This is not the fault of what was once a serene, quiet top quality fishing lake. Now, the fishing…read moresucks because the lake is not really stocked anymore, and all the fish are natives, but because of the fact that paddleboarders have taken over, the fish are not as plentiful as they once were. Get there after 10 am? Good luck finding a place to park that isn't the side of the road on Elk lake loop. People now crowd in parking so badly on both sides to the access to the boat ramp makes putting in and getting out an actual boat extremely difficult. Plus people have no clue they are in the way, just put out your paddleboard and pump it up, oblivious that they are blocking the road, on both sides. Fishing is incredibly difficult when there is a freeway of paddleboarders and kayakers continually going by. The lake channels seem even more crowded when having to stay to the right with a non stop rush of non fishers speeding by as if it is a race to get wherever. At last visit i noticed hardly anyone had nw forest passes displayed nor dashboard daily passes. I think the paddleboarders have taken advantage that this lake's parking and access is not regulated. When i left there were over 20 cars in the "parking lot" at least 10 on both side of the access road and another 20 lining the Elk lape loop. I talked with a local person that had been going there for 50 years and in their words, "this place is a f*cking zoo". Never going back, this lake is ruined, thanks paddleboarders.

I had the pleasure recently of visiting the Bend area for the first time since I was a kid -…read moreincluding a day trip to beautiful Hosmer Lake for some canoeing! Set against the picturesque backdrop of Mount Bachelor, Hosmer is a popular, serene lake full of wild birds, lilipads, and great canoeing and kayaking. The weather was warm and the water was smooth as we glided the canoe across the lake and found a quiet spot at the far end to go ashore and do some exploring. Even though the parking lot was busy, the lake was big enough that we didn't feel crowded or like we were encountering other visitors at every turn. There's a small boat launch, decent sized parking lot, and a pit toilet here - as well as a campground (which we didn't visit on this trip). If you're looking to enjoy some watersports near Bend, I highly recommend Hosmer!

Great service, I'd recommend it on off days, due to long lines. If you have younger smaller kids,…read moredon't do rapids. We had both a 9 yr old and a 12 yr old flip over and needed to be rescued, which put a damper on the experience. But otherwise, really fun.

Floating down the natural river, with refreshing crips snow melting mountain water is absolutely a…read moremust do. And then repeat the experience as many times as your time allows. We he city has great service set up for drop off and pick up, for a nominal shuttle fee. You can also rent the tubes and life jackets. Plan on 90-120 depending on the time of the season and the day. We like to start early and skip lunch, do the float around noon and be ready to head to grab a bit to eat by 2 or 2:30. The float is relaxing, people around are always in a great mood and you get to enjoy the local scenery, river front homes built over a few decades with all kinds of decor and rooflines, bring a few refreshments and snacks to enjoy while floating. And also hang on for a few minor rapids to get more wet than a Amer and add to your overall excitement and experience. We LOVE DOING THIS activity!

Nice good sized lake. Today the local fires were affecting visibility and it was smokey smelling…read more They picnic benches located throughout the area. Nice resort store to get the necessities. Also offer paddle board rentals. Not many boats on the lake, definitely not a busy lake. Very laid back comfortable vibe here. We stopped here and enjoyed our lunch.

Date camped: 1 night 7/1-7/2 Site: #17 tent only…read more I booked Lava Lake Campground on recreation.gov months in advance for 1 night. It was July 4th weekend, so all campgrounds in the area were full. Check-in online states 4 pm and checkout is 2 pm. We checked in with the camp host first, and bought a bundle of logs for $6. Then we headed over to our campsite and set up camp. Our site was right next to the lake boat launch area so it was nice to walk over there and enjoy the waters. There are women/men pit toilets. They were pretty clean and didn't smell bad, I even thought they smelled liked cinnamon apple when we got there lol. But then it got stinky as the weekend went on from the usage. Overall, I would come back and camp here again. It has awesome views of South Sister and Mt Batchelor!

This park is such a great place. It's part of the Deschutes River Trail. It covers over 15 miles…read morealong the Deschutes River, that pass through numerous parks along the river. And it also serves as the launching area for people SUP and tubing down the river itself.

Riverbend Park is beautiful and right next to the Old Mill District. You can float the Deschutes…read moreRiver here in the summer (season ends on Labor Day), and the views are gorgeous year-round. The walking path has signs that share cool history about Bend, which makes it fun to explore. There's also a dog park and a spot nearby to rent all kinds of bikes, so it's easy to make a full day of it. Sometimes you can even hear live music from Hayden Homes Amphitheater in the evenings. Such a great park to hang out, relax, and enjoy Bend.

Nice view of the river and falls. Not very high but still beautiful. Would not recommend to lower…read morecars. I took a midsized car and encountered several locations that we bottomed out, muddy and or dusty area. Had porta potty at parking area. Near is addtional walking areas. Wear appropriate shoes since can be slippery. Area also looked like a tent camping place. No tents were in area. Possibly off season. Would like to return.

This is part of the Deschutes River System / Deschutes River Trail, which has its own listing…read more However, Dillon falls really deserves its own listing because there's parking nearby and you can treat it as a stand-alone destination. It's also listed on Google Maps as its own destination. The falls are glorious. This is a real gem of a spot. There's a couple of small parking lots nearby. It doesn't take long at all to walk to the falls - they are only a couple hundred feet away from the parking. There's also a bathroom that is maintained incredibly well. It's super clean. Check out the beautiful Ponderosa Pines on this land while you are on your way to the falls! The Deschutes River is incredibly beautiful. This spot is magical because above the falls it's quiet and serene. The falls themselves are loud and boisterous, a high energy feeling. Barely saw any people here. The few that I did see were walking dogs, fishing, etc. If you're looking for beautiful waterfalls to check out in the area, while Dillon isn't the biggest you've ever seen it's really pretty and worth the very short walk it takes to get there from the parking lot. Only downside... and it's non-negligible... the roads going in are amusingly atrocious. Like really really bad. I've never seen so many potholes in my whole life. I'm not docking any stars though, because it's still just so beautiful I don't care. Worth it anyway.

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.

The water is shallow so the kids can go out pretty far. It's got a rock beach so you can bring sand…read moretoys or things to float the water with. Awesome way to spend the afternoon!

Great spot for families. ..kids...dogs. Love the lake! My kids had a great time here today. You can…read moreswim and float and have a picnic. Theres a fun natural area for kids to play...fun rocks and sand and tree trunks to play on!

We'd been to the other falls along Conklin Rd but missed Lava Island so we stopped by Saturday…read moremorning to check it out. The road down to the trailhead is rough, but so were those to the other falls. There's a turn around and parking near the water, with a picnic area at the day use and restrooms at the ramp loop. Unfortunately the trash was majorly overflowing at the day use...instead of carrying out apparently lots of people chose to just pile their refuse and dog poop bags around the full trash can. Real bummer. Luckily a good citizen must've had a bag on them, and by the time we returned to our van someone had sacked much of it. Thank you! The trail along the water to the falls is very pretty. You can't actually see the falls without doing a bit of climbing around the lava rocks. The falls aren't anything spectacular here, especially compared to those further up the road/trail. But the river is still very pretty and the surrounding area peaceful and lovely.

Lava Island is one of the many day use hiking and walking areas in the Deschutes National Forest…read more Located quite near Bend, Lava Island is accessed via Dillon Falls Rd, which intersects the Cascade Lakes Highway right at the ranger station. Just past Widgi Creek golf course and Seventh Mountain Resort. The trailhead parking area is not far off Dillon Falls Rd. The area is so named because of the island formed in the middle of the Deschutes River by a lava flow. The river was diverted by the eruption and now flows on either side of the island. There seems to be no 'official' access to the island, I got over from the main trail using a fallen tree. Even if you don't cross over to the island (which is pretty cool), the trail - part of the Deschutes River Trail - from the trailhead north is very scenic and quite easy to walk. You can also go the other way on the trail towards Big Eddy and Dillon Falls. The north trail direction quickly takes you to Lava Island falls where the river splits around the island. You can also see the Arnold canal/trough, a hundred year old irrigation canal that siphons water from the river. Super convenient to Bend, super nice easy hiking.