Pilot Butte State Scenic Viewpoint is home to the Pilot Butte Summit Road Trail and paralleling Nature Trail, each of which is one mile long and wraps around the 480-foot butte, among the most heavily trafficked trails in Bend. That’s no surprise given the many neighborhoods surrounding the park, which is located on Bend’s east side and a convenient place to grab a quick bit of cardio exercise.

But Pilot Butte also has a much less widely traveled trail, the 1.6-mile Pilot Butte Base Trail. Don’t let the name fool you. As this reporter and his nearly 13-year-old dog were reminded earlier this week, the trail’s name is a bit of a misnomer given the fact that a good portion of it — the sections on the east and south sides — are located a little way up the butte.

I’m not sure about the dog, but this reporter was also reminded what a gem Pilot Butte is as we strolled among the junipers. You can patch into the Base Trail from the summit road (closed to vehicle traffic in winter), or if you’re arriving on Larkspur Trail or you’re parked in the parking lot to the east, start on the paved trail up the butte, a la hikers with higher aspirations, and keep an eye for Base Trail signs.

Staying on the main trail may prove a little trickier on the west side of the butte, where there are fewer signs and more user-created trails, and keep an eye out for lingering ice near where the trail abuts Pilot Butte Middle School.

Pilot Butte State Scenic Viewpoint is located at 1310 NE Highway 20, Bend. Contact: 541-388-6055 or oregonstateparks.org.