A handmade cedar chair and a drive through the Crooked River canyon belong to the same Prineville day. One asks you to look closely. The other gives you a whole landscape to take in.
That range is what makes this outing with David Keyte worth following. There is a furniture-maker to meet, a view from Barnes Butte, time for a meal and a road that keeps drawing the day farther out of town. Prineville has plenty to offer anyone willing to slow down and look.
Watch the Prineville episode
Watch this episode on YouTube.
A chair with a story
Inside the HyCutz workshop, Josh talks about cedar chairs, reclaimed wood and the people he works with in the region. Furniture becomes more interesting when you get to meet the person making it. You start noticing the decisions behind a piece instead of simply imagining where it might go.
The conversation gives the tour an unusually personal beginning. Before the big scenery arrives, there is time to hear how someone makes a living by making something well. It is a good reason to watch the workshop visit all the way through.
A little elevation at Barnes Butte
Outside, Barnes Butte opens the view across the valley. The change of scale is part of the pleasure: from the details of a chair to the wider high-desert setting around town.
Use Prineville’s parks and trails directory to plan a route, and take water, sun protection and footwear suited to the terrain. Give the walk enough time to include a pause at the view. There is lunch to come, but it can wait a little.
A table at Creekside
Creekside Beer Garden brings the outing back to the scale of a meal. Food trucks, outdoor seating and a chance to catch up are a welcome middle chapter after the workshop and the walk.
The Travel Oregon listing is a starting point for planning a visit. Check the current vendors and hours, choose something you are hungry for and take a seat. An outdoor day improves considerably when nobody has to hurry through lunch.
The drive becomes part of the destination
Along the Crooked River Highway, the canyon deserves its share of the afternoon. “It’s a true escape and a stunningly gorgeous drive,” David says. It is the sort of journey where arriving is only part of the point.
The road leads toward Prineville Reservoir State Park, a certified International Dark Sky Park. In daylight, the water and surrounding landscape invite a longer stay. On a suitable clear night, looking up gives the visit an entirely different finish.
Check the park’s notices for water levels, boat-ramp access and parking permits before heading out. For after-hours stargazing in the designated day-use area, follow the park’s stargazing-permit instructions. Pack a layer and leave room in the schedule for the drive back.
Spend a little time here
You can make this a workshop-and-lunch day, a hike with a scenic drive or a trip built around an evening sky. Prineville rewards a visit that follows your curiosity rather than a race between stops.
Explore more Central Oregon outings in Check It Out. If you begin picturing a home here, tell the Bend Relo team what caught your interest or browse current homes. There is plenty to learn about a place after the first good day.
Talk with David & the Bend Relo team
Buying, selling, relocating, or evaluating a specific property? Tell us what you are working through. We are happy to help.
