for skiers and snowshoers with such little effort. The Vista Butte Trail is a relatively quick, 1.8 mile, 720-foot ascent through a thin forest of lodgepole pines and white firs. From the 6,619-foot summit you'll have excellent views of the closer peaks: Mount Bachelor, Tumalo Mountain, South Sister and Broken Top; on clear days, however, you'll also see as far south as Diamond Peak, Mount Thielsen, and Crater Lake's Mount Scott.

For a longer trip, take the Ridge Trail from the Swampy Lakes Sno-Park in lieu of the Vista Butte Sno-Park. The Ridge Trail will branch off onto the Butte Trail, totaling 7 miles round-trip. In addition to more exercise, this longer route provides a little scenic diversity.