Beautiful place Lovely hike Plenty of parking Quick wrkout Scenic Popular Would recommend Go enjoy! :) read more

The views from the top are unmatched! You can see the entire valley, and luckily on this clear day all of the mountains too!! We did the dirt trail and though there were parts that were steep, it was fairly easy to navigate in just our regular sneakers & jeans. There were lots of people trail running, many walking the paved path, it was such a fun way to get a look at the city. read more

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Pilot Butte is a park where you can see 360° views. We went up to check it out in the early evening and there were quite a few people up there waiting to watch the sunset. We saw other people hiking or running the trail. They have alot of informational plaque at the top and information as to what you can view from that direction. They have a road that goes around the mountain until you reach the top, there is also a trail you can hike along side the road. Beautiful views. read more

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We decided to do an early morning hike up pilot butte. There is a parking lot on the side by the apartments for hiking up to the top because the road is closed. The park hours are sunrise so we got there around 5:30 am. It was chilly around 52 degrees. The hike spirals up the mountain and the sun is in your face part of the time. The view from the top is lovely on a clear day. We were the only ones on the top except for one person that came up. A few people were on their way up but it was a nice quiet hike with no one else. read more

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This beautiful park sits right in the middle of Bend, Oregon. It became a park in 1928 and it was a volcano a long time ago. You have two choices to get to the summit of the 480 foot butte. You can either drive up one mile to the top or walk up the one mile nature trail. Once you reach the top, you are rewarded with a 360 panoramic degree view of the city of Bend, and the gorgeous snow capped mountains of the Cascades. You can see the Three Sisters, Mt.Jefferson, Black Butte and Mt. Hood in the distance. There are informational plaques located at the top to give you more information about the plants and animals. The nature trail is open year round, but the summit road for driving closes in the winter and opens back up in April. Plenty of parking up at the top and restrooms are available. read more

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Pilot butte is such a great place for a walk or a drive that offers amazing views. You can either take the road or a little hiking trail (you will get dusty!) that's a 0.8 mile hike up, so less than 2 miles round trip. You can simply drive to the top if you want to catch an amazing sunset too! read more

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I love Oregon State Parks. Clean and well kept with onsite camp hosts. Real restrooms kept tidy. Nice easy trail for families and dogs on a leash. read more

Pilot Butte State Park - Trail that rounds out & back to viewpoint at the top! - Hiking Near Me - Bend, Oregon

Fun hike and you can do it round trip in about an hour. North side can be icy in winter. read more

Pilot Butte State Park - Copper on top of the butte. - Hiking Near Me - Bend, Oregon

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Central Oregon, being part of the Ring of Fire, has so many ancient extinct volcanoes. For how flat it feels driving around, it's amazing how many of these hills there are around. Outside of Bend/Redmond, we decided to have a fun hike going up to the top of Pilot Butte. Free parking/entry. Yes, you can drive to the top if you need to. The trail and road both circle around to the top, but never cross each other so while hiking you feel out in nature just enjoying the view. The parking lot at the bottom is big, with nice restrooms. The trail is mostly easy going with well maintained paths; it was rocky and muddy at certain parts. You quickly start getting a great view at the area around. It takes maybe 20-30 minutes to get to the top, but we didn't time it. At the top you have an amazing view every direction. There are signs explaining about the buttes, plus naming all the mountains around. The weather was nice to us; we enjoyed it despite a bit of snow and cold winds. Heading back down we went the same path, which was faster. It's worth the stop, both to stretch your legs and for the views. read more

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Beautiful spot to have a panoramic view of several mountain tops and the city. Volcanic rock steps (wear good shoes), railings, and decent parking at top. Bathrooms available. Plaques to point out mountains, wildlife and plants. read more

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What great views of the cascade range mountains and newberry basin. Great hike or bike ride up and down this butte. Is also accessible for those needing ramps to the center area of the top of the butte. #peaceful read more

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Not much to say...you can get in a great walk or drive straight up and take in some killer 360 views. It wasn't a crystal clear day, but no matter, still great. Decent parking at the bottom and top. Bring some binoculars and a wide brimmed hat! read more

Pilot Butte State Park - Pilot Butte views - Hiking Near Me - Bend, Oregon

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A must do if you're a first timer to Bend. In fact I'd do it first to get a lay of the area. 1. Drive it: It is an easy drive to the top (windy narrow road with no guardrails and about 5 mins to the top depending on traffic) 2. Walk it: or walk up (not a fan of walking up though as there's no real walking path rather you walk up the hill with the cars going up and down on a narrow toad with no guardrails. And it's not that easy, it's a constantly winding road that's prob a mile or so up.) 3. What can you see? 360 views of all surrounding Mountains and landscape. On a clear day I imagine it is stunning as you can see various mountain tops and ranges including Mt Hood and Mt Adam's and Blacktop mountain. Might have screwed that name up lol! You get the gist. 4. No toilets, no water nor food at the top so be prepared. 5. It's free 6. Parking at the top is limited to maybe 30 cars and no real parking spaces just two spaces for handicapped vehicles. Everyone else has to park on the edge of the mountain side around the paved circular mountaintop. Scary for those scared of heights. No guardrails but there's some walkable clearing just below where you park before the cliff side. 7. You can walk around the paved mountaintop and take pics from all angles or walk up a few stairs on any side and stand on the platform and take pics which also has a few historical signs detailing what you're looking at. 8. Weather: It was 75 today and it was about 70 up top until the sunset whereby the temp dropped fast. I wouldn't go up in snow or rain as I imagine it gets tricky on that narrow road with no guardrails nor lights and must be very cold. 9. No lights at night! I went just before a 6:30pm sunset and the park still had people coming in. Not sure when they close exactly. 10. Theres no one on-site to ask questions, no store or visitor center. It's just a mountaintop with pretty views. Kind of like a mini Twin Peaks in SF. read more

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Awesome 360 degree view of Bend and surrounding mountains. If you or a passenger is afraid of heights. Have someone else drive up or tell them to not look over the edge. No guardrail and if you go over the edge you will die. It's fun at the top! read more

Pilot Butte State Park - Hiking Near Me - Bend, Oregon

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We had tried to visit the top of Pilot Butte last fall; but, it had already been closed for the winter. So, on this nice spring day we drove to the top. My wife does not like heights and during the entire trip up she was on the outside. Fortunately, the speed limit is 10 mph and there was no one coming down the butte which made her a little more comfortable. We found a nice parking spot and climbed the rock step to the platform. Once up there we discovered the ramp between the platform and the road. It was a cool windy day which made it possible to see for miles. Of course we left our jacket in the car making too cold for a long visit. Next time I will bring a good camera and a coat. read more

When you visit Pilot Butte State Park you can take a somewhat stenuous hike up to the top, and your reward will be both the workout and a lovely view of the surrounding area. To be clear - if what you want is lush terrain with dense woods then you should go elsewhere - Pilot Butte is in the desert, so you'll find nothing here except for rocks and dirt. For my money, the scenery to be enjoyed here has only limited repeat value, but the workout value of the hike is totally worth taking at least once ;-) read more

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We didn't have time to hike to the top so we drove. The road is narrow and a little scary going up since you're right on the edge but the views are worth it. If you go on a clear day you can see all the mountains and buttes surrounding Bend. There are various information boards located around the viewing platform and a map in the middle pointing out which mountains are which. Definitely worth the 10 - 20 minutes it takes to take in the beautiful view. read more

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Definite recommend while in Bend! Plenty of car & bike parking, both dirt & paved trail options... & views of whole city from the top... read more

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My friends and I stayed at an Airbnb there for the weekend. We went snowshoeing but the snow great but the weather was sunny and chilly. Later in the day we decided to check this place out. Google Maps doesn't take you to where the parking is, but we figured it out. Great workout for a 2 mile round trip hike. So so many mountains at the top. There's a bathroom at the top too! We all liked it so much, we went and did it again before we left! We'd come back and do this again! So beautiful up there and nice trail up and down. read more

A must visit during sunset or a thunderstorm. Gorgeous vistas, a map of the local elevations and a good workout if you prefer to walk instead of driving up. read more

Pilot Butte State Park - Sunset @Pilot Butte - Hiking Near Me - Bend, Oregon

Like the swirl of a soft serve ice cream cone, follow the trail by foot, bike or car for a wonderful view of all the mountains and buttes surrounding Bend. On a clear day you can see Mt. Hood - 92 miles away. On an average day, you still get wonderful views of Mt. Bachelor, Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Washington, Three Finger Jack, the Three Sisters and Broken Top. We were there mid-week around lunchtime, so the walkers outnumbered the cars. A few were clearly power walking up a mile and back on their lunch hour. You would be more likely to find me at the Pilot Butte Drive-In down below. The entrance sneaked up on me, so make sure you are in the left lane and the turn is just past the Drive-In. Parking at the top is free, but there is no separate shoulder or bike lane, so if you are driving, give a wide berth to your fellow travelers. Share the road. read more

Pilot Butte State Park - On a clear day... - Hiking Near Me - Bend, Oregon

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How beautiful is this place! Drive up the windy road to the top and see 360°'s of forever. To make this short; it was gorgeous. If you have 20 extra minutes, do it. If you have longer there are a bunch of hiking trails. Just one more thing I gotta say. I love you Bend! read more

I came here on a (cloudy almost-rainy) Sunday afternoon around 2PM and the parking lot was pretty empty. The walk up was pleasant and the views at the top were pretty good, could see the neighborhoods and houses all around. Since it was cloudy, couldn't really see the mountains in the distance although there were signs at the top explaining them. Pretty nice walk, it's uphill all the way up which is nice! read more

Pretty much a must-do for out-of-town visitors and newcomers to Bend. The view of the city, the Cascade volcanoes and the region east of Bend is grand. On a clear day you can see Mt Hood and maybe Mt Adams (in Washington). Drive up or walk. The road - which is in fine shape - is closed during winter, however. read more

If you're in Bend this is a great hike with views from the top. There is a road going up but it seems to be closed to traffic (at least every time I've been in town for the last couple of years). I'm not sure I would want to drive it anyways as there are some serious cracks in the road, the road seems narrow for passing and I'd miss the great hike! Once you park there are 2 paths to the top. The road (mainly) path and a foot only path. The road path is listed as a mile and the foot .8 mile. The main differences are the road is paved, wider and a more even climb. The other is steeper, unpaved (mostly), more benches and narrower. Either way, there are​ lots of junipers, some wildlife ( the lizards were to fast for me to get a pic) and great views. At the top you can see all around there are displays to help you identify the mountains around you (though some are hard to use as the pictures were taken from somewhere else...) read more

Pilot Butte State Park - View at the top - Hiking Near Me - Bend, Oregon

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Really awesome great hike lots of really good 360 views and took a must do on a bluebird day for sure,A really easy to moderate hike and has restrooms at the top and it's great for dogs and to the playground at the base read more

Pilot Butte State Park - Really awesome great hike lots of really good 360 views and took a must do on a bluebird day for sure - Hiking Near Me - Bend, Oregon

Stand on the top of a extinct volcano! Yep! Pilot Butte is a cinder cone butte right next to the town of Bend, Oregon and rises nearly 500 feet, which means you will get a 360 view of the town and its surroundings from the top. It takes you less than 10 minutes to drive there from the old district of the town and the view is worth every minute of the trip. If the weather is nice and you want to burn a few calories, you can bike or hike to the very top. I drove there twice, once in the morning and once in the evening. Each visit revealed a different and gorgeous view of the same surroundings. The light and the angels make all the difference :-) Take your camera with you when you go up there :-) read more

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I have driven around Bend 16374927464857 times and never even thought about coming up here! Okay, okay I really haven't counted that many times but that's what it felt like! I saw cars driving to the top and figured it was time! You truly feel like you are on top of bend when you are here! They say that you can actually see Washington but when we were there it was quite cloudy so we could only see Redmond or so. I was very impressed at the informative little stations they have set up at the top. Very neat and helps you understand the area!!! I gave 4 stars only because when it is busy you pretty much can't find parking and it can be treacherous driving up there if you don't share the road! Bottom line--- Wanna see a birds eye view of the city and surrounding area? This is your stop! read more

View of the area is outstanding. Narrow road and not recommended for motorhomes. I didn't see restrooms. Several people hiking from bottom of trail up to the top. No fee to get in and pretty busy. No shade at top. No rails on outer area so keep good watch on active kids. read more

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Okay, I'm going stick my neck out once again on this issue....I'm a "No cars on the Butte" kind of guy. If they closed the Butte to cars, this would get a five star rating. Years ago, I made the "mistake" of publishing this opinion in the local paper and was practically burned in effigy for it. I think I was even referred to as the offspring of Hitler. Yikes! For those not in the know, here is the scoop. The Butte is in the middle of town. It's a popular place to go and burn a few calories....1 mile up, 1 mile down. It spirals up and the view is unparalleled on a clear day for taking in the panorama of our beautiful area. THAT view is why there are some who think the road should be open to vehicular traffic. The problem is one of safety. Hundreds of people walk the Butte on a daily basis...I, myself, am currently working on my 500 mile certificate of completion. There are many others with higher achievements. Many who don't bother to record their progress. At any rate, the "road" is one option for the hike. The nature trail the other. Many prefer the road as it is more straight forward and conducive to general fitness. Get there, get up, get down. Many mothers with "jogger walker stroller" things take the road. Groups of friends take the road. The nature trail is...just that....more narrow. Dusty. Muddy in winter. Not "jogger walker stroller" friendly. As such, there is a high incidence of vehicle versus pedestrian confrontation on the road up. Cars whiz past on this narrow two lane road and there isn't a day that goes by a horn isn't honked or a pedestrian flips someone the bird. A solution...if not to close the road entirely....would be to limit it's hours. There is a gate at the bottom. How about opening the road from 10am to 6pm? But unfortunately, the State Parks have no intention of doing anything pro-active until someone actually gets hurt. Off my soapbox now. For a State Park, it's free. That alone is incredible. Parking is plentiful and...free. Oh...and if you are here around the 4th of July, this is the place to be. Well, not up on the Butte, but nearby as they launch the best fireworks show in Central Oregon from it's summit. Sponsored by The Bulletin (good for them, thank you). read more

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Dude: We didn't get a good view of the sunset. (Sad face) Me: Let's go to the top of Pilot Butte! (Excited face) Dude: We don't have time to hike. (Sad face) Me: We can drive! (Excited face) Dude: Show me the way! (Excited face) Pilot Butte turns frowns upside down. read more

Pilot Butte State Park - Crazy pretty view. - Hiking Near Me - Bend, Oregon

According to Wikipedia, a butte is "an isolated hill with steep, often vertical sides and a small, relatively flat top." Based on my limited experience climbing Pilot Butte, it is, in fact, an isolated hill with (fairly) steep sides and a (relatively) flat top. The flat top is perfect for enjoying amazing views of all the mountains around Bend. It also lets you take a breather (and some photos) before venturing back down. You can drive up, although climbing it made the view even more worth it. Plus, it's only about a mile up and a mile back down, and there is a designated hiking trail. I would set aside an hour for the trip, just to be safe. read more

This hike was recommended by fellow Yelpers. M & our friends along with our combined four dogs made the trek on a Saturday before noon. I could swear it is longer than a mile up because of the steep incline. Be sure to bring water. The views are lovely. If you are into hikes, you will enjoy it. read more

Y'all know i love this outdoors and this is no exception! An extinct/inactive volcano in city limits and you can climb it! Score! Cute park,wonderful looking picnic area and a good amount of parking. During the winter the road to the top is closed, but the trail (about a mile) and the road are open to foot traffic. The top has a stone area to hang out, the center had a circle with descriptions of everything you are looking at - i love it! It was a wonderful cardio boost, amazing sights, and just a great state park to have close to civilization! read more

Pilot Butte State Park - Top, panoram - Hiking Near Me - Bend, Oregon

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Great little hike in the middle of town! We took the nature trail up which has a decently challenging incline (enough to get your heart pumping) but not too difficult, technical or long. Unfortunately it was a pretty cloudy day when we got up top and couldn't see any of the big mountains. Would be amazing 360 views on a clear day. Parking lot was decent size and signs were clear and easy to follow. There are restrooms at top and bottom. read more

Pilot Butte State Park - Summit of Pilot Butte on a cloudy day - Hiking Near Me - Bend, Oregon

Great spot in town to relax and enjoy central Oregons amazing views. Also it's crazy to say it's an inactive volcano. read more

Pilot Butte State Park - Hiking Near Me - Bend, Oregon

Awesome park! We chose to drive up the butte when my friends and I were vacationing in Oregon. The butte offered great views of the mountains in the area. It makes for a great hike if you choose to park at the bottom of the butte. read more

Pilot Butte State Park - Views from the top. It was a cloudy day. - Hiking Near Me - Bend, Oregon

All of the snow is now melted and the road is open. So be careful of all the drivers on the road at this point.

Here's a great short hike right near the center of town - a rare find anywhere. Sure, the straight-up spiral path and road up to the summit aren't that interesting, but the view from the top on a clear day is fantastic, with really handy displays to help you find all of the local peaks. The bathroom is surprisingly nice, too - for a public state park facility, anyway. It's only a mile to the top, so take a hike! (I guess people can drive up the road too, but that would be so lame.) read more

I guess in Oregon, they call "hills"- "buttes" That's what this is...a Hill. You can drive or walk to the top and look at all the brown hills and mountains in the distance. Tumalo Falls was more interesting. read more