Green Highways: Pronghorn

Summer is an ideal time of year to visit Bend, Oregon. Situated just more than three hours southeast of Portland, visitors will find fly-fishing, river rafting, hiking and biking galore, and several truly wonderful golf courses. There’s also the Bend Brewfest (tentatively scheduled for Aug. 19-21, 2021, but check back to make sure), where more than 200 craft breweries from all over the West Coast show up to show off their favorite and latest creations.

From out of state, getting to Bend involves planes and automobiles. Portland is a popular option, as it’s on most major airline routes. From there, the drive to Bend is scenic, with lots of great stops along the way. Or, you can fly into Redmond Municipal Airport, which is only a 25-minute drive from Bend if you’re trying to squeeze in a round on Day 1.

There are Avis locations at both airports, and you’re going to want to rent a car or SUV as there’s so much to see and do in this hopping area.

We suggest making Pronghorn’s Huntington Lodge home base for your stay. Opened in 2019, the Lodge features 104 delightful guest rooms and suites; a vibrant lobby lounge and gathering place that connects indoor and outdoor dining spaces; an outdoor pool created for year-round use with a spacious deck and a central fireplace; and dining options that include the popular Cascada signature restaurant.

Located at the heart of the 640-acre Pronghorn community, Huntington Lodge overlooks the closing 18th hole of a Tom Fazio-designed golf course, one of two 18-holers on property. In the distance are postcard views of the nine peaks along the Cascade Mountain Range.

Both the Tom Fazio Championship Course and the Jack Nicklaus Signature Course are highly ranked, high-desert gems, playing out of a stone-and-timber clubhouse that’s one of the most impressive clubhouses you’ll ever see.

Both courses are as impeccably manicured as Augusta National, a result of 300 days of annual sunshine and stellar agronomy standards. Resort guests have full access to both layouts. Standout holes include No. 12 on Nicklaus, a short par-4 that plays over a lava rock outcropping to an elevated putting surface. On Fazio, it’s the par-three No. 8 that has everyone reaching for their cameras along with their 7-irons. The tee boxes on this one-shotter are set above a 45-foot canyon with the putting surface below and beyond an exposed lava tube. Certainly one of the more scenic holes anywhere.

In addition to the golf courses, resort amenities include a full-service spa, fitness center and movement studio, and golf lessons through the Pronghorn Academy by Jeff Ritter.

Pronghorn is conveniently located minutes from downtown Bend’s buzzing art and dining scene and renowned craft beer culture, with more than a dozen breweries along the Bend Ale Trail. The resort is also the ideal jumping off point for exploring the countless year-round recreational activities and outdoor adventures available in Central Oregon, including hiking
nearby volcanoes, world-class rock climbing at Smith Rock, fly fishing, and whitewater rafting on the nearby Deschutes River, paddle boarding, road cycling, mountain biking, and skiing and snowboarding at Mt. Bachelor, North America’s fifth largest ski resort.

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