Oregon Outback Adventure

A full day of adventure in the Oregon Outback, capped off with stargazing at Fort Rock

Saturday, January 31st, 2026

about

Adventure: Join us for a day of exploration in the Oregon Outback. On our adventure, we will venture to three iconic landmarks: Hole In The Ground, Crack In The Ground, and Fort Rock. Each site is its own geologic marvel and tells a story rich in volcanic history!

Naturalist Guided Experience: Hole In The Ground looks like something out of a sci-fi fantasy book, a 300ft deep, mile wide crater in a sea of sagebrush. While it looks like the result of an ancient meteoroid striking Earth, it was actually created by a volcanic steam explosion known as a maar. After our scenic hike through the crater, we will venture to Crack In The Ground, an ancient volcanic fissure over 2 miles long! Typically fissures like Crack In The Ground become filled with rock and sediment over time however, because it is located in such an arid region, Crack In The Ground looks much like it did when it formed thousands of years ago. The last stop on our adventure will be the mighty Fort Rock, an ancient tuff ring that rises high above what used to be an ancient ocean bed and is home to some of the oldest evidence of human civilization in North America. We will arrive at Fort Rock as the day’s light fades to the west and the stars make their presence known in this world-renowned dark sky shed. Throughout the day’s journey, your Naturalist Guide will enliven you with stories of elemental power, painting a picture of how this stunning region of the Oregon Outback came to be!

Daily Tours that feature Stargazing

Fort Rock: Sunset Hike and Stargazing

Stargaze in the Oregon Outback, the largest contiguous dark sky shed in the United States

Multiple dates available - details below

about

Adventure: Join us for a night of exploration in the Oregon Outback. Our stargazing adventure will take us to Fort Rock, an ancient volcanic tuff ring that rises out of the flatness of the high desert. We will begin our evening at Fort Rock just as the sun is setting to the west, taking in the last of the day’s light as we hike through this incredible National Landmark. After the sun’s light has faded we will settle down for a breathtaking night of celestial wonder!

Naturalist Guided Experience: The tuff ring of Ft. Rock’s pinnacles rise above an ancient ocean bed and much like the geologic history of other Central Oregon formations such as Smith Rock, the area’s geology can be traced back to volcanic activity. It is an area that is locally referred to as the Sagebrush Ocean, a stunning piece of America’s landscape filled with raptors, coyotes and cowboys. The area is also home to some of the oldest evidence of human civilization in North America. Fort Rock is an absolutely incredible stargazing destination, lying just north of the newly designated Oregon Outback Dark Sky Sanctuary. The Oregon Outback as a whole, is the largest contiguous dark sky shed in the United States, boasting some of the best stargazing in the entire world. That, coupled with new moon phase will make this night truly spectacular!

Picnic Style Dinner

Wanderlust Tours is proud to work with an incredible backcountry chef, who specializes in creating locally-sourced and seasonally-inspired meals to be enjoyed in the great outdoors! Our picnic style dinner will consist of your choice 3 incredible wraps as well as sides and a drink.

WANDERLUST WRAP: Natural turkey, Hill Meat co. bacon, white cheddar, pesto aioli, tomato, shaved kale & onion, Mama Lil's peppers on a tortilla

CHICKEN BBQ WRAP: Whiskey BBQ PNW pulled chicken, five spice roasted squash, chipotle aioli, red cabbage, white cheddar on a tortilla (This option can be prepared vegetarian, with tempeh)

BRUTUS SALAD: A vegan spin on the classic caesar— massaged kale, brutus dressing, cashew parm, crostini, charred lemon

For those that choose the picnic style dinner, you will receive an additional email after booking where you will be able to choose your desired wrap, add any dietary restrictions, etc.

What to expect for each date

Our Fort Rock Fall, Winter & Spring Tours will have us arriving at the stunning volcanic tuff ring just as the sun is setting to the west! We will enjoy a scenic sunset hike as the the light slowly fades beyond the horizon and we transition from day to night and begin our exploration into the twinkling heavens above! With the earlier start times due to winter’s shorter days, Wanderlust will offer a fantastic (optional) picnic style dinner to enjoy between sunset and nightfall.

November 22nd - New Moon: The moon will be in a new phase at 6% illumination, setting toward the end of our time at Fort Rock.

December 6th - Full Moon: The night of the 6th will deliver moonless skies, the possibility of seeing the Geminids Meteor Shower, and a full moon rise just as we wrap up our stargazing adventure at Fort Rock

December 19th - New Moon: The 19th will be a true new moon, giving us pristine dark skies. It will also hold the opportunity to witness the Geminids and Ursids meteor showers!

January 3rd - Full Super Moon: The Wolf Moon is one of only three super moons that we will see in 2026! It will rise shortly after we arrive at Fort Rock, ushering in a surely magical evening.

January 16th - New Moon: The moon will be at 4% illumination throughout the tour, giving us the beauty of the moon without the illumination impacting our views of the cosmos.

February 20th - New Moon: This evening will give us a combination of moon and stars, as the moon will be at 14% illumination and shining among the stars throughout the tour.

March 20th - New Moon: The moon, at 4% illumination will provide a picturesque sliver in the night sky alongside the shimmering cosmos beyond!

April 3rd - Full Moon: The 3rd will gift use a moon-free sky throughout the tour with a full moon rising just as we begin to leave Fort Rock!

April 17th - New Moon: A true new moon setting during our time at Fort Rock. If we are lucky, the skies may be clear enough to see the perfectly shadowed sphere as it sets. We may also be able to see meteors from the Lyrids Meteor Shower streaking across the sky!

Daily Tours that feature Stargazing

Fort Rock: Sunset Hike and Stargazing

Stargaze in the Oregon Outback, the largest contiguous dark sky shed in the United States

Multiple dates available - details below

about

Adventure: Join us for a night of exploration in the Oregon Outback. Our stargazing adventure will take us to Fort Rock, an ancient volcanic tuff ring that rises out of the flatness of the high desert. Each evening will be a different and unique experience! With some evening’s, we will arrive just as the sun is setting to the west, taking in the last of the day’s light before we begin our night of celestial wonder. While other evenings will focus on immersing ourselves in the darkest of skies! You can find the unique details for each date below!

Naturalist Guided Experience: The tuff ring of Ft. Rock’s pinnacles rise above an ancient ocean bed and much like the geologic history of other Central Oregon formations such as Smith Rock, the area’s geology can be traced back to volcanic activity. It is an area that is locally referred to as the Sagebrush Ocean, a stunning piece of America’s landscape filled with raptors, coyotes and cowboys. The area is also home to some of the oldest evidence of human civilization in North America. Fort Rock is an absolutely incredible stargazing destination, lying just north of the newly designated Oregon Outback Dark Sky Sanctuary. The Oregon Outback as a whole, is the largest contiguous dark sky shed in the United States, boasting some of the best stargazing in the entire world.

We are also hosting our Art in Nature: Bend Camerata Concert & Stargazing at Fort Rock on Saturday, September 27th for those interested in the melding of art & nature!

What to expect for each date

Our 2026 Fort Rock Summer Tours will have us arriving at the stunning volcanic tuff ring just as the sun is setting to the west! We will enjoy a scenic sunset hike as the the light slowly fades beyond the horizon and we transition from day to night and begin our exploration into the twinkling heavens above! More summer 2026 dates will be announced soon!

May 1st - Full Moon: We will arrive to Fort Rock just before the sun sets beyond the horizon. Shortly after sunset, as the skies begin to darken and we dive deep into the stargazing adventure, we will be greeted with a true full moon!

May 15th - New Moon: The moon will be below the horizon and in a true new phase, giving us pristinely dark skies to gaze at the cosmos above.

June 13th - New Moon: The moon will be well below the horizon and in a new phase, giving us and incredible opportunity to stargaze at Fort Rock.

July 10th - New Moon: With a mid day moonset and the moon in a near-new phase, we will have perfect light conditions for stargzaing in the Oregon outback.

August 1st - Full Moon: While not a true full moon, the evening of August 1st will see the moon at roughly 92% illumination, rising in middle of our stargazing adventure!

September 12th - New Moon: The moon will be in a near-new phase. We will have the pleasure of watching the thin cresecent set shortly after we arrive while the stars begin to blanket the sky above.

September 26th - Full Moon: Shortly after we arrive at Fort Rock, a true full moon will rise just as the sun sets. It will surely be a spectacular moment of radiant colors before we settle in for a night of stargazing under the stunning moonlight.

Daily Tours that feature Stargazing

Art in Nature: Bend Camerata at Fort Rock

Concert and Stargazing at Fort Rock with local a Cappella group, Bend Camerata

Saturday, September 27th, 2025

If you are unable to make the concert but are still interested in stargazing with us, we also have Fort Rock Stargazing Tours on May 24th, June 21st, July 18th & September 20th, & October 18th! Book those dates here.

You can find all of our Dark Sky & Stargazing focused Special Events and Daily Tours here!

Daily Tours that feature Stargazing