40 Best Hiking Trails near Bend Oregon
Multiple wilderness areas and national forests full of hiking trails surround Bend, Oregon. You don’t have to wander far from town to find great views of mountains, forests, lakes, and unusual landscapes. With over 150 trails to choose from nearby, we’ve narrowed this blog down to the top 40.
Source: USDA Forest Service
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Parking details
Crowds
Parking is limited at trailheads. If possible, hike on weekdays and start before 9 a.m. or after 4 p.m. These early and late starts help avoid mid-day heat as well.
National Forest Pass
Hikes within the national forests and wilderness areas require a National Forest Pass. We recommend purchasing passes in advance because many remote trailheads do not have the option to purchase passes onsite.
America the Beautiful Pass
This pass covers all National Parks and federal forest lands. If you purchase this pass, it’s good for one year and you can use it anywhere a national forest pass is required.
Oregon State Parks Permit
You can buy day passes onsite or annual passes here. Not every state park in Oregon requires a parking permit, but Smith Rock State Park, located near Bend, does. You can use this map to find which other parks in Oregon require a parking permit.
Leave No Trace Principles
Please follow the Leave No Trace Principles and the Oregon Natural Desert Association’s safety tips while visiting Bend. It’s important to stay on trails, leave what you find, and respect wildlife.
Hiking recommendations
Bend
These trails are all within a few minutes' drive from town – perfect for quick stops and evening outings.
Shevlin Park
Trail description: Alltrails
Distance: 4.6 miles
Elevation gain: 324 feet
Season: Year round
Parking Pass needed: None
Dog allowed on leash: Yes
This trail loops around Tumalo Creek, and it’s less than three miles from Bend. It’s popular with hikers, runners, fishermen, and cross-country skiers. The aspen and larch trees are especially gorgeous in the fall.
Pilot Butte
Trail description: Alltrails
Distance: 1.8 miles
Elevation gain: 456 feet
Season: Year round
Parking Pass needed: None
Dog allowed on leash: Yes
You’ll be able to see Pilot Butte throughout town. It’s a shorter hike – perfect for a quick sunrise or sunset hike. Once at the top, you’ll have 360-degree views of the surrounding mountains. If you’d like to check out the view without all the effort, you can also drive to the top.
The Juniper, Sage Flat, and Canyon Loop trail at Riley Ranch Nature Reserve
Trail description: Alltrails
Distance: 2.6 miles
Elevation gain: 249 feet
Season: Year round
Parking Pass needed: None
Dog allowed on leash: No
When you arrive at the nature reserve, you’ll see a map detailing the park’s main trails. If you stick to them, you’ll be on hard-packed gravel with gentle elevation changes. Don’t skip the Canyon Overlook off the Sage Flat Loop Trail – it has the best view!
Deschutes River Trail via Farewell Bend Park
Trail description: Alltrails
Distance: 1.1 miles
Elevation gain: 13 feet
Season: Year round
Parking Pass needed: None
Dog allowed on leash: Yes
This walking and biking trail runs through the heart of downtown, spanning both sides of the Deschutes River. It’s a paved loop, and if you’d like to make it longer, you can extend your stroll by three miles by taking the Mt. Bachelor-Village Trail. You can find parking at the Riverbend Park and various parks along the route.
Alpenglow Park
Trail description: Alltrails
Distance: 1.3 miles
Elevation gain: 39 feet
Season: Year round
Parking Pass needed: None
Dog allowed on leash: Yes
This is a paved trail that meanders through ponderosa pines in Bend's best park. It’s home to 37 acres featuring natural areas, playgrounds, a spray park, and bouldering area.
Deschutes National Forest
The Deschutes National Forest surrounds Bend from the southeast. It covers 1.6 million acres and features year-round recreation, including hiking, biking, fishing, and cross-country skiing.
Tumalo Falls
Trail description: Alltrails
Distance: 6.4 miles
Elevation gain: 557 feet
Season: Year round
Parking Pass needed: Northwest Forest Pass
Dog allowed on leash: Yes
This is Bend’s most popular hike. The view of Tumalo Falls down the river canyon is breathtaking in every season, and it’s great for biking in the warmer months. In the winter, come prepared with snowshoes and/or microspikes (find these product recommendations here).
Tumalo Mountain
Trail description: Alltrails
Distance: 4.1 miles
Elevation gain: 1,423 feet
Season: June to October
Parking Pass needed: Northwest Forest Pass
Dog allowed on leash: No
This shorter hike has a great payoff, with views of Mount Bachelor and Broken Top. It's just 30 minutes outside of Bend and makes for a great sunrise hike!
Deschutes River Trail: Tumalo State Park to Riley Ranch
Trail description: Alltrails
Distance: 6.8 miles
Elevation gain: 396 feet
Season: Year round
Parking Pass needed: None
Dog allowed on leash: Yes, but not at Riley Ranch
This hike starts at Tumalo State Park and follows the Deschutes River south. It’s a quiet and peaceful hike with occasional river access.
Vista Butte Trail
Trail description: Alltrails
Distance: 4.3 miles
Elevation gain: 774 feet
Season: June to October
Parking Pass needed: National Forest pass
Dog allowed on leash: Yes
This is a great alternative to the nearby and more popular Tumalo Mountain hike. It’s a bit easier, but you’ll still see great views of the Cascades from the top.
Black Butte
Trail description: Alltrails
Distance: 4.1 miles
Elevation gain: 1,558 feet
Season: Year round
Parking Pass needed: National Forest pass
Dog allowed on leash: Yes
Although you may need a vehicle with AWD to visit in the winter, this is a great spot to hike or snowshoe year-round. At the summit, you’ll find a great fire lookout with views overlooking the tallest peaks in the area.
Ray Atkeson Trail at Sparks Lake
Trail description: Alltrails
Distance: 2.4 miles
Elevation gain: 108 feet
Season: July to October
Parking Pass needed: Northwest Forest Pass
Dog allowed on leash: Yes
This loop follows the lakeshore with great views of South Sister and interesting lava rocks along the way. Consider taking a high-clearance vehicle to get here – the road is often very rutted, especially early in the season.
Boyd Cave
Trail description: Alltrails
Distance: 0.7 miles
Elevation gain: 42 feet
Season: July to October
Parking Pass needed: Northwest Forest Pass
Dog allowed on leash: No
Bring warm layers, and headlamps or flashlights to explore here. You'll enter the cave via a set of stairs and from there, route find and scramble your way as far into the cave as you like.
Please help keep the bats living in this cave healthy by preventing the spread of White-nose syndrome by not wearing clothing or shoes that you have used in other caves or mines.
West Metolious River Trail
Trail description: Alltrails
Distance: 2.1 miles
Elevation gain: 26 feet
Season: April to October
Parking Pass needed: Northwest Forest Pass
Dog allowed on leash: Yes
Hike here in the fall for stunning colors. If you’d like a longer hike, start at the Wizard Falls Fish Hatchery and hike the East and West Metlius River Loop.
Lava River Cave Trail
Trail description: USDA Forest Service
Distance: 2.2 miles
Elevation gain: 55 feet
Season: May to September
Parking Pass needed: National Forest Pass
Dog allowed on leash: No
You’ll need a timed entry reservation to visit the Lava River Cave. You can purchase reservations when they go on sale in April or seven days before your visit.
The cave stays around 40 degrees, so bring warm clothes, good shoes, and headlamps. Light rentals are available as well.
Please help keep the bats living in this cave healthy by preventing the spread of White-nose syndrome by not wearing clothing or shoes that you have used in other caves or mines.
Trail of Molten Land
Trail description: Alltrails
Distance: 1.2 miles
Elevation gain: 134 feet
Season: Year round
Parking Pass needed: National Forest Pass
Dog allowed on leash: Yes
We love that this hike has interpretive signs throughout the trail that help explain what you’re viewing. You’ll learn about the aftermath of volcanic activity from 7,000 years ago while admiring the vast views.
Natural waterslide
Trail description: None
Distance: 1 miles
Elevation gain: Unknown
Season: June to October
Parking Pass needed: National Forest Pass
Dog allowed on leash: Yes
Park here and hike north to reach the natural waterslide. This is a spot you can relax and play at all day, so bring a picnic and plenty of water to make a day of it.
Paulina Falls
Trail description: Alltrails
Distance: 0.5 miles
Elevation gain: 114 feet
Season: June to October
Parking Pass needed: National Forest Pass
Dog allowed on leash: Yes
This is a short and sweet trail. You’ll reach the upper overlook to the falls quickly and have the option to hike to the lower viewpoint or follow the trail along the river.
Big Obsidian Flow Trail
Trail description: Alltrails
Distance: 0.7 miles
Elevation gain: 203 feet
Season: June to October
Parking Pass needed: National Forest Pass
Dog allowed on leash: No
The rockhounds will love this hike – you get to walk through a field of huge obsidian rocks. It’s fascinating and unlike any other hike we’ve done!
Paulina Hot Springs
Trail description: Alltrails
Distance: 2.5 miles
Elevation gain: 88 feet
Season: Year round
Parking Pass needed: National Forest Pass
Dog allowed on leash: No
These hot springs are shallow pools dug into the gravel beach. Bring a shovel if you’d like to be able to engineer your own pools and try out the Nordic Cycle by dipping between the hot springs and lake. Parking is available at the Little Crater Campground.
Lava Island to Big Eddy
Trail description: Alltrails
Distance: 2.1 miles
Elevation gain: 72 feet
Season: March to October
Parking Pass needed: Northwest Forest Pass
Dog friendly: Yes
We’ve always said that any trail that follows is a river is a good trail! You’ll walk along the Deschutes River here as far as you like – you can go past Big Eddy to make this a longer hike.
Benham Falls
Trail description: Alltrails
Distance: 1.7 miles
Elevation gain: 62 feet
Season: Year round
Parking Pass needed: Northwest Forest Pass
Dog allowed on leash: Yes
This is a relatively flat hike that follows the Deschutes River. You can make the trail longer by starting in Sunriver. Since this trail is exposed and has mosquitoes, it’s best in the spring and fall.
Three Sisters Wilderness
This is Bend’s most popular wilderness area. It's so popular that many of the hikes here require permits to day hike or backpack. The views are worth the extra effort!
Broken Top to No Name Lake
Trail description: Alltrail
Distance: 5.5 miles
Elevation gain: 1,420 feet
Season: June to October
Parking Pass needed: Central Cascades Wilderness Permit or a Northwest Forest Pass
Dog allowed on leash: No
This is likely Bend’s most famous hike. For a moderate hike, it has an incredible payoff. You will need a permit to hike here between mid-June and mid-October, and a high-clearance vehicle with 4WD to reach the trailhead.
South Sister
Trail description: Alltrails
Distance: 12.2 miles
Elevation gain: 5,039 feet
Season: June to October
Parking Pass needed: Central Cascades Wilderness Permit or a Northwest Forest Pass
Dog allowed on leash: Yes
You can summit South Sister by permit only. From the summit you’ll have incredible views of Middle and North Sister, Three Fingered Jack, and on a clear day, beyond Mount Hood into Washington.
Proxy Falls
Trail description: Alltrails
Distance: 1.6 miles
Elevation gain: 164 feet
Season: March to November
Parking Pass needed: Northwest Forest Pass
Dog allowed on leash: Yes
Hike here to see two beautiful waterfalls, lava fields, and dense forests. Upper Proxy Falls is our favorite.
Green Lakes Trail aka Soda Creek Trail
Trail description: Alltrails
Distance: 12.5 miles
Elevation gain: 1,610 feet
Season: June to October
Parking Pass needed: Central Cascades Wilderness Permit or a Northwest Forest Pass
Dog allowed on leash: Yes
Hiking here is by permit only between mid-June and mid-October. It’s popular, so reserve your permit early. The entire trail is beautiful – on your way to the lake, you’ll cross rivers and pass by multiple waterfalls.
Obsidian Trail
Trail description: Alltrails
Distance: 11.1 miles
Elevation gain: 2,129 feet
Season: June to October
Parking Pass needed: Central Cascades Wilderness Permit or a Northwest Forest Pass
Dog allowed on leash: Yes, but bring dog booties – the obsidian rock is sharp
Hiking here is by permit only between mid-June and mid-October. This trail is especially rocky, but it has a great variety of plants, views, and geology.
Tam MacArthur Rim
Trail description: Alltrails
Distance: 5.3 miles
Elevation gain: 1,246 feet
Season: June to October
Parking Pass needed: Central Cascades Wilderness Permit or a Northwest Forest Pass
Dog allowed on leash: Yes
Hiking here is by permit only between mid-June and mid-October. The panoramic views from the summit are awesome.
Matthieu Lakes Trail
Trail description: Alltrails
Distance: 6.0 miles
Elevation gain: 830 feet
Season: July to October
Parking Pass needed: Northwest Forest Pass
Dog allowed on leash: Yes
This trail has such great diversity in the landscape. You’ll hike through burned forests, lava fields, and see a panoramic view of the surrounding peaks.
Mount Jefferson Wilderness
This area has more lakes and meadows than other areas in Oregon, and we appreciate that it’s less crowded here.
Canyon Creek Meadows
Trail description: Alltrails
Distance: 7.4 miles
Elevation gain: 1597 feet
Season: July to October
Parking Pass needed: Northwest Forest Pass
Dog allowed on leash: Yes
This has great views of Cirque Lake and Three Fingered Jacks. Please be mindful of the Forest Service request that hikers start their hike on the loop clockwise, following a one-way route.
Marion Falls and Gatch Falls
Trail description: Alltrails
Distance: 4.1 miles
Elevation gain: 849 feet
Season: July to October
Parking Pass needed: Northwest Forest Pass
Dog allowed on leash: Yes
If you’re up for a bit of a scramble, this is the perfect hike for you. The trail is clear until you get closer to the falls. To view them, you must do some route finding.
Willamette National Forest
The Willamette National Forest has a bit of everything – from mountain views to forests, but we think the waterfalls stand out the most here.
Sahalie and Koosah Falls
Trail description: Alltrails
Distance: 0.9 miles
Elevation gain: 144 feet
Season: Year round
Parking Pass needed: Northwest Forest Pass
Dog allowed on leash: Yes
Oregon’s known to have stunning waterfalls, and this is one that you’ve got to stop at. The falls are beautiful, and the color of the river water is a stunning, icy blue.
Tamolitch Blue Pool
Trail description: Alltrails
Distance: 3.9 miles
Elevation gain: 351 feet
Season: Year round
Parking Pass needed: National Forest Pass
Dog allowed on leash: Yes
This is an extremely popular hike, but for good reason. The pools were formed by an underground lava tube and the water is a clean, deep blue. Although they look like it would be perfect for swimming, it’s not advisable due to the water’s frigid temperatures.
Iron Mountain
Trail description: Alltrails
Distance: 3.5 miles
Elevation gain: 1,368 feet
Season: June to October
Parking Pass needed: National Forest Pass
Dog allowed on leash: Yes
This is a great shorter hike with a rewarding panoramic view of the Cascade Mountains. Along the way, you’ll see interesting rock formations, wildflowers in the spring, and a viewing platform at the summit. You can start at the lower trailhead to enjoy the whole hike, or park at the upper lot (here) to cut the hike in half.
Maxwell Butte
Trail description: Alltrails
Distance: 9.8 miles
Elevation gain: 2,500 feet
Season: Late June to October
Parking Pass needed: National Forest Pass
Dog allowed on leash: Yes
This hike is quieter, but difficult. It’s mostly forested, up until the last mile, where you’ll start to see great mountain views.
Salt Creek Falls and Diamond Creek Falls
Trail description: Alltrails
Distance: 3.9 miles
Elevation gain: 741 feet
Season: June to October
Parking Pass needed: Northwest Forest Pass
Dog allowed on leash: Yes
These waterfalls can be enjoyed on one longer loop hike or visited individually. You’ll have great views into the valley as well.
Scout Camp Trail
Trail description: Alltrails
Distance: 2.2 miles
Elevation gain: 613 feet
Season: Year round
Parking Pass needed: Northwest Forest Pass
Dog allowed on leash: Yes
Located a half-hour north of Smith Rock State Park, this is a great addition to a day's exploration if you’re in the area. The wildflowers in spring are especially great.
Horse Rock Ridge
Trail description: Alltrails
Distance: 3.8 miles
Elevation gain: 1,135 feet
Season: Year round
Parking Pass needed: None
Dog allowed on leash: Yes
This is a great hike to explore while on your way to Bend from Eugene or Salem. Make it to the top of the ridge and you’ll be rewarded with great views of the surrounding volcanoes and the Willamette Valley.
Smith Rock State Park
The landscape of Smith Rock State Park is unlike anything else in the area. Stopping by the park for an early morning hike or sunset is a must any time we’re in Bend.
Misery Ridge Trail
Trail description: Alltrails
Distance: 2.6 miles
Elevation gain: 1,138 feet
Season: March to October
Parking Pass needed: Oregon State Park Permit
Dog allowed on leash: Yes
If you’re game for a short, but very steep trail with epic views, hike the 2.6 miles roundtrip to Misery Ridge. From there you’ll have the option to go further on the Summit Trail Loop or turn around.
Misery Ridge and Summit Trail Loop
Trail description: Alltrails
Distance: 6.2 miles
Elevation gain: 1,761 feet
Season: March to October
Parking Pass needed: Oregon State Park Permit
Dog allowed on leash: Yes
Hike this loop to see the majority of Smith Rock State Park. Start early and bring plenty of water and sun protection – the trail is completely exposed.
Wolf Tree Trail
Trail description: Alltrails
Distance: 2.7 miles
Elevation gain: 406 feet
Season: March to October
Parking Pass needed: Oregon State Park Permit
Dog allowed on leash: Yes
Hike here for a quieter experience. It meanders following the Crooked River, so keep watch for herons and fish jumping. We especially love exploring this trail at sunset.
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