Deschutes River Trail: Sawyer Park to Archie Briggs Canyon

Starting and ending at Drake Park in the heart of downtown Bend, the Twin Bridges Loop is one of the most popular and scenic road cycling routes in Central Oregon.The Twin Bridges Loop covers 36 miles of rolling terrain and offers breathtaking views of the snow-capped Cascade mountains, rolling forests, and inspiring high desert terrain. You can't come to Bend, with riding in mind, and not do ...

Looking for something fun to do in Bend when the weather gets warm? Look no further. The easiest way to make this happen is to take your crew down to Riverbend Park. There's ample parking, on-site rentals of all kinds, and a beach for launching. The park also features a lot of nice grass areas for picnics and relaxing. If you're planning on floating the river, there is a shuttle service that wi...

There are quite a few urban trails along the Deschutes River, but my favorite runs just South of the Old Mill District near the Farewell Bend Park. Here you will find a gravel loop trail that is private and relaxing, but also very convenient to other amenities such as restrooms, shops, and restaurants. Start out by parking in the Old Mill District parking lot near Bond Street. You can begin w...

The Phil's Area Trail System is the go-to trail system for mountain biking in Bend. Even the other trails in the region that aren't actually part of the Phil's Trail System feed into or connect to trails that feed into Phil's.According to the locals, the boundaries of the Phil's Area Trail System are a square comprised of Skyliners Road to the north, Highway 46 (Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway) to t...

Just a mere 15 minutes outside of Bend, Oregon the Bessie Butte Trail is a wonderfully scenic hike to overlook Bend on one side and the Deschutes National Forest on the other. The butte provides an excellent view of the surrounding mountains of which there are many: Mount Bachelor, The South Sister, The Middle Sister, The North Sister, Mount Hood, and in the distance, Mount Adams. Be aware that...

Located 20 miles southeast of Bend, Boyd Cave is a well preserved lava tube stretching close to a mile. To get there, take Highway 97 South through Bend and turn left on China Hat Road. Go straight for exactly 9 miles. Turn left at mile 9 onto the trail at FS242. You will know it has been 9 miles if you see a cattle guard and the road becomes unpaved just a few feet ahead. The small park sign w...