About Bend, Oregon
Bend, Oregon is a mountain town located in Central Oregon located in Deschutes County. This town is surrounded by mountains, endless forest, a vast desert, and a multitude of alpine lakes. The most popular feature of this town is the Deschutes River that runs through the center of Bend. This sustainable guide will discuss what to do in Bend, sustainable places to stay, eat, transportation options, and other things that make Bend a sustainable place!
Top 10 Must Do’s in
Bend, Oregon
There is so much to do in Bend, Oregon and the surrounding areas, and don’t worry if you are not an outdoorsy person, there is still plenty of fun activities to enjoy here! No matter the season, there is plenty to do here, so here is a list of 10 must do’s for the next time you are in Bend or Central Oregon.
1. Float the Iconic River
The Deschutes River starts at Little Lava Lake, a lake that is located on the Cascade Lakes Highway west of Mt. Bachelor Ski & Snowboard Resort. The river flows north ultimately feeding into the Columbia River.
In the summertime, the river is bustling with people floating the river on tubes, paddle boarding, kayaking, or even surfing on the river.
There are multiple spots in Bend where people float and paddle from. River Bend Park is a popular spot to begin your float down the river. You can float from here over the rapids to McKay Park or Miller’s Landing Park. You can also continue floating pass the rapids all the way to Drake Park. If you float all the way to Drake Park, there is a take out spot right after the NW Galveston Ave. bridge.
Additionally, Mirror Pond in Drake Park is a great spot to put in a kayak, paddle board, or whatever water device you have! Harmon Park next to Mirror Pond has a little dock where you can put your boat in the river as well. You can paddle from here upstream to the Bend Whitewater Park rapids and then float back down to Mirror Pond.
There are also multiple spots in town where you can hike along the Deschutes River if getting on the river isn’t your thing!
2. Visit The Many Alpine Lakes
Bend, Oregon is known for the abundance of alpine lakes just right outside of town. To get to Mt. Bachelor, the iconic hikes, and of course, all of the lakes, you will take Cascade Lakes Highway from Bend. If you continue on Century Drive into the Deschutes National Forest, you find yourself surrounded by tall ponderosa pines, the Cascade mountains including Mt. Bachelor, South, Middle and North Sister, and Broken Top.
Once you get pass Mt. Bachelor is where the highway starts to get dotted with alpine lakes. Todd Lake is the first lake after Mt. Bachelor, and is a short hike around the lake that is less than a 2 miles. Doing the loop around the lake will give you great views of the surrounding mountains.
After Todd Lake is when the lakes become accessible from the road. Sparks Lake, Devils Lake, and Elk Lake are popular lakes along the highway. There are great campsites at each of these lakes, and Elk Lake even has cabins for vacation rentals. If you drive towards Elk Lake, you will also find Hosmer Lake, which is more of a hidden lake that gives you great views from the water, however, it isn’t the best lake to swim in. Hosmer Lake is a unique lake because there are channels through wetlands that take you to a larger area of the lake.
There are many other lakes as you continue on the road that offer great places to swim, boat, and hang out during the summer time!
3. Ski at Mt. Bachelor
Mt. Bachelor is the closest ski mountain near Bend, Oregon, and is the sixth largest ski resort in North America. This ski resort has 4,323 acres of skiable terrain, 101 runs, and 12 ski lifts.
To get from Bend to Mt. Bachelor, it is highly recommended to either carpool or take the Mt. Bachelor Shuttle. You can find the schedule for the Mt. Bachelor shuttle here: Mt. Bachelor Know Before You Go [linked]. It takes about 20-40 minutes to get from Bend to Mt. Bachelor usually but dependent on weather, it can take longer. Since Mt. Bachelor is a freestanding volcano, you can ski 360 degrees around the entire mountain.
The front side of Mt. Bachelor is where most of the beginner terrain is located where the backside is for experts and advanced skiers or snowboarders. There are no groomed runs on the backside and the only way to reach it is from the top of summit. Additionally, the reason the mountain is skiable all around is because you can access the Cloudchaser lift and the Northwest lift from the backside.
If you do not downhill ski, Mt. Bachelor offers a lot of other activities. You can go dog sledding, snowshoe tours, cross country skiing, and enjoy a ‘night’ at the mountain by camping in the parking lot in your RV, van, or whatever type of mobile home you have! In addition, if you want new skiing activities to try, you can ski with a ranger to learn more about the Deschutes Forest, you can enjoy the Woodward Park, or you can compete in the many skiing competitions Mt. Bachelor has throughout the season.
A day pass for Mt. Bachelor starts at $84 but is subject to increase on holiday weekends and other times throughout the season. The full season pass can vary from around $1,200 – $1,529 depending on when it is bought and is an unlimited pass with no black out dates. Mt. Bachelor also offers other passes such as the Outplay 365 Year-round Pass that includes access to the bike park in the summer, an Alpine Midweek Pass that can only be used Monday through Friday with some black out dates, and then 4-day passes. Find additional pricing and information on the Mt. Bachelor website [linked]. In Addition, the mountain also offers multiple types of lessons throughout the season.
Additionally, Mt. Bachelor has an organization called Play Forever, which is committed to protecting the environment. Some actions Mt. Bachelor has taken to protect the environment include: encouraging the use of the shuttle from town, encouraging carpooling, switching the lightbulbs used at Mt. Bachelor to LED bulbs, donate and give back to the community, plant trees on the behalf of passholders, and hold annual mountain clean up days.
4. Hike Some of the Iconic Trails Here
Throughout any season in Central Oregon you can find an abundance of hikes to go on, and yes even in the winter time! Let’s start with winter time hikes since this isn’t the main hiking season in Bend and Central Oregon.
In the winter, you can enjoy hiking still whether you prefer snowy hikes or desert hikes. Since Bend is a high desert climate, just east of town is where you can find the badlands. There are some great hikes here that are mostly snow free and offer great desert vibes. There are a multitude of trails here such as Horse Ridge and Badlands Rock Trail. Check out the other hikes here on AllTrails [linked]. The Badlands are a unique area of Central Oregon and not what you would expect from the typical Oregon ecosystems.
Additionally, another amazing winter hike is Smith Rock State Park [linked]. This state park is famous among climbers and is located in Terrebonne, Oregon which is about 40 minutes North of Bend. Smith Rock State Park is a popular place in the summertime, and it gets very hot here, so winter is the perfect time to visit!
If you love the snow but don’t enjoy skiing or snowboarding, there are plenty opportunities for snowy hikes and some great snowshoeing in Bend! Along the Cascade Lakes Highway there are a multitude of Sno-Parks. Meissner, Swampy, Edison Butte, Vista Butte, Skyliners, and Dutchman Flat Sno-Parks are all located along the highway. At the Sno-Parks you can cross country ski and snowshoe to enjoy some winter hikes! Please note that you will need a Sno-Park permit for your car’s windshield between November 1st – April 30th. For more information regarding pricing and vendors where you can buy your permit check out the Oregon Department of Transportation websites [linked].
Now onto hiking during the other seasons in Bend. There are way too many amazing hikes in and outside of Bend and I won’t be able to name all of my favorites, but below is a list of some of the best hikes near or in Bend. Please always remember to leave no trace when hiking and enjoying nature in Bend and wherever else you go!
Additionally, in the summer months some hikes near Bend require a day use permit or overnight permit if you are planning on backpacking. The day use permits are for the more popular hikes throughout the summer starting on June 15th to October 15th. You can find a list of the hikes that require day use permits here [linked]. Day use permits are released at 7:00am either 10 days or 2 days prior to the day you want to hike and are $1 per person.
Here’s a list of some of the hikes I recommend that are on the permit system:
- Duffy Lake Trailhead
- Canyon Creek Meadows
- Benson / Tenas Trailhead
- Broken Top Trailhead
- Green Lakes / Soda Creek Trailhead
- Tam McArthur Rim
- South Sister Trailhead
In addition to these permitted hikes there are great hiking spots in Bend itself like Shevlin Park [linked], which is a multi-trail system on the northwest side of Bend. This park is located along the Tumalo Creek and is home to aspen groves and larches, making it a great spot to check out in the fall! Additionally, the Deschutes River Trail [linked] is a 4 mile hike along the Deschutes River on the west side of town. This is a nice easy loop hike to check out during any season. Riley Ranch Nature Reserve [linked] is another great area for hiking in town, however, dogs are not permitted in this area. If you have a dog, Good Dog Loop [linked] is a great trail system to check out since dogs are allowed off leash here.
Always be respectful when hiking and enjoying nature, and remember to pick up any trash you see, leave a place how you found it, don’t feed or pet wildlife, don’t carve into trees or rocks, and follow the rules of the trails.
5. Check Out the Many Parks
Even though there is enough natural areas and ecosystems in and surrounding Bend, parks help create additional green spaces for people to enjoy in the town. However, parks can cause environmental issues if not done correctly since lawn requires a lot of water usage especially in a high desert drought climate like Bend’s.
Bend parks are extensive and are huge features of the town. Drake Park is one of the most popular parks in Bend and is located downtown along the Deschutes River. This park has a little beach area for tube take outs or to put your boat in the water, it also has a path along the river and a path connecting to downtown and NW Galveston Ave. Additionally, Drake Park has a new boardwalk that connects this park to other parks and areas along the river to the north. In the summer, Drake Park has Munch & Music every Thursday in July and August where there is free live music, food and other vendors, and bouncy houses and games for children making it a great event for everyone!
For a full list of parks check out the Bend Park and Recreation Districts website [linked]. Other popular parks include McKay Park which is a summer hub since it is located next to the Bend Whitewater Park rapids. This beach is a great area for children and for tubers or surfers. Miller’s Landing Park is another great park for people to hang out in and enjoy the river. This park is located across the river from McKay Park and also has a dock for people to get in and out of the river from. Riverbend Park is another popular park and a great place to hang out in the summer months. This park is also a great place to start tubing down the river and you can also find tube rentals here.
Always remember to keep the parks clean, pick up after yourself, and make sure to clean up after your dogs since they are all located along the river.
6. Visit The Many Food Truck Lots
Bend has a multitude of food truck lots throughout town. These food truck lots are located all over town, so they are accessible to everyone living in the different areas of Bend.
Food truck lots are a great addition to Bend because they allow food options for most people! There are plenty of great vegan or plant-based food trucks throughout Bend. A lot of these food truck lots offer more than just food such as live music, events, and places to drink.
Some food truck lots to check out include The Podski, Midtown Yacht Club, The Lot, and On Tap.
The Podski is a food truck lot on the west side of town near the Box Factory. You’ll have to check their website here [linked] to see which food trucks are open on what days. Additionally, there are food trucks here with vegan and plant-based options including Little Slice of Heaven Cheesecakes, Thailandia, and Toasty.
Midtown Yacht Club [linked] is located in midtown west of Pilot Butte. There are a lot of great events held at this food truck lot and a lot of variety of food and drinks to choose from. Some food trucks with plant-based and vegan options here include Barrio, Shim Shon, and Lively Up Yourself.
The Lot [linked] is a food truck lot located off of NW Galveston Ave. There are many food trucks here that have plant-based options and they also have a lot of events and live music here,
On Tap [linked] is a food truck lot located on the east side of town near the St. Charles Hospital. There are a lot of live events here, variety of food trucks with plant-based options, and a variety of drinks to choose from!
In addition to all of the food truck lots there are also a lot of other food trucks scattered throughout Bend. A Broken Angel food truck is another great plant-based food truck located at The Pantry [linked] which is off of NW Newport Ave.
7. Chase Some Waterfalls
In addition to all of the great hikes listed above, there is a multitude of waterfalls scattered near Bend and Central Oregon. In this case, I would definitely recommend chasing waterfalls.
The most famous waterfall near Bend is Tumalo Falls. This falls is a super popular spot that is right next to the parking lot, however, if you are going on the weekend, make sure to get there early to get a parking spot. This waterfall is great and accessible to all people because of its proximity to the parking lot, however, if you are someone who enjoys hiking, there is an out and back trail behind Tumalo Falls that passes about eight plus waterfalls.
Proxy Falls is another great waterfall near Bend. This falls is located by the Willamette National Forest and is off of McKenzie Highway which is pass Sisters, Oregon. This is a great, easy 1.6 mile loop trail that goes pass two waterfalls. Even though this falls is not too far from Bend, the trail is lined with moss and lichen covered rocks.
Other great waterfalls near Bend are Sahalie and Koosah Falls. These falls are located a little over an hour away from Bend pass Sisters, Oregon. These falls are located along the same trail and the trail is about 2.4 miles. You can also park at each waterfall if you aren’t a big hiker. The hike in between the two falls offers more, smaller falls and a beautiful river, so if you like to hike I recommend doing the hike.
Salt Creek Falls is another hike about 1.5 hours from Bend. This fall is located near the parking lot, so you don’t have to hike to get to it. If you are a hiker, Diamond Creek Falls is about a 4 mile loop that starts at Salt Creek Falls and is considered a moderately difficult hike.
Lastly, Chush Falls, located just outside of Sisters, Oregon (pictured above) is a great hike about 6 miles long with beautiful views of the Three Sisters mountains. The access to the waterfalls is tricky and can be moderately challenging but is worth it if you are a skilled hiker!
Oregon is known for the amazing waterfalls all over the state and there are too many great ones to choose from! These are some favorites that are not too far away from Bend and Central Oregon.
8. Enjoy the Mountain Biking Trails
Bend has some great mountain biking trails that are located in town. Located on the west side of Bend is Phil’s Trailhead [linked] is a system of mountain biking trails for bikers of all levels. Additionally, Shevlin Park also includes mountain biking trails and right outside of town off of SW Century Drive there are a lot of biking trails. Off of SW Century Drive there is the Cascade Lakes Welcome Station where there are some mountain biking trails, and as you continue driving towards Mt. Bachelor, you can bike at some of the Sno-Parks like Swampy Sno-Park and Wanoga Sno-Park. In addition to these Sno-Parks, there is Tiddlywinks off of SW Century Drive, which is a more advanced trail.
Additionally, Mt. Bachelor offers downhill biking during the summer season. For additional information on the Bike Park at Mt. Bachelor check out this website [linked]. If you buy the Outplay 365 Mt. Bachelor season pass, it includes a pass to the Bike Park.
Check out the Bend Trails website [linked] for more information regarding where to mountain bike in and around Bend. Additionally, most biking trails in Bend do not allow e-bikes on the trails, so make sure to check before hand if you are planning to ride your e-bike.
9. Check Out the View From Pilot Butte
Pilot Butte State Scenic Viewpoint is located between the east side and midtown of Bend. This butte is a freestanding hill that offers hiking and walking trails as well as a road to bike or drive up! From May to November 1st you can drive up the road, however, in the winter the road is closed to cars but can still be accessed by bike or foot. It does get icy in the winter, so if you are going, go prepared with the correct footwear.
Additionally, the hike up is about 1.8 miles and 456 feet of elevation gain. This is considered a more difficult hike because of the steepness, however, it is worth it for the views. From the top, and along the hike up, you get 360 views of the surrounding mountains and of Bend and the surrounding areas.
From the top you can see Mt. Bachelor, Broken Top, the Three Sisters, Mt. Washington, Mt. Jefferson, Three Fingered Jack, Mt. Hood, and the Paulina Mountains. This is a great place to view the mountains and a fun place to check out when you visit Bend next time!
10. Go to a Concert at Hayden Homes Amphitheater
Hayden Homes Amphitheater is an outdoor concert venue located in the heart of Bend. It is located along the Deschutes River across from the Old Mill District, which is an outdoor shopping center. Starting during Memorial Day Weekend, there are a variety of musicians, comedians, and other artists performing here weekly. From May to October, there are about 50 concerts and shows a season.
This venue is a must visit during the summer months and is a great activity to enjoy for anyone. Also, the beautiful backdrop of the river is a must see. So make sure to check out the line up before you plan your next trip to Bend!
Are There Sustainable Accommodations in
Bend, Oregon?
Bend has some amazing accommodations and some sustainable options as well! Since Bend is a huge vacation hub, there are a lot of different types of place you can stay at from the typical hotel, to home rentals, and even some hostels.
The Oxford Hotel [linked] is located in downtown Bend and is a sustainable hotel that runs 100% on renewable energy. In addition to this, they also use energy saving lightbulbs, energy efficient heating and cooling systems, and use recycled and sustainable materials. The rooms provide a sustainable experience for the guests by providing sustainably sourced and made mattresses, organic and locally sourced amenities in each room, and provide recycling options in the rooms.
Another great, fun place to stay is at LOGE Camps [linked]. This is located on the west side of town, closer to the mountains and is a a great place for outdoorsy, nature and adventure lovers! Their mission is to find abandoned motels across the country and bring them back to life as a new ‘glamping’ experience. The one in Bend also has events, food trucks, and other fun activities going on, so be sure to check those out as well. In addition to all of that, LOGE Camp hotels give back 1% of their annual revenue to local non-profits and when booking your stay there you can choose to donate $3 to Cool Effect to help offset the carbon emissions produced from your travels.
SCP Hotel [linked] in Redmond, about a 20 minute drive from Bend, is a sustainable hotel chain that stands for Soul Community Planet. They pride themselves on embracing a hotel and lifestyle that is healthy, kind, and green, and they do this by using sustainable materials, reducing waste, promoting plant-centric foods, and they have even partnered with EarthCheck [linked], a world leading certification, consulting, and advisory group for sustainable destinations and tourism organizations. For every stay, the hotel makes a positive impact on the community by planting trees, providing resources, and giving back to families in need.
In addition to these hotels, there are a lot of airbnbs, locally owned hotels and boutique hotels, hostels, and other rental houses available. These smaller, locally owned places are a better alternative to big chain hotels and corporations!
How to Eat Sustainably in Bend, Oregon
Bend definitely offers a variety of food for anyone who lives or visits! There are also a lot of plant-based, vegan options when eating out. One tip is to try to avoid eating at breweries if you have strict dietary restrictions because they tend to have less options in comparison to other places you can eat at! There are a lot of sustainable eats for meat eaters since some places source their food (and meat) locally or sustainably.
If you visit Bend in the summer, you have to check out the Bend Farmers Market [linked] and the NorthWest Crossing Farmers Market [linked]. The farmers markets in Bend run from May 1st to early October. The Bend Farmers Market is located in Downtown Bend on Wednesdays and the NorthWest Crossing Farmers Market is located in the NorthWest Crossing neighborhood on the west side of Bend and is on Saturdays. These farmers markets not only offer a lot of local food and goods, they also offer sustainably sourced food!
In addition to the farmers market, make sure to read above to check out the Food Truck Lot with lots of vegan and plant-based options!
Additionally, below is a list of some great restaurants and other places to get sustainable, local or plant-based food!
- The Pantry for sustainable, locally made, and plant-based options especially baked goods.
- Fix & Repeat, a vegan, mostly gluten free breakfast and lunch spot.
- Spork, a street food fusion restaurant with a lot of plant-based options.
- Dear Mom Cafe, a Thai restaurant with plant-based options.
- Wild Rose, a delicious Northern Thai restaurant. They offer plant-based options and others can be made vegan without the fish sauce.
- Sen Thai Noodles and Hot Pot, a hot pot spot owned by the same people as Wild Rose. They offer a variety of plant-based options as well as a vegan hot pot to share.
- Little Slice of Heaven Cheesecakes, a food truck located in the Podski food cart lot. They have a variety of flavors of vegan cheesecakes.
- Broken Angel, a plant-based, vegan food truck located at The Pantry.
- Ida’s Cupcake Cafe, a bakery with a variety of vegan cupcake flavors.
- Sunny’s Italian Joint, located in The Grove, a food market located in NorthWest Crossing. They have a couple vegan pasta dishes, appetizers, and a dairy-free cannoli.
Can you Travel Around Bend, Oregon Sustainably?
Bend is a very active town that is relatively small and easy to get around. Depending where in town you live or stay, it can be easy to get around by foot or on bike. The west side of town is easier to walk around from, however, there are sidewalks throughout most of town making it easy to walk from wherever if you don’t mind the distance. In addition, Bend has bike lanes throughout the town making it easier to bike around, and they are working on making the bike lanes more protected from cars.
Bend also offers a bus throughout town with multiple bus stop locations throughout the town. The bus system is called Cascades East Transit [linked] and the bus schedule and routes can be found on their website.
However, Bend’s public transportation can be improved to make it easier for people to use instead of driving their personal cars or taking ride shares. Public transportation not only helps to improve communities, it also helps improve air quality and the environment. Having safe, reliable, easy to use, and cheaper options for transportation are necessary and important for any town and community.
Other Things That Make Bend, Oregon Sustainable or Unsustainable
Since Bend is an outdoorsy, nature centric town, a lot of the residence have a respect for the community and the environment. Because of this, there are a lot of sustainable or eco-conscious places in Bend. There are a variety of stores in Bend that are sustainable and source their goods locally. FOUND Natural Goods [linked] is a local store downtown with a lot of sustainable, zero waste products, locally made products, and organic self care products. There is also Central Oregon Locavore [linked], which is a year round market with local produce, meats, cheeses, fish, and other food and products.
Something else that makes Bend sustainable is that there are a variety of second hand, thrift stores, and consignment shops. This includes clothing store, furniture, outdoors gear, and other goods. In addition, there are a lot of second hand pop-ups throughout the year with different second hand, vintage, consignment, and thrift vendors. For your second hand sustainable gear, check out Gear Fix [linked]. They have clothes and accessories, skis, shoes, bikes, climbing gear, and so much more!
There are also a lot of local activists who commit themselves to helping the environment. They help to inspire other locals to live better and be more sustainable and eco-friendly, which helps make the community more sustainable.
Summary: So, is Bend, Oregon a Sustainable Place?
So, is Bend, Oregon a sustainable place to live or visit? I would say yes, it is and give it a 4/5 on the sustainability radar. Bend, Oregon, is known for being an outdoorsy, beer-loving, nature filled spot close to the mountains, rainforest, desert, and surrounding by volcanoes, but it is also a sustainable, eco-conscious town.
