Bend
An outdoor town on the eastern flank of the Cascades, with the Deschutes River running through it, rock climbing at Smith Rock, volcanic lava landscapes, and skiing on Mount Bachelor.
Bend lies in central Oregon, on the high desert east of the Cascade Range, at an elevation of about 1,100 m, with the Deschutes River flowing through town. Once a logging town, it is now one of the American West's best-known outdoor towns, with around 300 sunny days a year: summers are dry and cool, ideal for hiking, rafting, rock climbing, and mountain biking, while the Mount Bachelor ski season can run from late November to May. The area divides into four parts: in town, the Old Town, Drake Park, the Old Mill District, and the Bend Ale Trail; south of town, the High Desert Museum, Lava Lands, Lava River Cave, and Newberry Volcano; west of town, Tumalo Falls, Mount Bachelor, and the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway; and north of town, Smith Rock, Crooked River Canyon, and Lake Billy Chinook. Getting there: Redmond Airport, about 25 km north, has flights from Seattle, San Francisco, Denver, and elsewhere, or it's about a 3-hour drive from Portland. Attractions are spread out, so you'll need a rental car. Plan to stay 3–4 days. Note that many mountain roads and lakes are accessible only June–October, parking in the national forest requires a day pass, and watch for wildfire smoke in summer.
Top sights
- Smith Rock State Park – The birthplace of modern sport climbing in the United States, with the Crooked River winding below ochre-red tuff cliffs and some of Oregon…
- Mt. Bachelor – One of the longest ski seasons in North America, with runs down all 360 degrees of a volcanic cone, dry powder snow, and a gondola ride to…
- Lava Lands Visitor Center & Lava Butte – The northern gateway to Newberry National Volcanic Monument, where broad black lava flows surround a cinder cone you can drive up to the su…
- High Desert Museum – A museum and zoo in one, telling the story of the natural and human history of the American West's high desert, with close-up views of bird…
- Tumalo Falls – The most famous waterfall near Bend, where a curtain of water about 30 meters high drops off a cliff, with a viewpoint just a few steps fro…
- Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway – A 146-kilometer scenic byway west of Bend that loops past volcanoes and more than a dozen alpine lakes, ideal for reflections of snowy peak…
- Newberry Caldera (Paulina Lake & Big Obsidian Flow) – Two high mountain lakes inside a huge collapsed volcano, plus one of the youngest large obsidian lava flows in the United States. You can a…
- Lava River Cave – The longest continuous lava tube cave in Oregon. Walk through the dark underground passage of a volcano, lit only by flashlights, for about…
- Sparks Lake – A shallow, clear high mountain lake that reflects South Sister and Broken Top. Lava islands and canoeing make it one of the classic Cascade…
- Green Lakes Trail – A hike through the Three Sisters Wilderness along a waterfall creek to a group of emerald-green high mountain lakes at the foot of South Si…
- Deschutes River Trail – A system of trails that follows the Deschutes River through town. In the city section you can float the river, and the southern section lin…
- Benham Falls – A whitewater rapid where the Deschutes River rushes through a narrow lava canyon. A wooden bridge and forest trail make it a popular hiking…
- Pilot Butte – A volcanic cinder cone in the middle of the city. Drive or hike to the top for a 360-degree view of Bend and the Cascade snow peaks lined u…
- Old Mill District – A riverside shopping and dining district converted from an old sawmill. Its three tall smokestacks are a city landmark, and in summer you c…
- Drake Park & Mirror Pond – A green riverside park next to downtown. Mirror Pond reflects the autumn foliage and snowy peaks, a classic postcard view of Bend.
- Bend Ale Trail – A 'beer city' with one of the highest concentrations of breweries per capita in the United States. Collect stamps at dozens of breweries al…
- Sisters – A Western-style town at the foot of the Three Sisters, with false-front wooden storefronts, cafés, and the world's largest outdoor quilt sh…
- Dee Wright Observatory (McKenzie Pass) – A stone observation tower built of lava rock on the lava fields of McKenzie Pass, with window openings framing the Cascade snow peaks.
- The Cove Palisades State Park – Lake Billy Chinook, where three river canyons meet, is ringed by basalt cliffs and clear blue water, and is a popular summer spot for boati…
- Steelhead Falls – A short waterfall trail in the Deschutes River canyon, flanked by basalt cliffs. In summer, locals swim and dive here.
- Peter Skene Ogden State Scenic Viewpoint – A viewpoint beside Highway 97 overlooking the Crooked River canyon, where three large bridges span a basalt gorge about 90 meters deep.
- Tumalo State Park – A pine-forested state park on the Deschutes River north of town, where people swim, camp, and picnic in summer, with trails leading into th…
- Shevlin Park – A large natural park in the Tumalo Creek canyon on the west side of town, with forest trails and a creek suited to hiking, mountain biking…
- Three Sisters – Three volcanoes over 3,000 meters arranged west of Bend, the signature landscape of the Cascade Range. South Sister is one of Oregon's most…
Where to eat
- McKay Cottage – Brunch spot in a 1916 house, voted Bend's best breakfast every year since 2010.
- Spork – Popular fusion restaurant that started as an Airstream food truck, mixing Asian and Latin flavors at reasonable prices.
- Tacos Pihuamo – Family-run taco truck from Jalisco, named Bend's food truck of the year in 2025. Its signature is the goat birria taco.
- Ariana – Upscale dinner restaurant in a converted house, with a seasonal menu and a six-course chef's tasting menu that changes…
- Wild Rose Thai – Downtown Northern Thai restaurant known for family recipes from Chiang Mai. The khao soi is a must-order.
Itineraries
- Oregon Gorge, Crater Lake & Coast Loop – Depart from Portland, looping through gorge waterfalls, Bend, Crater Lake, and the southern and northern coasts