Wooded properties and outdoor recreation in Black Butte Ranch
Dense forests and large, wooded lots line the quiet streets of Black Butte Ranch, a private, Deschutes County community. The mountain community, locally known as “The Ranch” is comprised of both owner occupied and vacation rental homes, with golf courses, horseback riding trails and a luxury spa. Once a cattle and horse ranch, the residential area seen today was established in 1970. Many current residents first visited The Ranch as annual guests before deciding to put down roots in the peaceful mountainside community. “The main draw is you’re far removed from commercial activity,” says Thomas Arends, a local real estate agent with Arends Realty Group. “You have the quiet, wooded atmosphere not far from the shops and restaurants of Sisters.” The nearby town of Sisters is less than 10 miles away, while downtown Bend is roughly 30 miles southeast.
Full-time-owners and vacation rentals
Mid-century-modern homes, luxury log cabins, cottages and Colonial Revivals sit on spacious lots throughout Black Butte Ranch, and many houses feature large windows offering views of the surrounding woodlands and distant Cascade Range peaks. “Around 20 percent of owners are full time occupants,” Arends says. “Most homeowners rent out their homes for at least a few weeks out of the year.” Single-family homes with less than 2,000 square feet range from $615,000 to $1.2 million, while larger builds with half to full-acre lots can go for $1.2 million to $2.5 million. Black Butte Ranch has a CAP Index Crime Score of 1 out of 10, which is lower than the national average of 4.
Championship golf courses and nearby hiking trails
The area is home to two 18-hole championship golf courses: Big Meadow and Glaze Meadow, with verdant greens and fairways lined by towering evergreen and aspen trees. The community has multiple pools along with facilities for tennis, pickleball, sand volleyball and disc golf. Next to the Lakeside Activity Center, Phalarope Lake is a popular spot for fly fishing and kayaking. The activity center has a gym, a playground and common spaces. Surrounding the neighborhood’s residential streets, the Deschutes National Forest offers dozens of nearby hiking trails and recreation areas. The Black Butte Trail winds around 4 miles through the woods to the butte’s peak, gaining around 1,500 feet of elevation along the way. At the end of the trail, hikers can see two historic fire lookouts and views of the snow-capped Three Sisters, Mount Washington and Mount Jefferson.
Annual events in Black Butte Ranch
The Ranch hosts a handful of annual events, from a Fourth of July celebration to Mother's Day Brunch at the Lodge. On the second Friday in July, locals flock to the Lodge event lawn for the yearly Quilt Show at Black Butte Ranch.
Dual enrollment and unique electives in the Sisters School District
Local families are served by Sisters Elementary School, which earns an A-minus overall grade from Niche. Also with an A-minus, Sisters Middle School has an array of extracurricular offerings, including clubs centered around archery, hiking and field sports. The B-plus-rated Sisters High School has a wide variety of unique electives and career and technical education courses, from meteorology and wilderness first aid to 3D design and songwriting. The College Now program offers high-school campus dual enrollment courses with Central Oregon Community College.
Lakeside eateries and nearby shopping in Sisters
There are two lakeside restaurants in Black Butte Ranch, both with views of the water and surrounding natural scenery. The Lodge serves breakfast daily and seafood and steak for dinner, while Lakeside Bistro offers sandwiches and pizza. Robert’s Pub has bar fare and draft beer next to the Big Meadow Golf Course. The community has a general store with a small selection of snacks, wine and made-to-order sandwiches. For groceries, the nearest supermarket is Ray’s Food Place in Sisters.
Drive to Bend or Sweet Home via Route 20
Drivers can take United States Route 20 around 30 miles southeast to Bend or roughly 60 miles west to Sweet Home. “You’re within a couple hours of some of Oregon’s major cities,” Arends says. “Eugene and Portland are both within around 2 and a half hours.” For long-distance travel, Redmond Municipal Airport has a small selection of commercial flights, around 30 miles east.
Written By
Jillian Pillow
