The North Fork Crooked River arises in Big Summit Prairie on the southern side of the Ochoco Mountains.

Below the dam, the river bends northward to Prineville, Oregon, where it is joined by Ochoco Creek from the northeast.

The Crooked River and its tributaries were once a major spawning ground for anadromous fish such as spring Chinook salmon, steelhead trout, and Pacific lamprey.

[5] The Cove Power Plant on the lower Crooked River, built around 1910, effectively blocked upriver migration of spring Chinook Salmon during low streamflow conditions.

[5] Water diversion in the Crooked River basin for irrigation agriculture began in the 19th century.

Fish populations there have been adversely affected by irrigation withdrawals, drought, and degraded riparian zones.

[15] Open all year to fly fishing, this "classic tail-water fishery" is about an hour's drive from Bend.

[17] Another stretch of good fishing can be found in the Crooked River Gorge further downstream, but access is more difficult.

[15] Prineville Reservoir State Park has two developed campgrounds as well primitive sites along the 43-mile (69 km) shore of the lake created by Bowman Dam.

[17] The Chimney Rock segment below Bowman Dam has nine developed campsites, seven of which are meant for single-family camping, and two that are multi-family or group sites.

[17] Near Terrebonne, downstream of Prineville, Smith Rock State Park has an open area for tent camping.

[19] The ancestral Crooked River helped create the crags and pinnacles in this park by eroding the interior of a volcanic vent over millions of years.

[21] In addition to the climbing routes, many of which are highly challenging, the park is open to swimming, fishing, photography, picnicking, and wildlife viewing.

The park covers more than 600 acres (240 ha) among large bends in the river, and its trail system totals more than 7 miles (11 km).

[21] Along Route 97, about 9 miles (14 km) north of Redmond and downstream of Smith Rock is the Peter Skene Ogden State Scenic Viewpoint overlooking the Crooked River Gorge.

The park, which covers more than 4,000 acres (1,600 ha), has a wide variety of amenities such as houseboat rentals, an amphitheater, basketball hoops, and a camp store.