Fifteen minutes south of Sunriver, the crystal-clear Fall River winds along a county road in La Pine State Park.

The Fall River Trail is a 6-mile out-and-back trail, accessible from several pull-out parking spots on County Road 42 and the Fall River Campground.

Just mere feet from the first parking pull-out is a view of the pristine spring-fed water. The trail then descends into old-growth ponderosa pine forest.

During a recent journey along the first couple miles of the trail with my dog, the Fall River periodically peeked through the trees and snaked fully into view several times. It was tranquil, far from the hustle and bustle of Sunriver, with surrounding sounds limited to muted road noise carrying through the trees and the squeaks of scurrying chipmunks.

A walk down to the riverbank left me in awe of Fall River’s glassy, transparent quality. A ray of light shone through the water, illuminating stones and a log resting at the bottom.

My dog and I had set out late in the day, with the sun hanging low in the sky. The yellow hues of golden hour enveloped the pines and the reflective, slow-moving water.

The Fall River eventually connects with the Deschutes River, where it contributes invaluable water quality, according to the U.S. Forest Service. It also supports the nearby Fall River Fish Hatchery.

It’s a popular fishing locale, where it’s limited to fly fishing, and stocked several times a year with brook and rainbow trout. The trout merge with naturally reproducing brook, brown and rainbow trout.

In “Bend, Overall (Hiking and Exploring Central Oregon)” author Scott Cook suggests beginning the trail from the Fall River Campground and walking along the shoreline fisherman’s path from the footbridge and heading a half mile toward the headwater springs.

More Coverage

September a perfect time to visit Newberry National Volcanic Monument

Getting there: Take exit 153 to Sunriver from Highway 97, go straight through the roundabout and then turn left on South Century Drive (also known as County Road 42). The first parking spaces are 10.2 miles down the road with others an additional 0.8 and 2.2 miles from that point.