30 Official Visitor Guide of Bend
Take a Hike Hiking is one of the easiest—and most rewarding—activities to add to your Bend bucket list. It’s also one of the most popular pastimes for Bend visitors and locals alike, and with good reason.
Bend boasts more than 50 miles of in-town trails, and thousands of acres of hikeable terrain just outside the city limits. Choose from urban trails you can tackle in sandals or more challenging hikes that send your heart pounding and your head whirling with stunning mountain top vistas. From caves to desert terrain to alpine trails flecked with wildflowers, you’ll find a little of everything in Bend—and lots of it.
off Highway 20 East, or head north toward the Larry Chitwood Trail located off Dodds Road.
Can’t get enough of the unique volcanic landscapes in Central Oregon? Spring, summer and early fall are great times to check out the Newberry National Volcanic Monument. Start at the Lava Lands Visitor Center and catch a shuttle to the top of Lava Butte for a quick loop hike around the top. Then head to Lava River Cave for some spelunking, Perhaps Bend’s best-known hike is Pilot Butte State Park. or visit Paulina Falls for stunning views of this 80-foot This 500-foot cinder cone makes Bend one of just a hand- waterfall. After lunch at Paulina Lake Lodge, spend time ful of U.S. towns with a dormant volcano in the city limits, hiking around Paulina Lake or East Lake before detouring and you can hike all the way to the top. Take the mile-long to the Big Obsidian Flow and ambling through endless paved road (watch for cars!) or the mile-and-a-half dirt fields of glittery, glass-like obsidian. trail to the summit. Once you’re there, catch your breath while savoring the 360-degree views of the Cascade Moun- For more essential hikes to add to your agenda, check out tains to the west and the expansive high desert to the east. the suggestions on the next page. It’s a great way to orient yourself to the city.
Oh, and before we forget, have you noticed how pristine Like your hikes with a side of water? You’ll find tons of and lovely it is in Central Oregon’s great outdoors? You trails running along the mighty Deschutes River, with can help us keep it that way! Follow Leave No Trace pracoptions ranging from mild to wild. The upper Deschutes tices when you’re out on the trails, and pack out anything River Trail makes a great starting point if you kick things you’ve packed in. . off at the Meadow Camp Day Use Area off Century Drive. If you want to give back to the wild places that make Follow the river’s edge as far as you want to go, scoping Bend special, consider a donation through Pledge for the out Benham Falls and Dillon Falls along the way. Wild. Pledge for the Wild is a group of mountain towns If Central Oregon’s endless desert drew you here, take supporting responsible tourism in our wild places. time to scope out the Oregon Badlands Wilderness. At 30,000 acres, the area is vast and wild, but still manageable enough for the average hiker to tackle in small chunks. You’ll see ancient junipers, craggy volcanic formations, and soaring hawks overhead. There are several trailheads
It’s easy, just text ‘WILD4Bend’ to 44321. Consider donating one dollar for every hour you spend playing in Bend’s wild places during your vacation. To learn more about the initiative, point your browser to pledgewild.com
