Bend has become very well known – dare we say famous? – recently as an outdoor adventure paradise, with climbing and hiking in the summer and snow sports at Mt. Bachelor in the winter. Once we moved back to Seattle, we were eager to see for ourselves what all the hype is about. Our weekend trip to Bend in early July happened to be perfect timing with temperatures getting into the 80s and 90s but everything still green from the spring rains, not to mention wildflowers starting to bloom in the mountains! That being said, almost any time of year can be a great time to visit Bend – and honestly, with some many adventures to choose from, I found it sort of helpful to have the conditions help make some decisions for me. (For example, it was still too snowy for most of the high mountain hikes to be fun or safe without snow gear.)
Day 1 – Welcome to Bend!
3pm – Floating the river is the perfect introduction to life in Bend. You can rent an innertube at Riverbend Park, float for an hour or two, and get out at Drake Park where a shuttle bus will take you and your tube back upriver. It’s quite the scene – you may even catch the sound check for a concert at the Hayden Homes amphitheater – and you hardly have to pay attention to where you’re going, but do keep your head up for the very small section of “rapids” near Bend Whitewater Park. They’re nothing too serious to float through in a tube with a beverage in hand, but if you really want to avoid them you can get out right before the bridge and hop back in below the rapids.
5pm – After your float, take a tour at one of the many local breweries. The Deschutes Brewery Tasting Room is right near Riverbend Park – book ahead to make sure you get a spot at your preferred time. For dinner, Bend has plenty of great restaurants and food truck pods as well.
Day 2 – Newberry National Volcanic Monument
8am – Get a fairly early start to make the most of your day at Newberry National Volcanic Monument. This incredible park just 30-60 minutes south of Bend has a huge variety of attractions and activities, from hiking to boating to spelunking, and far fewer visitors than Crater Lake further south or even some of the high Cascade hikes on a sunny summer day. Stop for coffee and a pastry on the way down at Brewed Awakenings in Sunriver.
9:30am – Start your exploration of the Newberry Caldera with a hike or drive up Paulina Peak. The road to the top is gravel and only open for part of the summer, and the hike is a moderate 6 miles – the first mile is fairly flat through the forest, and from there you start climbing but are rewarded with incredible views on the way up. However you reach the top, you’ll see the twin Paulina and East Lakes below, several big Cascade peaks to the west, and the incredible obsidian flow at the base of the peak.
1pm – It’s a short drive from the Paulina Peak road or trailhead to the Big Obsidian Flow Trailhead and Interpretive Site. The 1-mile loop takes you through a lava flow that is only 1300 years old (!) with stunning piles of obsidian and pumice rock.
2pm – On your way out of the park, be sure to check out Paulina Falls, where you can both look across to the top of the twin waterfalls and take a short walk to a beautiful view at the bottom.
4pm – Heading back towards Bend, you’ll pass the Lava River Cave and the Lava Lands Visitor Center. Visiting Lava River Cave will likely require timed reservations, so be sure to check ahead of time and secure a pass up to 30 days in advance of your visit. There are some other key details to note about Lava River Cave as well, including the cold temperature, need to bring or rent a light source, and precautions necessary to prevent the spread of white-nose syndrome amongst bat populations – the Forest Service site is a great place to find all the information you need.
7pm – After getting cleaned up from your big day of adventure, check out 10 Barrel Brewing Company for dinner and a drink or two – their pizza is as delicious as their beer.
Day 3 – Central Oregon Cascades
8am – Time to head west to explore the Cascades! Your hiking choices will vary depending on even what week of the spring, summer, or fall you’re visiting – check out trip reports and make a call based on bugs, wildflowers, snow, views, etc. I checked out the Iron Mountain-Cone Peak loop at Tombstone Pass on Highway 20 in my quest for wildflowers and iconic Cascade views, and was not disappointed! The moderate 7.1 mile trail includes a spur up to the lookout on Iron Mountain and wildflowers almost every step of the way if you time it right; I went clockwise so I did Iron Mountain towards the beginning, and would recommend that route unless you want a longer warmup.
1pm – Take the long way back to Bend (or a detour before you head west of the Cascades, if you’re on your way out of town) and drive the scenic Highway 126 to McKenzie Pass – note that the road only opens seasonally. The stark landscape of the lava flows, contrasted with a few “tree islands” called kipukas, and the up-close views of the Three Sisters and Mt. Washington, make for a scenic stop indeed. The Dee Wright Observatory has parking and some information and interpretive trails at the top of the pass.
And that wraps up a great weekend trip to Bend! Google probably wants me to make sure you know that you can find other sample weekend 48-hour trip itineraries here. Happy walking!
