Things to Do in The Dalles

Indian Creek Golf Course's layout snakes through the Hood River Valley between a network of sprawling orchards and wineries with panoramic views of Mount Hood and Mount Adams creating a dramatic backdrop. Water comes into play on 11 holes, including three creeks that bisect fairways to disrupt play and tempt players to take fairway naps to the melodic babbling of their playing partners. On the par 5 fourth hole, precision is paramount, as the dogleg right is entirely fortified by water to the right and the small, narrow green make short putts strenuous with hard-to-read-breaks.

Indian Creek Golf Course won an Environmental Excellence award from Audubon International for its efforts in areas of wildlife and habitat management, chemical-use reduction, and water-quality management. The course and its surrounding land act as a sanctuary to a variety of wildlife, including several species of caddies now endangered because rampant cart use. Course at a Glance:

• Par 72
• Three sets of tees
• 6,150 yards from the back tees
• Rating of 71.3 and slope of 129 from the back tees

No strangers to the great outdoors, the guides of Sage Canyon River Company help visitors tackle the great outdoors on whitewater-rafting, camping, and fishing expeditions. Adventures range from three-hour jaunts to multiday trips into the wilds of the Oregon frontier, giving outdoorsmen many options for experiencing nature. Thrill seekers can steer a raft or oversize rubber duck through calm waters amid desert-rock formations or crash through Class IV rapids—including the challenging Oak Springs on the Deschutes River—under the direction of a trained guide. For adventures that tend to keep the water outside of the boat, fishing trips journey into Sherars Falls and Macks Canyon in search of trout and steelhead, with fly- and reel-casting opportunities.