| Little Deschutes River | |
| Name Etymology: | From Riviere des Chutes, used by early 19th-century fur traders[1] |
| Map Size: | 300 |
| Pushpin Map: | USA Oregon |
| Pushpin Map Size: | 300 |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of the mouth of the Little Deschutes River in Oregon |
| Subdivision Type1: | Country |
| Subdivision Name1: | United States |
| Subdivision Type2: | State |
| Subdivision Name2: | Oregon |
| Subdivision Type4: | County |
| Subdivision Name4: | Klamath and Deschutes |
| Length: | 105miles |
| Discharge1 Avg: | 201cuft/s[2] |
| Source1: | Cascade Range |
| Source1 Location: | Mule Mountain, Klamath County |
| Source1 Coordinates: | 43.3069°N -121.9953°W[3] |
| Source1 Elevation: | 6219feet[4] |
| Mouth: | Deschutes River |
| Mouth Location: | near Sunriver, Deschutes County |
| Mouth Coordinates: | 43.8539°N -121.4539°W |
| Mouth Elevation: | 4163feet |
| Basin Size: | 1020sqmi[5] |
The Little Deschutes River is a tributary of the Deschutes River in the central part of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is about 105miles long,[2] with a drainage basin of 1020mi2.[5] It drains a rural area on the east side of the Cascade Range south of Bend. The Little Deschutes and two other streams in its basin are listed as parts of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.
The Little Deschutes River rises near Mule Peak in the high Cascades in the Mount Thielsen Wilderness in northwestern Klamath County, approximately 20miles north of Crater Lake. It flows generally north from the mountains through the Deschutes National Forest, roughly following U.S. Highway 97 past La Pine. It joins the Deschutes from the south approximately 20miles south of Bend in southern Deschutes County.[6]
It passes through the small towns of Crescent and Gilchrist and joins with the Deschutes at Sunriver. The stream meanders significantly most of its course, though this is less pronounced above river mile 80 (river kilometer 130), which is near its crossing of Oregon Route 58.[6]
In 1988, the upper 12miles of the river was designated part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The river's canyon and outwash plain contain eroding deposits of pumice and ash from the eruption of Mount Mazama about 7,000 years ago.[7] Two other streams in the Little Deschutes drainage basin are also part of the system. A 10miles stretch of Crescent Creek, all 15miles of Big Marsh Creek, and the canyon section of the Little Deschutes have all been designated "recreational".[7] [8] [9]