One of my favorite short hikes that my family and I have enjoyed for decades. Stunning views, safe…read moretrails, lots of hikers and cyclists, I feel safe here. One can make this a long hike, but I limit my hikes to an hour round trip--Benham Falls is the perfect weekend hike.

Beautiful falls and area to hike and bike. Porta potties at parking sight. Was not very busy. Road…read moreis bumpy and dusty. Trail to falls was nice, clean and easy to walk. Map of area located in the parking area. Had picnic tables on area and wonderful sound of the falls in the background. Recommend SUV or 4x4 due to pot holes. Would love to return.

Sawyer Park holds so many memories from my childhood. I still stop by every time I am in the area…read more We used to eat lunch here with my grandma on her lunch break when I was a child. Sawyer has a nice grassy area with picnic benches. There is a few different trails you can take including the Fishermans trail that goes down to a few different water access points. There are large rocks and great photo areas. We used to eat lunch on the rocks by the river. This park is also dog friendly and we met quite a few furry friends on our visit.

See, this is why Bend is so great. Mere minutes from downtown, minutes from most of the city, a…read morestone's throw from a busy commercial street, you find an idyllic river park straight out of A River Runs Through It. This little spot where the Deschutes River gets a bit excited, where a reedy marsh attracts birds, where the Deschutes River Trail passes through, offers a wonderful place to do short walks, picnicking, dog-walking or just lazy contemplation. You also can jump on the river trail here and do a longer hike. Robert Sawyer Park is within the city limits and comprises acreage on either side of the river, connected by a nice footbridge. Other than picnic tables and benches, there are no facilities that I saw other than one port-o-john. Access by car is from O. B. Riley Rd just across from the Tumalo State Park Maintenance facility (the access road is easy to miss). There's a small parking lot a short distance down the road that can accommodate maybe a couple three dozen cars at most. Open sunrise to sunset. The parking lot side of the park (east side) offers a picnic area and access to civilization via a paved path. If you step off the path at the bridge and head north, you'll climb the basalt bluff and gain some pretty spectacular views of the river from higher up. You can also head away from the river here and wander among the ponderosa pines. Crossing the bridge, you can walk either straight up the hill to get to the Deschutes River Trail (which is a wide, bike-friendly trail here), or you can take less developed, less obvious paths along the river in each direction and through the trees. There's a large, grassy open area used for ... well, I don't know. Playing with your dog? Frisbee action? Whatever, there are no sports-related improvements such as baseball paths or anything. I'm a big fan.

Tumalo Falls was an amazing adventure and one of the highlights of our trip. We chose the loop…read moretrail so we could see all of the waterfalls, and it was absolutely worth it. One of the most exciting parts was crossing the river several times. In some places there were bridges, and at one point we had to carefully balance across a log, which made the hike even more fun and memorable. We visited in April, and there was still a little snow on the trail. The weather was beautiful, but I would recommend bringing traction spikes if conditions are slippery and hiking poles for extra stability. The waterfalls were spectacular, and the scenery along the trail was breathtaking. It was a perfect mix of adventure and natural beauty. I'm sure I'll return one day with my kids to experience it all again.

It's been awhile since my last stay here. We love the yurts here. Easy access, they have heat, a…read morecouple of tables and beds, and it's comfortable. The fire pits are nice to but they cemented the bottom of them. They need to have more holes for air flow. Still I'm grateful to have those. Love the river trail as well. So beautiful! It's been awhile since we've been here. No snow this time but that's ok. Still peaceful and beautiful and not far at all from Bend.

A beautiful park right here in downtown Bend. What seems so far away is within walking distance if…read moreyou are anywhere close to downtown Bend. Lots of space to throw a blanket and chill. You can put i. to float here as well.

Drake Park has a lovely walking trail as well as water access, restrooms, picnic tables and large…read moregrassy areas. There is alot of street parking (4 hour max). There were people floating on paddle boards, there could be some good fishing within as well as alot of crayfish. There are beautiful homes along the waterfront as well as some resturants and downtown access from the parkway.

Easy to find, plenty of paved parking, clean bathrooms, greenery & friendly peeps on trail- what…read moremore could u ask for?'! Also- not too far from Bend

Don't forget bug spray. We made that rookie mistake and ended up miserable and turned around about…read more1.5 miles into our journey. Dozens of mosquito bites aside, those 3 miles out and back were quite fabulous and I imagine a complete journey is even more spectacular. Honestly, even the drive here is worth it, with incredible views of Mt. Bachelor, still snow-topped in summer. We will certainly return for a lengthier hike to the actual lakes and will be more prepared for the onslaught of bugs. Bring cash for the DIY payment process. There is a place to submit your payment in a envelope, as well as another spot right by the start of the trail where you fill out the day permit that they require one person in your group to carry.

August 26-29, 2025 - La Pine, OR…read more We've stayed at La Pine Campground a few times over the years, and each visit reminds us why we keep coming back. The campground is divided into three loops, each with its own character. The North Loop offers water and electric hookups, with sites that are more widely spaced than the others--something I really appreciate. That extra room makes it feel quieter and more private, and it's probably where we'll book our next stay. The Middle Loop has full hookups, while the South Loop is the busiest, featuring full hookups as well as some cabins. . There are many hiking/cycling trails (dog-friendly), and the Deschutes River runs through the campground. There is a short hike to a waterfall, and a large dog park. Unfortunately, we were a bit restricted in our outdoor activities because of the smoke from the two fires in the area. There was actually ash falling on one of the days. Also, there had been several sightings of a mountain lion in the area, so that added a bit of caution to our activities. Nevertheless, we will definitely come back.

We just stayed one night, right before the campgrounds closed for the year. The grounds were nicely…read moremaintained, and we enjoyed a very peaceful and quiet stay. Some sites are fairly tight, while others had some nice room. The trails here were very enjoyable. Serene surroundings around the river and through the trees. We saw lots of deer, birds, and other critters scrambling about. I'm sure it would've had a slightly different feel during peak season, but we very much enjoyed our night and day of off season.

In these days of mandated social distancing and closed parks & trails, neighborhood paths become…read moreattractive alternatives. Having walked every neighborhood street and urban trail near my house several times, I decided I needed to expand my horizons. So, Larkspur it is. Larkspur is a Bend Parks and Recreation District in-town trail running from Larkspur Park (where the Senior Center is located) north to Pilot Butte. The BPRD trail map suggests it also includes a section from Larkspur Park west along Reed Market road but that's just sidewalk action. If you do go that way, you'll connect with the Central Oregon Canal Trail near the intersection of Reed Market and American. Larkspur Trail is an easy, wide path that runs through neighborhoods but in such a way as you get a good feel for not being so much in the city. I also like it because there are many interesting properties along the way. In fact, if you walk the short offshoot near the south end of Craven Rd, you'll see an airport! Yep, Pilot Butte Airport (private) still operates in the neighborhood with small plane charter service using a very short runway. Urban trails - one of the good things about Bend.

Often, I feel like the east side of Bend gets left behind when it comes to recreational…read moreopportunities. That is until I discovered the Larkspur Trail. This trail takes you from the Bend Senior Center to Pilot Butte all with minimal road crossings. The trail takes you by a pretty little canal with some greenery and then by some neighborhoods. Once you pass canal you will be walking through a Juniper forest and mountain bike trails. I have not taken the biking trails, so I can't say if they were made by some random people or professionally built. The trail takes you through some beautiful little wooded areas and eventually back to some neighborhoods. There are plenty of fences to make the walk less awkward, and after a while, you will cruise through some apartments. I have seen a few suspicious looking characters here, so keep that in mind. After the apartments, you cross maybe two or three roads and then need to take the sidewalk west to reach the other part of the trail. From here you will head over to the Lava Lanes bowling center and take the underpass to Pilot Butte. If you live on the east side and want to jog or walk a beautiful trail without driving far, this is a great change of pace from Pilot Butte. Check it out for sure!

This is one of the best parks for a photographer looking for a unique photo of Bend. This park…read morestarts at the base of Overturf Butte. It overlooks pilot and Awbrey Butte as you walk your way up the trail. The park at the bottom has a playground and some picnic tables like any other parks you may find in Bend. From here you can find several trails, one you can walk with your dog off leash. The other you can walk away from unleashed dogs. This trail heads up to the Cascade Highlands Trails. From here you can find some large water tanks and then the trailheads up the Overturf Park lookout. The top has a view of the old mill district and both Pilot and Awbrey Butte. There is an old fire lookout that has some interpretive signage. Over by the Cascade Highlands Trail you can find a massive off-leash area for dogs. Overall this is one of the most scenic and little know parks in Bend and definitely worth visiting on a busy day when the other parks are overcrowded.