Outback to the Future
Oregon's Outback: Dark Skies, Summer Lake, and Otherworldly Adventures
Some must-see destinations are written in the stars. Deep in Oregon's remote southern high desert lies the largest certified International Dark Sky Sanctuary on the planet. With 2.5 million acres of protected dark skies, you get the best of the celestial out here in what's known as the Oregon Outback.
Officially designated in 2024, the Oregon Outback International Dark Sky Sanctuary spans a vast swath of Lake County at the western edge of the Great Basin. It's a land of wide open spaces, wetlands, mountains, and ancient lakebeds.
For some Oregon Outback 101, head to Summer Lake, about two hours southeast of Bend via Highway 31, part of the Oregon Outback Scenic Byway. Coming from Klamath Falls? Plan on roughly two and a half hours.
This is where otherworldly meets and greets you. The Summer Lake playa stretches for miles beneath Winter Rim, the towering ridge along the basin's western edge. As the shallow lake recedes in warmer months, it exposes a sand-colored expanse of earth beneath a seemingly infinite horizon. Then a tumbleweed dances by.
Wander where access is allowed and enjoy the feeling of being somewhere outside of time. Ancient, modern, now. Here.
There's more to explore before the stars arrive. Nearby Summer Lake Wildlife Area is a wetland haven for birds traveling the Pacific Flyway. An 8.3-mile driving tour (*seasonal) offers opportunities to see who's stopping by. If you prefer your H2-Ahhhs to come from geothermal soaks, book a cabin or campsite at Summer Lake Hot Springs. The outdoor pools offer views that are up, down, and all around. Spend an afternoon here as the sun dapples the desert with golden light.
When daylight fades across the playa, the sky is just getting started. Nightfall brings the universe into crisp focus. It can be so quiet you convince yourself that you didn't just see that falling star, you heard it. On a clear, moonless night, the Milky Way stretches overhead, stars dominate the darkness, and space feels both infinite and somehow within reach.
This immense landscape is part of a dedicated effort to preserve natural darkness for people, wildlife, and generations to come. Going to the Oregon Outback is going wayyy back … to the future.
THE PLAYA'S ART & SCIENCE ESCAPE: PLAYA Summer Lake is a nonprofit gathering place where artists, writers, and scientists come together for unique residency programs that offer time and space away from everyday distractions.
It's a haven for developing projects, exchanging ideas, and thinking through environmental questions. This is community. Selected applicants receive free lodging and space to work, and fee-based self-directed stays offer another way to experience this immersive setting.
TIP: Plan your stargazing around a new moon and a clear forecast. Bring warm layers, water, food, a full tank of gas, and a red-light headlamp to preserve your night vision. Cell service is limited in places, and the playa can be wet or muddy depending on the season. Respect private property and wildlife restrictions, and stick to permitted access routes. *The Summer Lake Wildlife Area driving tour closes during hunting season, generally from early October through late January.
BONUS: Check out this scenic drive in the Oregon Outback
