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.

The Deschutes National Forest is one of the twelve national forests in Oregon (Oregon is in a three…read moreway tie for second place with the most national forests in the US & Puerto Rico) and covers over a million and a half acres. They are all beautiful, but Deschutes is special. It spans the area between the McKenzie River area to the high desert in eastern Oregon. You start in the warm(er) area and by the time you hit the summit there's snow on the ground. And as you're reaching higher elevation, you find yourself passing through the lava beds. One of the volcanos in the forest was used by the Apollo astronauts in the 60s. It's a really peaceful drive, and a breathtaking one. Suttle Lake is near Sisters, and it's really beautiful. There are several pull-out areas along the highway to take in the view. Bend is the big town in the area, and Sisters is a popular tourist stop as well.

National Parks have always been at the top of my list of great things: America's Best Idea…read more National Monuments are not far behind. But National Forests really hadn't registered with me until lately - they've just been large undeveloped places with lots of trees that I drove through to get to a park. Not anymore. I love Deschutes National Forest. What with the Cascade Volcanoes, the river, the creeks, the lakes, the many hiking trails, the dirt roads for my 4WD, this forest is like a huge national park. And so close to Bend. You literally are in the forest as you drive out of town. It will take many years to explore even a small fraction of the forest, but I'm up for the challenge.

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.

I would definitely recommend this lake in summer. Lots of places to paddle to and the views are…read moreamazing. I would recommend NOT going in fall. The water level was only 7 inches or less in a majority. To not get stuck in the mud you had to find the channels. It's an extra adventure to try to push yourself 20 feet out of mud.

This is such a beautiful location to hike or paddle! Beware that the lake slowly drains over the…read moresummer, so it becomes too shallow to paddle as the summer wears on. It's pretty awesome to be able to hear the water draining out through the lava rocks when you're along the edge of certain parts.

Really easy hike. Bathrooms at the parking lot were clean and had paper towels. There were picnic…read morebenches to eat at around there also. The trail leading to the falls is well maintained. It's a half mile down stream. You end up Walking under the overpass and cross a small dead end service road and the falls is pretty easy to find from there r

Cline Falls State Park was a good state park to go too. Upon arriving at the parking for the park…read morehowever we got disoriented a great deal and went to the opposite side of the parking for the falls trying to find them. In other words the signage to reach these falls aren't the best. You have to walk out the way you drove in. There is a sign along that road which directs you off onto a path but it doesn't really tell you how far to go. Luckily when we were on the other side of the park someone asked if we were looking for them and we were told that you had to go under the bridge where the highway is in order to get to them. You go a little ways still and then the falls are located at last along the river...just listen for the sound of them and you will find them. Was it worth after getting lost and slightly frustrated until we reaches them? Absolutely it was worth it. At the time we were here parking was still free to utilize but there were signs saying that parking rates were on the way so that is definitely something to be aware of.

One of the nicest Santa cleanest parks I've ever been to. There were lots of people out and about…read morewalking, walking their dog, bicycling, or just hanging out, but it didn't feel like it was too packed. We sat by the waterway for a little bit and watch some bicyclists go by. It was very peaceful out there. Very happy we found this park and that we could enjoy some downtime under the trees on a warm day.

Lovely little park a bit away from the bustle of downtown so it doesn't get as much traffic. Nice…read morepaved path along the river, continuing north (or south), with other options either way. You have a big lawn in the middle for picnicking too, with a couple of tables and benches scattered around. Lots of pups usually here too - a Bend trademark.

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.

After visiting Smith Rock State Park. we stumbled upon this wayside/overlook where you can enjoy…read morevertical basalt cliffs and secenic river canyon over the Crooked River in Oregon. This spot is on the boarder of the Deschutes and Jefferson counties. This stop is located just 9 miles North of Redmond or 26 miles from Bend on the US Route 97 where this a rest area and viewpoint with tons of parking. Facilities include restrooms, picnic tables and dramatic viewing of the Crooked River Canyon from the pathways or the bridge. For photographers this is an amazing place to get a shot of the Crooked River Canyon and surrounding areas. You can also walk across the historic Crooked River High Bridge just north of the park. Three historic bridges connect both sides of the canyon, unfortunately only one can be crossed today by pedestrians. Two of Oregon's tallest mountains- Mt Hood and Mt Jefferson are visible from the viewpoint on a clear day. Fun facts: the park was named in honor of Peter Skene Ogden who led the trapping parties of the Bay Company back in 1925. Worth a stop to take in the views and enjoy part of history!

First of all, the restrooms here a the best rest stop restrooms I've been to, clean and like 10…read moreindividual stalls! Why don't other places do this? Anyways onto the real reason we stopped, we went here at the end of August. Made our way here after Smith Rock which was only about 10-15 minute drive, it was a beautiful sunny day, the view was breathtaking both ways. They had bungee jumping on the bridge when we went so that kinda blocked a bit of the view but was really cool to watch.