Pilot Butte
Pilot Butte State Scenic Viewpoint
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 up along the horizon.
Pilot Butte is an extinct volcanic cone on the east side of downtown Bend, rising about 150 meters above the city. It is one of the few volcanoes in the United States located within city limits. A marker at the summit identifies more than a dozen snow-capped peaks, including Mount Hood, Mount Jefferson, the Three Sisters, and Mount Bachelor. You can walk up the roughly 1.6-km spiral trail, a favorite with locals for morning workouts, or drive to the top in summer (the road is closed in winter). Admission is free, and the views are most beautiful at sunrise and sunset.
Opening hours
Sunrise to sunset
Nearby sights
- Old Mill District
- Drake Park & Mirror Pond
- Bend Ale Trail
- Deschutes River Trail
- Tumalo State Park
- Shevlin Park
- High Desert Museum
- Lava Lands Visitor Center & Lava Butte