BEND, Ore. — Some trails in Central Oregon I avoid during summer weekends, knowing they will be too clogged with other bikers and hikers to actually enjoy.
The Deschutes River Trail from Meadow Camp to Benham Falls is one such trail. But after Labor Day, when most of the tourists have left and folks have moved on to other endeavors, this trail becomes a prime option for a half-day mountain bike ride. While I would still recommend avoiding the trail on Saturday or Sunday afternoons, a Friday morning outing was the perfect way to rediscover the path I had been neglecting for the last three months.
There is a reason this 9-mile section of trail is so popular among hikers, trail runners, mountain bikers and anglers. The river scenery is mind-boggling: rapids and waterfalls surging through a landscape of jagged lava rock, ponderosa pine and aspen trees.
From Meadow Camp, just 5 miles west of Bend, I cruised high above the river on singletrack. The first section is quite technical, with sharp rocks covering the trail. I pedaled my way through most of the rocks but did have to dismount in a couple of places.
After about another 2 miles I rode past Lava Island Falls, where the Upper Deschutes is split into two streams separated by piles of rock. From there, it was on to Big Eddy Rapids, where I watched rafters negotiate the series of four Class III rapids along likely the most popular rafting route in Oregon.
After a few more miles upstream along the trail I arrived at Aspen Camp. In just a few weeks, this area will feature red, yellow and orange aspens in a dizzying array of color. Though the leaves remained green in mid-September, the trail was no less fun as I cruised through the lush forest along the river.
An uphill portion just before Dillon Falls is really the only difficult, prolonged climb along the Deschutes River Trail, making it a relatively easy ride for most skill levels. At Dillon Falls, I stopped to watch the roaring river cut through the canyon as mist from the powerful rapids shot into the air.
The trail then led me back into the trees toward Benham Falls. The section just north of Benham Falls is one of my favorite parts of the trail: The rapids begin to surge, and you find yourself riding high above the river once again.
Dark, rough lava rock stretching all the way to Lava Butte 5 miles to the southeast covers much of the east side of the river. Plants poking out of the dark lava field make for a unique landscape.
Benham Falls roars white with abandon through the terrain. Near the falls, a separate singletrack trail is designed for bikers. Cyclists are required to walk their bikes as they approach the viewpoints of the falls.
Above the falls, the trail widens and comes to a wooden bridge. After crossing the bridge, bikers have a choice of heading west to continue along the river trail to Sunriver, or going southeast onto the Black Rock Trail, which leads to Lava Butte.
I made the decision to turn around there and enjoy the descent back toward Meadow Camp.
The river trail attracts mountain bikers of virtually every skill level. Beginners can easily tackle short stretches of the trail, while more experienced riders can enjoy a mostly smooth 30-mile trip from Bend to Sunriver and back.
After speeding back down the pristine singletrack, I arrived back at the Meadow Camp Trailhead. The 17-mile out-and-back ride took about three hours and included 900 feet of elevation gain.
The Deschutes River Trail is extremely popular, but that does not mean it cannot be shared among different user groups who are all there to soak in the beauty of this Central Oregon gem.
