This is a great paved path that takes you out of town. This path travels along the Deschutes River…read moreand parallels Colorado Drive for the first part of the trail. As you start to leave the urban areas out of town, this trail will take you out to Forest Service land where you can link up to the Phil's trail Complex via the COD trail. The path itself starts on the top of an old canyon allowing for some great views of the Deschutes River and the Old Mill District. I always take this path when I am heading to school from the Old Mill. There are a couple side trails along this path once you get to the bend in the Deschutes River that are definitely worth stopping and checking out. The view at these trails is unique and perfect for a panorama shot. The view is on top of some interesting rock faces and can be a great way to scout how busy the river is in the summer. If you happen to be staying in the Old Mill District, this path is a great way to kill some time with some great views of Bend.

The Oregon Badlands comprises a large area laced with interesting trails and features. The Dry…read moreRiver Trail, which runs north-southish on the east side of the tract, is perhaps not the most scenic when compared to the Badlands Rock or the Flatiron trails. But there's more here to see than you might imagine. For instance, towards the southern end you can divert through the fairly short Dry River gorge, which is not to be confused with (but often is) the longer Dry River Canyon trail located just east outside the Badlands proper. The gorge offers water-sculpted lava, some weird oil-like seepings and if you look closely, some pictographs. Most of the northern part of the trail is flatter, straighter with fewer of the iconic lava formations you find elsewhere in the Badlands but still offers a nice walk away from the hordes. The northern trailhead for the Dry River Trail is at the end of County Line Road off Willard Road, while the southern terminus is the large Badlands Rock trailhead.

Great place for a peaceful walk…read more We love Riley for getting some exercise in a serene setting. There are a couple of loops running the upper perimeter of the ranch...flat and easy for anyone. Then there's the gorgeous canyon loop below, through the trees and along the river. Both are great, but canyon loop is my favorite, just a beautiful space...large boulders, sweet trees, and the constant sound of rushing Deschutes. Apparently you can take the canyon trail to Tumalo State Park, although we haven't done that yet. Love having this space for nature and animals. Although we saw deer on the way in, we didn't see any while inside, but we did spot lots of tracks...as well as lots of birds. Great preserve!

Riley Ranch is a wonderful nature area operated by Bend Parks & Rec that probably many Bendites…read moredon't know about yet. It hasn't been open long. - Scenic views of the Deschutes, where the river runs fairly fast and has carved a canyon through the lava. Above the canyon wall on the east side lies Gopher Gulch air field (private property). - Lots of riparian areas here. People are instructed to only approach the river at designated access points. There are several, so that isn't too much of a restriction. - Junipers and ponderosas abound. - Trails are easy walking on mostly level terrain in the higher elevation areas (Juniper and Sage Loops). Robin's Run is a short segment which drops down somewhat steeply but there are rock steps installed to make it easier. The Canyon Loop trails along the river are much like you'd encounter along the Deschutes River Trail south of Bend. - This is a well-marked hiking area. Directional signs at key intersections, a very good overall map at both entrances (and mini-versions on some intersection markers), river access points identified. - If you keep going north past the Canyon Loop, the trail will take you out of Riley Ranch and towards Tumalo State Park. Along the way is the confluence of Tumalo Creek and the Deschutes River, which is pretty cool. - There are a couple of old (~1900) cabins fenced off along the Canyon Loop trail (one is actually a short distance down the trail towards Tumalo SP). - A Bend Parks & Rec person was stationed at the parking lot on a Sunday to remind people not to bring their dogs. - Medium-sized parking lot. As Rick J suggests, maybe its not larger on purpose. There's certainly room for a bigger lot. Bend has a surplus of great in-town and nearby casual walking trails. Riley Ranch is one.

One of the Best Parts of Bend Was Right Outside Our Hotel…read more While staying in downtown Bend, my family and I were looking for something outdoorsy and close by, and the Deschutes River Trail ended up being one of the highlights of our trip. What started as a casual morning walk quickly turned into a beautiful four-mile hike filled with rushing rapids, peaceful river bends, towering pine trees, and some incredible Central Oregon scenery. One of the best parts of this trail is how much the landscape changes as you go. At some points the river was calm enough for paddleboarders floating by, and at others the rapids were roaring against the rocks with serious energy and sound. The trail itself was also a nice mix. Some sections were smooth and paved, while others became a little more rugged with dirt paths, rocks, and small elevation changes that made the hike feel adventurous without being overly difficult. I would still consider this a very approachable hike for most people and fitness levels. We saw walkers, runners, families, and people out with their dogs enjoying the trail. Pro tip: bring water, especially on warmer days, because parts of the trail are fully exposed to the sun. Another thing I appreciated was how accessible this experience was from downtown Bend. We were able to walk straight from our hotel into what felt like a completely different environment surrounded by river, forest, and nature. We eventually wrapped up near the Old Mill District, which made for the perfect ending with shops, restaurants, and a chance to relax after the hike. Sometimes the best travel experiences are not the big tourist attractions, they are the simple moments outside on a trail reminding you why places like Bend are so special.

if you want to kill yourself, dont do it here, do it in a place with peace and quiet. watch out for…read moree bike kids who dont care about your physical well being

This is one of the coolest paved bike paths in Bend. I started my journey here on the side of the…read moretrail over by Overturf Park. It started on a gravel road and passes by a dog park. The trail is pretty high in elevation like the name suggests. It has great views of Awbrey and Pilot Butte. It travels through neighborhoods and ends near Phil's trail complex. There are plenty of native habitats that surround this trail. Though there are houses and neighborhoods in the distance, there are some natural aspects of the surrounding ecology. The pavement on this trail is in pretty good condition and the path is wide enough that you really do not have problems passing others. This is a great trail for a bike ride or walk. I will be back again!

The Deschutes National Forest is one of our favorite places on Earth and if you're unfamiliar with…read morethe many roads, trails and attractions, this is the place to start. Located conveniently off Cascade Lakes highway just a few miles outside of Bend.

Bend has a lot of nice green spaces, Farewell Bend being one. Along with enjoying walks or whatever…read morealong east/south side of the river, this park has easy access to the other side (Riverbend Park) and south to the Deschutes River Trail.

Hike it up you know you wanna!…read more Coming here was just the start of the way to a trail that leads you down river and back up again as that's what was good on this given day! I'm going to keep this short and awesome as pretty much most of our time spent here was on the trail that leads you away from the park basically it was beautiful and full of just a mellow vibe that you so know you wanna hike about! Overall this trail wasn't too long and wasn't too short but it was a definitely a fun little adventure I'd do again!

River Rim is a small public park operated by the Bend Park and Recreation District. Of all the many…read moreparks in the BPRD portfolio, River Rim might be among the weirdest. It has absolutely no facilities other than a small parking lot and is accessed via a narrow right of way from the street. I'm guessing it was a compromise solution when the neighborhood got developed, perhaps because it is the last takeout on the river before you get to a gnarly stretch of rapids/falls downstream. It's not a great take-out point, though, at least in terms of getting your kayak up to your vehicle. River Rim also contains the southernmost segment of the Deschutes River Trail on this side of the river (the trail takes up again on the west side and heads towards Sunriver). It's a disconnected segment though, as there's no continuous connection north to where the DRT fully blossoms into a major in-town walking trail through Bend, and there's no bridge across the river to the west side here (there is renewed efforts to get a footbridge built somewhere around Good Dog on the west side). All in all, it's great that BPRD has this bit of land on the river but it's hardly a destination park. Perhaps one day it will be part of a continuous Sunriver - Tumalo Deschutes River Trail.