Bend and Central Oregon are blessed with miles and miles of spectacular off-road running trails. If you are in town before or after Sunday’s Haulin’ Aspen races, here is a quick look at several local trails to hit before leaving the area:

Deschutes River Trail (South Canyon loop)Start under the Bill Healy Bridge at Farewell Bend Park and run southwest along the east side of the Deschutes River to the South Canyon Bridge. Follow the trail back on the river’s west side to Riverbend Park, which connects with Farewell Bend Park via a footbridge. The loop checks in at right about 3 miles.

Deschutes River Trail (First Street rapids out-and-back)For a longer in-town run, start at First Street Rapids Park in northwest Bend and follow the Deschutes north. This portion of the DRT takes runners briefly through the River’s Edge Golf Course and into Sawyer Park. The trail eventually climbs to the top of the Deschutes River Canyon and rewards runners with spectacular views of the Deschutes River and the Cascade mountains. If you loop around Awbrey Butte before heading back down the trail you can stretch the run to just under 10 miles.

Phil’s Trail networkHaulin’ Aspen runners will get a brief taste of Phil’s on Sunday, but with approximately 50 miles of singletrack trails situated less than three miles west of downtown Bend, Phil’s is worth visiting multiple times while you are in Central Oregon. One of the most popular routes with mountain bikers and runners is the 2-mile stretch of flowing singletrack from the start of Phil’s Trail to the “flaming chicken” roundabout. If you’re not ready to head back when you hit the chicken — a downsized replica of the roundabout art on 14th and Galveston in Bend — take the KGB Trail up to Kent’s Trail and explore more.

Deschutes River Trail (Upper Deschutes)While there are numerous starting points along the Deschutes River, the well-worn trail from Meadow Camp to Benham Falls is one of the most popular for a reason. Following the Deschutes south, runners will swing by Lava Island, Dillon Falls and the Ryan Ranch Meadow all on singletrack trails before hitting Benham Falls. This out-and-back route is 8.5 miles one way. To get to the Meadow Camp trailhead, take the Cascade Lakes Highway six miles west of town and turn left onto a gravel road that has a sign marked “Meadow Camp Picnic Area.” Follow this road 1.3 miles to the start of the trail.

—Beau Eastes