Outdoor Activities in and Around Bend, Oregon
One of Bend’s main attractions is the Mount Batchelor Ski Resort and Lodge located just 22 miles southwest of town. Follow the scenic and beautiful Cascade Lakes Highway to a fun filled day of skiing, snowboarding, tubing, guided dog sled trips, mountain biking on nordic trails and summer sight seeing chairlift rides and dining with spectacular views. Located in the Cascade Mountain Range and has a height of 9,065 feet Mount Batchelor Ski Resort and Lodge offers both summer and winter activities. (http://www.mtbachelor.com)
Located in the High Cascades is beautiful Cultus Lakes where camping and fishing mingle with sailing and water skiing. The lake is a popular fishing destination as it is plentiful with Rainbows, Bass, Mackinaws and Browns. The Cultus Lake Resort not only offers lake front cabins, shopping and dinning but also has jet skis, motorboats, canoes, kayaks, paddleboats and a party boat for rent too. Gas and oil are available also. The lake is surrounded by miles of trails through ponderosa and sugar pines with fir and spruce trees for the hikers and mountain bikers. The sandy beaches line this deep cool lake with group and remote camping sites, swimming and a marina to complement this beautiful natural setting just 45 miles southwest of Bend. (http://www.cultuslakeresort.com)
Bend Parks and Recreation offers over 48 miles of trails and 71 parks for outdoor walks, hikes and picnics. Drake Park is a main destination for many festivals and public events and concerts in downtown Bend. The park hugs the Deschutes River as it makes it way through downtown. Many other parks line the river through town including; Farewell Park a popular site for rafters to put in and float the river through town; Mckay Park the host of the popular Munch N Movies outdoor movies in the park sponsored by local Bend businesses or the Beautiful Pioneer Park which hosts many family gatherings and weddings on its lovely serene grounds where wild geese gather is the calm rivers edge. Pilot Butte State Park is a popular place for local walkers to get a work out and offers a fantastic view of the city and surrounding Cascade Mountain Range and the Central Oregon High Dessert. Several local snow parks are perfect destinations for snowmobiling and sledding. (http://www.bendparksandrec.org)
Enjoy Golfing? Rated 23rd in the world as a premier golf destination by Golf Digest, Central Oregon has over 25 courses to put your handicap to the test. Public, simi-private and private courses are garnished by beautiful dessert landscape and scenic mountain views. These same world-class courses host many national and regional tournaments, including the Pacific Amateur Golf Classic. (http://www.pacamgolf.com)
Hundreds of campgrounds and beautiful lakes and rivers blanket Bend and Central Oregon. Thankfully 1000 of outdoor guides and equipment rentals are here also to take you trail riding on horse back or rock climbing at Smith Rock with everything you could possible need while white water rafting the Deschutes. (http://www.visitbend.com)
