Ochoco State Scenic Viewpoint, State park observation point in Crook County, Oregon, United States
Ochoco State Scenic Viewpoint is an observation point in Crook County that overlooks the Prineville Valley and surrounding mountain ranges. From this elevated position, visitors see the Cascade Range peaks, the Blue Mountains, and the forested landscape of the Ochoco National Forest spreading across the horizon.
A fire lookout tower stood at this location in the 1930s to spot wildfires across Central Oregon's forests. The site later became a public viewpoint integrated into Oregon's network of state parks for visitor access.
The name Ochoco comes from the Ochoco Mountains, the range the viewpoint faces; the park is one of the state's scenic viewpoints managed by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. It stands about 929 m above sea level, roughly 2.8 km west of Prineville, the nearest town, in Crook County.
The site offers picnic areas, restroom facilities, and parking spaces available year-round for visitors. Roads can be snow-covered in winter months, so it is best visited during spring through fall when conditions are clearer and easier to navigate.
The park sits at 929 metres, about 2.8 km west of Prineville, on ground that rises toward a 994-metre summit roughly 1 km to the south. The surrounding land is mostly sagebrush steppe, with canals and valleys nearby.
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