Quite a stunning waterfall!…read more We wandered through much of Newberry Monument this weekend. It was a great time, as although some things aren't opened yet, most areas were and we were nearly alone at each stop. Paulina Falls is fabulous...it has height and a unique split stream that falls from separate sides. The surrounding forest is serene, and there's a decent amount of parking and a handful of picnic tables. There's a great trail back and forth to the lake, and a short zig zag trail down to the bottom for another great perspective. We really enjoyed the monument, and Paulina Falls was definitely a highlight!

Paulina falls is one of the best waterfalls in the Bend area. Also one of the easiest waterfalls to…read morewalk to. When in Newbury Volcanic National Forest., you definitely want to check this one out. From the parking lot, the upper falls viewing area is only .25 miles away. Of course you can continue walking upstream or downstream to see more! In mid May the stream of water coming down was impressive: so beautiful! Just be careful in winter time as there will be most likely snow, and even in springtime!

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.

This hike hit all the spots. Easy to get to from downtown. You get a nice river view. You get a…read morebridge. You get trees. You get sunlight if the weather is cooperating. You get a small park/playground area at one point and you get rocks and trees and nature and a few homes to look at too. Easy 3.5 miles walk around.

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.

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.

We enjoyed our excursion into the depths of Boyd Cave!…read more We happily ventured in and were delighted with how enormous it is! Be prepared to encounter huge lava rocks the further you go. Some of these massive rocks clearly fell from its now 'ceiling' and you will have to maneuver around them and/or climb over. The cave is about 1,880 feet (.35 mile) long but we didn't venture that deep. It was clean, with no litter or graffiti and maintained.

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.

Mostly paved trails with a few natural areas for walking. There is a skatepark and a grassy area…read moretowards the north end of the park. They also have a small disc golf course.

New multi-use city park in the NE section of town. Boyd Acres neighborhood, I guess. The park has…read moretwo green areas with recreation facilities (a larger one in the NE corner and a smaller one in the SW) and a good bit of acreage in between for bikes. - Lots of bike trails - Spiffy skate bowl - 9-hole disc golf - Picnic pavilions - Various 'nature' areas for kids, including a cool-looking log forest - Another playground area in the SW corner (I didn't go there). - One port-a-john in the main area. There's another in the playground area. I don't think the city intends on installing more permanent restroom facilities. The main access off 18th street via Egypt Dr is still under construction but I imagine it will be complete soon. The park itself is complete.

This is a fun little park. It sits in a little hillside neighborhood and along a somewhat busier…read morestreet. The park itself has a play structure that'll keep kids busy for a good chunk of time. The only downfall is that the kids park doesn't have any immediate parking. The main parking lot is quite a walk from the kids park area. If you are coming here for the kids park .... the best bet is to park along one of the side streets adjacent to the park.

Hillside is a cool neighborhood park that serves dual purposes: half is a typical green park…read morefeaturing a playground, large green area and some wooded trail area. The other half is a dog park, specifically an off-leash dog park. A good chunk of the interior is fenced off for the Awbrey Butte Pump Station. This is a great place to let your dog run free. While the entire perimeter is fenced it is not secure in terms of canine escape. About three quarters is wood pole fencing with wire backing, with the side fronting Trenton just a wire fence. There are entrances all around the perimeter where you can just walk through, particularly from the parking lot on Trenton. So, I guess your dog needs to be one you can trust not to hightail it for the border. Inside, the dog area is mostly wooded undeveloped land with some trails, but there are also semi-paved crushed gravel trails, as there are running along a good portion of the outside of the dog area. You can enter the park from several locations: the main one is the parking lot on Trenton, but also from 12th Ave and from a couple of dead end streets on the east side. I didn't check out the other part of the park all that much except for walking the perimeter.