Revisit an old friend: The Upper Deschutes

Published 5:00 am Wednesday, May 8, 2002

The Deschutes River rolls through Bend, as dependable as an old friend.

I pass over it on the Colorado Street Bridge every morning and then again after work. I see it on the way to the post office, the mall and the library.

It’s an integral part of Bend and Central Oregon, a constant contributor to the quality and flavor of the region. But with Bend’s Upper Deschutes virtually underfoot, it’s easy to give it short shrift in favor of more distant riverine destinations. That would be a mistake.

Because the Deschutes River Trail is a treasure, a delightfully scenic path that wends through town and on up the river past serene runs, frothing rapids and a couple of full-fledged waterfalls.

A great hike that will get you acquainted (or reacquainted) with the beauty right out the back door begins at Meadow Picnic Area and takes you a mile or four miles or even eight miles upriver. It doesn’t take long to leave urban growth boundaries, traffic circles and crosstown traffic backups far behind.

The Upper Deschutes River is larded with juicy whitewater sections punctuated by wide, tranquil stretches suitable for canoeing or cooling off in the summer. The day-use areas aren’t very far apart. There are Lava Island Falls (1.2 miles from the Meadow Picnic Area trailhead), Dillon (4.5 miles) and Benham falls (8.5 miles). Other points of interest include Big Eddy – a sprightly set of rapids, and Aspen day-use area where the river rests after plunging through a constricted unraftable bottleneck upstream at Dillon Falls.

It’s a 17-mile hike from Meadow Picnic Area to Benham Falls and back – quite a trek in anyone’s book.

Hikers often walk just a portion of the trail from Meadow to Benham Falls, choosing to turn around at one of the day-use areas. Or they park a shuttle car at the Benham Falls Picnic Area and drive back.

To get to the picnic area, drive 10 miles south of Bend on Highway 97 and turn right at the Lava Lands Visitor Center exit. Make a quick left on to Road 9702 and proceed four miles to the parking lot.

The one-day three-falls round-trip tour is prime for mountain bikers. Here and there along the way, the bike trail, which officially begins at Lava Island Falls, diverges from the hiking trail and later joins it again.

It’s all good as long as bikers and hikers use courtesy and common sense (this is no secret spot; the trails can get congested on weekends during the warm months). The Forest Service advises mountain bikers to slow down and alert others as they approach. Horses are restricted to a separate trail.

When you’re not keeping watch over the many moods of the Deschutes or doing your bit to promote harmony among multiple users, there are plenty of birds, trees and flowers to draw your attention.

Willow, chokecherry, birch, aspen and of course, ponderosa pine can all be seen along the trail. Also watch for osprey and kingfisher hunting for rainbow and brown trout as well as great blue heron lurking in the shallows. Canada geese and all manner of ducks also use the Deschutes corridor as a flyway.

All this nature along the Deschutes River Trail is a bracing reminder for the return visitor, a surprise to the uninitiated.

I know I’ll never look at Mirror Pond quite the same way again.