East Lake is next to Paulina Lake just south of Bend. I brought my nephews to swim while I was…read morefishing from the shore. They had a great time playing out in the water. I had a few on and only reeled in one, but I was happy with my nice Kokanee. I tried different ways to interest the fish, but worms are what they really seemed to like. What I really didn't like about where we were had to do with people that had previously been there. We picked up quite a bit of broken glass. I wish people would respect the outdoors and everyone's right to enjoy it.

This lake is located in the Newberry National Monument. It is one of the two lakes that are located…read morein the crater below Paulina Peak. Both of these lakes have hot springs in them, but in my opinion, the hot springs at Paulina Lake are much better than the ones here at East Lake. But as with those springs be better in quality, you might find the East Lake springs to be less crowded. East Lake is a bit further away than Paulina, but very much worth the trek. Both of these lakes can be fished from shore or a boat. Sailboats are often found at these locations and make for some really stunning photos. You can hike the shore from around this lake and will have many photo opportunities if you are a fan of wildlife. All while hiking through this lake you can see the peaks from the Paulina Crater that constantly remind you, that you are traveling inside of an active volcano. If you have an interest in geology you need to come here and just soak it all in. Nearby there are cinder cones, shield volcanos, calderas, and obsidian lava flows all within a few square miles. If it's hot out and you need a break from the heat, this lake is a great option. Just remember to bring some cash for the fees and to respect the environment to avoid any tickets. Here is a link to the land management agency that manages this area. https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/deschutes/recarea/?recid=66159 Here is a link to some other information about this lake https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/deschutes/recreation/recarea/?recid=71988&actid=42

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!

We were excited to complete the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway and visiting Tumalo Falls was our first…read morestop. We visited in late September and the temperature was pretty perfect. Be sure to arrive early to grab a good parking spot. The lot is small and fills up very quickly. Once parked, we walked up to the viewing area and took in these gorgeous falls. They are located within the Deschutes National Forest and the falls head over a cliff face of 97 feet. Tumalo Creek continues down the mountain. We followed the trail up further and discovered more waterfalls which I believe are called Middle Tumalo Falls. I believe we hiked a total of 4 miles and we really enjoyed hanging out here. I love and seek water hikes of all types and this one just kept providing us a good time. It was a great way to start our day and prepared us for a whole day of experiencing the beauty of Central Oregon. Always remember when visiting these natural areas to pack in/pack out and LEAVE NO TRACE.

Beautiful Falls. We went to Tumalo Falls and Deschutes National Forest with our family (locals) and…read moreloved it. We started our hike at the trailhead just steps from the parking lot. The path is well-maintained and leads directly Tumalo Falls. It is incredible and cascades from a height of 89 feet. So impressive. The sound and power of the Falls is such an outstanding sight. It took us 2 1/2 hours-but it was worth every view. See you next year!

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!

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.

Shevlin park is somewhere we would visit every summer growing up when visiting family in the area…read more They have great trails, fishing, picnicking, and even slow spots where you can get in the water. Shevlin park has a teepee that you can check out and go inside of, they have more than one trail, good for bike riding, dog walking, fishing. I remember having picnics here as a kid and I still come back as an adult when in the area. They trails are low impact and fairly flat.

My mom friend and I were visiting from out of town. As we were visiting Dudley's bookshop, the book…read moreshop seller shared that we had to try hiking here. We absolutely love nature, and knew we had to try it. At first upon arriving, I feared there would be no parking at 11:00 a.m. However, the lot was only halfway full which was nice. The trails were laid out on the trail map a little ways past the shelter on the left, but there was a discrepancy between what the trail map said and the websites listed in terms of trail names and trail lengths. So, we decided to forge our own path. We took the main loop around. The conifer trees and contrast with the desert landscape were beautiful, and the creek shots were stunning.

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.

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.