This is a great alternative to Phil's Trailhead for mountain biking. This trailhead is located…read morewhere the Wanoga Snowpark is in the winter time. It is right off of the Cascade Lakes Highway halfway in between Bend and Mount Bachelor. There are several trails that start from this point and if you wanted to you could even ride down into Phil's Trailhead while only crossing one paved road to get there. The main trails from this trailhead are Tiddlywinks and Funner. These trails are a lot of fun, but more suited for intermediate riders. So if you're new to the sport, be cautious with these trails. The best way to bike from here is to shuttle, either with a friend or any of the shuttle companies in town. Since the trailhead is much higher in elevation than town, many people just ride back into Bend from here. The other thing I love about the trails from this trailhead is the conifers you find here. There is a good mix of Fir and Ponderosa trees that make the sights lush and green. If Phil's is busy and you want to mix it up, consider the trail from the Wanoga Trailhead. You won't regret it!

Very gentle 10 mile loop trail that is best suited for mountain biking. I hiked it with no problems…read more- the bikers gave a shout out and always said thanks for hopping out of the way. I have a knack for going the wrong way, and I did it here but got back on track within half a mile. There are dozens of cross tracks in this loop and it's super easy to saunter down the wrong one. I use the downloaded map from All Trails and keep the GPS on. I can make a quick check to make sure I'm not headed off the edge of the world. Hat is essential, there is no cover here. No potty, no water - so be ready to make due. Did I mention there is no cover? About 4 miles along I really needed to pee but dang it's no fun out in the open like that. I finally saw some bushes and got in my girly squat and then I heard a bike coming down the trail!!! Dang! It startled me and of course I peed a little on my pant leg trying to get myself back together. Grrrr. But hey! It dried quick enough and besides, who cares!! Not me.

Horse Butte trail is a 9 mile bike/hiking trails that loops around from Horse Butte towards the…read moreArnold Ice Cave. I haven't hiked the whole trail, only parts near the butte itself. As with other Deschutes National Forest trails, Horse Butte offers great scenery and hiking near to town. If you climb the butte, be ready for uncertain footing. This is a red cinder cone so there's lots of small lava rocks that can cause you to loose your footing.

This is hands down my favorite mountain bike trail in Bend. This is a downhill only trail that is…read morelocated beyond the Phils trail complex further up Skyliner road. You can reach it by taking trails up from Phil's trailhead, but it's quite an uphill climb. The skill level for the Whoops trail is intermediate to advanced. I wouldn't recommend it for a beginner unless you want to fall off your bike. This trail has a ton of jumps and tables. I rarely hit the jumps myself, but you can just ride over them and still have a blast. Many of these tables and jumps have some baking turns right after them, so be on your A game when riding over them. This trail is higher elevation than the other trails so it takes a bit longer to thaw out. Since it is one of the most popular trails it is typically one of the first to get rutted out. There are a few drops a rock to run over on the trail, so be aware of that as well. One of my favorite features of this trail is the options that you have when riding it. What is great is that you can park at the bottom and ride up the forest road up to it if you are short on time. If it takes you longer than you guessed you can leave, or if you have time you can go again. This make is perfect for local who want to get in an evening ride after work. Many of the other trials are much longer, making it difficult to get a ride in if you work late, but the whoops is fun and quick. If you have all day, I like to park at Phil's Trailhead, ride up Bens, to the top of Whoops, and down whoops and down Phill's canyon trail. This is one fo the best Mt bike trail combos in town! Here are a few useful links Central Oregon Trail Alliance http://cotamtb.com/trails/ Mountain Bike Project https://www.mtbproject.com/trail/287383

Anytime I have a friend that wants to learn to mountain bike, I take them to Marvins Garden Trail…read more This trail starts at Phil's Trailhead and ends at the COD Trail. If you really want to inspire yourself or a friend take them to the Lair and witness some gnarly jumps. I pee a little in my pants everytime I look at them. A good portion of the trail has some gradual elevation gain and loss that makes it rideable in the uphill and fun and fast in the downhill. I often fantasize about the Star Wars speeder bike scene when I am the ripping downhill on this section. This is a two lane trial and makes sure you stop for the uphill riders. There are a few jeep roads that cross paths with this trail that give you some options if you're needing a break from the singletrack for some reason. Lastly, there is a steep section in the middle of this trail that will have you huffing and puffing, but you make it, it has one of the best views of Bend from any other mountain bike trail. Overall, if you are looking for a short little exciting ride or have a friend who wants a proper intro to the Phil's Trailhead system, check this trail out for sure. However, if your looking for speed or berms you may want to try out some of the other trails that Central Oregon has for you. Here is a link to a website that has some trail etiquette information. https://bendtrails.org/ Here is a good link to a good map of this trail and some elevation information. https://www.mtbproject.com/trail/26326/marvins-garden Here is a good link to the land management agency that manages this area https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprd3794824.pdf

The Mrazek trail is technical and filled with beauty. I love this trail when Phils Trailhead is…read morepacked and the weather is nice. It's a good way to escape the crowds and still have some beauty to explore. If you start from the downhill section you will have a good climb ahead of you. If that is not your thing you could shuttle this ride, but the road up to the top is gnarly and will work over any car that does not have a lot of clearance. The trail follows the edge of a canyon that has been created by Tumalo Creek. When you get to the top, the trail becomes a blast and can be technical in a few spots. The upper section is pretty straight and super fast, and the lower section is packed with switchbacks and a bunch of rocky sections. I would not take a beginner on this trail as it's just a little gnarly for someone new to biking. Overall this is a technical trail packed with beauty and a little out of the way from the other popular trails in Bend, which makes it a great way to escape the crowds on a busy day. If you have the time, be sure to check it out! Here is a good link with a map and elevation gain and loss https://www.mtbproject.com/trail/21030/mrazek Here is a link to the land management agency that manages this area https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/deschutes/home Here is a link to a website with biking rules for the area https://bendtrails.org/

I love this little mountain bike trail. Though the trek to the top is a long and steady climb, it's…read moreworth it when you get to the top. From here you will have a downhill only section of trail to bomb down. This trial starts out off of Conklin Road and as far as I know there is no way to shuttle this. The uphill is pretty gnarly, but at least from my experience pretty steady. So you may want to bring a snack or two for energy. The trail follows a forest service road up to the top of a beautiful butte that is uphill only and separate from the downhill section of the trail. So you will not have to stop much for anyone passing you. When you get close to the top you will stat to notice the elevation increase and be able to witness some breathtaking views that are unique from this perspective of central Oregon. Once you get to the top, I would recommend taking a breather and getting some photos of the views. It's a good time to chill and have a snack. From here you will be ready to mob downhill. This is where things get super fun. There are a few rocky sections to watch out for, but for the most part this trial is pretty smooth and fast! As this trail is ways from any hospital you will want to use good judgment, but still, have fun. Be sure to stay on the designated uphill or downhill section that you are supposed to be on and you will have a five-star experience! Here is a good link to some of the biking rules and guidelines for Central Oregon https://bendtrails.org/trail/tylers-traverse/ Here is a link to a website with a good map and elevation gain/loss https://www.mtbproject.com/trail/6542301/tylers-traverse-downhill Here is a link to the land management agency that manages this area https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/deschutes/recarea/?recid=38542

This is a great hill if you are looking to travel up in elevation fro Phill's Trailhead. This is an…read moreuphill only trail, which is nice on those climbs when you are exhausted. You still may find a Jogger or two, but won't need to stop for downhill traffic much. The other reason I love this trail for uphill climbs is the steady elevation gain. Many of the other trials in the Phill's trail complex have a pretty inconsistent elevation gain and loss which is so frustrating. You make all of this progress pedaling uphill, then travel back down to find that you need to make up all that uphill again. There is much less of this with Ben's. This trail will link you over to the forest service road that takes you over buy the Whoops trail, Kent's trail or Phil's trail. So you will have plenty of options at the top depending on the mood you are in. If you have the energy, intermediate skills and a sense of adventure, try taking the Lower Whoops.. its epic! Here are a few links with information on this trail. Central Oregon Trail Alliance http://cotamtb.com/trails/ Moutain Bike Project https://www.mtbproject.com/trail/287080

The Deschutes River Trail system in the Bend area comprises several sections, called 'reaches'…read more Starting from the Deschutes National Forest south of town heading north, they are South Canyon Reach, Old Mill Reach, Pioneer Reach, River Run Reach and Awbrey Reach. North of that is North Reach but that's outside Bend limits towards Tumalo. The trail system also includes non-Bend sections both to the south and the north, including a section all the way up at the Columbia River. All are worthy of a visit. This section - Awbrey Reach - runs north from Robert Sawyer park to the northeast side of Awbrey Butte, tailing away from the river as you go north of the Archie Briggs Canyon trail intersection. With all due respect to Christopher C (former Yelp Bend CM, who made it a mission to review tons of trails and waterfalls while in Bend), he has it a bit wrong in that the section of trail that runs along the Rivers Edge Golf Course north to Sawyer Park is actually the River Run Reach. But as Christopher writes, Awbrey Reach is a good biking trail - little used, wide and offers spectacular canyon views. The Deschutes River Trail is a jewel of Central Oregon.

This is chill hashtag super cool I went hiking here multiple times and the views are greatread more