On what I hope was the last triple-digit temperature day of the season, I visited a hidden gem of a trail in a corner of Shevlin Park that is off the radar of most of the big regional park’s daily visitors. The Tree Farm trails are among the best-kept secrets in Central Oregon, and it lived up to this reputation on my recent morning visit.

Bend Park & Recreation District teamed up with Trust for Public Lands and West Bend Property Company a handful of years ago to apply for a Community Forest Program grant from the U.S. Forest Service to acquire The Tree Farm open space. The Miller Family’s legacy included the viable and productive tree farm, the water facility that provides water to the majority of Bend households, and a residential development.

As a community forest, the 329-acre Tree Farm property is managed for recreation, improving public access to nature, and expanding connectivity to the National Forest and Shevlin Park with additional bicycle and pedestrian trails. The acres also brought the size of Shevlin Park up to nearly 1,000 acres.

My favorite thing about Tree Farm is the view of the mountains that you get from Bill’s Trail, a single-track section that was built by the BPRD Natural Resources crew in 2019. Connectivity is the main benefit of the Tree Farm addition. It creates several good loop options between U.S. Forest Service land and Shevlin Park for biking, hiking, walking and running.

I met a nearby neighbor named Fred out for his daily walk with his Boxer named Jordan. This duo covers about 5 miles daily and said they love it because they rarely encounter other trail users. As Fred said, you can go 20 miles and not duplicate sections of trail if you want to keep it fresh and not on repeat.

For biking, it’s important to be aware of some restrictions. Bill’s Trail and Miller’s Trail are closed year-round to bikes. Outback Trail is the only trail through Tree Farm that allows bikes year-round. Waterline Trail and the Tree Farm Connector Trail allow bikes from March 15 to Nov. 15.

BPRD protects Shevlin Park’s winter range for mule deer and Rocky Mountain elk in the cold winter months by limiting the use of bicycles on a portion of the park’s trails, as bicycles cause greater disturbance to wildlife then pedestrians.

When the weather turns, please help protect the deer and elk by observing bicycle restrictions, as well as staying on trails and always keeping your dog on-leash. Coyote sightings are fairly common, too, and there was a den on the property in the past.

The other Tree Farm trails are former logging roads and are great for walking or biking side by side. As I walked the trails, my friend and I caught up on a variety of personal and professional topics, which was much-needed and enjoyable. I recommend this hidden gem if you’re looking for a September outing.

Parking for Shevlin Park Tree Farm access

The new Outback Trail provides established parking for accessing trail sections, including the Tree Farm, from Discovery Park. Deschutes County recently closed a small roadside parking area located near the Shevlin Park Tree Farm Trailhead.

Curbside parking is available at Discovery Park along NW Discovery Park Drive and NW Crossing Drive/NW Crosby Drive.

In addition, parking is possible at Phil’s Trailhead located in the Deschutes National Forest. Trails users are advised to use extreme caution if crossing Skyliners Road to and from Phil’s Trailhead. Forest Service Road 4606 provides good access to Tree Farm with a large area to park as well as a welcome kiosk with a map.