What a great trip with our awesome adventure friends, Brian and Abby, spending the better part of a week in Bend, OR. After spending a day there a year before, we knew we needed to come back and to bring them with us–so much to do outside, so many great places to hang out!
We hiked, kayaked, mountain biked, whitewater rafted, caved, explored, wandered, drank craft beer, ate good food, took in the local scene, and basically just enjoyed life (and our temporary reprieve from kids)!
Bend is such a beautiful place with so many natural wonders close by. It is a multi-sport heaven! And, the town itself is very approachable and outdoor oriented making the whole place a perfect adventure playground for us.
For one week in late September, we burned calories having a blast during the daylight, and put them back in delicious ways in the evenings.
Our Adventure Trip Video
Our Adventure Map
Hosmer Lake Boat Launch
Mt. Bachelor Bike Park
Broken Top Trailhead
Fall Creek Put-In
Phil's MTB
Big Obsidian Flow
Lava River Cave / Lava Butte Cinder Cone
Big Eddy Whitewater
TownePlace Suites
GoodLife Brewing Company
10 Barrel Brewing
Sunriver Brewing Company
The Lot (Food Carts)
Jackson's Corner
Spork
McMenamins Old St. Francis School
Bend Kayak School & Rental
MWS Sports (bike rental)
More Content From This Adventure Trip
Mt. Rainier Trip Report
How to Take In Mt. Rainier National Park in One Day
The Best of Bend's Craft Beer Scene
Our Adventure Vendors
Adventure Summary
Day 1 (Getting There)
With an extra day and on the front side of the trip, Melissa and I hit Mt. Rainier before picking up Brian and Abby at the Portland airport around mid-morning on Monday. From there we drove through the Columbia River Gorge but since a lot of it is still closed from the Eagle Creek Fire, we only stopped at Multnomah Falls (top left) and had lunch at our first (of many) craft breweries of the trip–Thunder Island Brewing Co in Cascade Locks. It’s a great little spot along the Columbia River (top right).
From there we headed several hours south past views of Mt. Hood (lower left) to Bend, just in time to catch the last tour of the Deschutes Brewery. It’s a great tour and a great way to start our time there.
We checked into our hotel, TownePlace Suites at the roundabout at Century and Colorado and decided to walk Colorado Ave into downtown for a great dinner at a neighborhood restaurant called Jackson’s Corner. Along the way, we stopped to watch the surfers playing at the Bend Whitewater Park (bottom right).
Day 2 (Broken Top & Paulina)
We called it quits fairly early the night before so we could get up and get to hiking up Broken Top in the Cascades, west of Bend. After a 5+ mile rough ride on forest roads we arrived at the trailhead and headed for an unnamed lake just down from the summit. The trail was fantastic, traipsing across the volcanic landscape while climbing just under 1,000ft in elevation over the 2.25mi. We were on the trail by 8:30am, at the lake before 9:45am and back in town for lunch at the super cool food truck park, The Lot, by 12:30pm.
After carne asada fries from A’la Carte and local beers on tap there, we were off to the Newberry National Volcanic Monument, south of Bend. A quick drive up Lava Butte afforded 360° views and an up close look at a cinder cone. From there it was on to “don’t miss” Bend experience in the Paulina Peak area. We hiked through the Big Obsidian Flow (which was awesome!), hung out around the Paulina Lake Lodge, and walked to Paulina Falls.
We grabbed our rental bikes and then dinner and some beers at GoodLife Brewing which had my fav of the whole trip–Sweet As! Pacific Ale.
Day 3 (MTB Phil’s & The Big Eddy)
Up and at ’em even earlier today! We hit the Phil’s Trail Complex at 7am ready to start some mountain biking fun. It was chilly to start but warmed up nicely as we climbed on Ben’s to Voodoo and back down Kent’s. Bend is a MTB paradise and these great rides wind through the pine forests west of town.
With some time left in the AM, we snuck in a quick tour of Lava River Cave, a lava tube that run several miles through Newberry. Next was a quick lunch (and beers) at Cascade Lakes Brewing Company’s lodge so we’d be ready for our 1:30pm whitewater rafting trip through the Big Eddy rapids on the Deschutes River. The cold water made the rapids even more exciting! =)
With several hours of daylight left and a full suspension bike still rented, I wasn’t joining the others for naps at the hotel. I sweet-talked Mel into dropping me up at Skyliner so I could bomb back down Pinedrops to Phil’s. I WAS IN HEAVEN!
After dinner at an okay sushi conveyor restaurant downtown, we grabbed a beer and went searching for the Old St. Francis School’s broom closet.
Day 4 (Kayaking Everywhere)
I don’t know about the worm, but I know the early bird gets the peace and quiet! That’s what we were shooting for when deciding to meet our quirky new friends at Bend Kayak School to pick up our rentals to be out on the Cascade Lakes by 9am. First up was Hosmer Lake in the shadow of Mt. Bachelor. We paddled around for at least 2 hours and saw all kinds of great stuff before chilling at nearby campground / picnic area for lunch.
After some research, we embarked on what could be my favorite adventure of the trip. We pulled off of the Cascade Lakes Highway and dropped our kayaks into Fall Creek and we were off unto the unknown. (Mel opted for a nap and drove around to the take out.) It was amazing!…except when the creek hit Sparks Lake and got a little too shallow and mucky. Oh well.
Our last stop was kayaking from Farewell Bend Park to Drake Park through town along the Deschutes River. All that got us hungry for some Mexican-Asian fusion at Spork but not before some wine tasting. All this was followed by some beers around the fire pits at 10 Barrel Brewing…a favorite spot!
Day 5 (Bombing Downhill & Celebrating)
We got such a good deal from MWS Sports on renting great mountain bikes the first time, we were back again to pick up our same bikes and drive out to the Mt. Bachelor Bike Park. This was a first for all of us–fork over about $40pp and you and your bike ride the chairlifts all day. Ride up, bomb down. Repeat!! I got addicted quickly!
We hit the lower flow trails repeatedly until it was time for lunch then it was up the Pine Marten lift to the top for some lunch at the lodge and then down what I can describe only as MTB Flow Trail Nirvana–4 continuous miles of intermediate singletrack. It took me 17mins each run and wore my ass out!
After coming back down to Bend, we cleaned up and headed out to celebrate a great trip! Hitting a few shops in downtown proved fruitful and from there, breweries were calling our names. We walked across Mirror Pond’s historic footbridge and into Sunriver Brewing for some patio seating, apps, and beer. Then the call of the firepits and the woodfired pizza at 10 Barrel was too strong to resist. The perfect end to the night!
Day 6 (Making The Most Of The Long Slog Home)
The only thing we knew we needed to do on Saturday, our last full day in Oregon was get to our hotel near the Portland Airport at a decent time so we could return the rental truck and be ready to go for a 5:30am flight home. So, we took the roundabout way…
First stop was something we were told was a “must do” while in Bend–see Tumalo Falls. It was pretty (top left). I would have like to have had more time to hike up closer…next time.
North of Bend is the town of Redmond and just north of it is a winery named Maragas. We stopped in for a tasting.
Then, as we neared closer to Portland, we swung off the road at the town of Government Camp and hit Mt. Hood Brewing Company before driving up to the Timberline Lodge at 6,000ft. elevation. We gazed up on the 11,250ft. peak of Mt. Hood (bottom left) for a bit and then headed on to our duties near PDX to prepare to re-enter reality on Sunday.