A runner makes his way along a curvy section of path while exercising along the Dry Canyon Trail in Redmond.

Humans are creatures of habit — running humans even more so.

I often get stuck running the same 4- or 5-mile routes over and over again, instead of taking advantage of the multitude of trail options that Central Oregon offers.

Two of my frequent routes are the Old Mill District/South Canyon River Trail loop and the First Street Rapids trail.

Now, the new boardwalk connecting Drake Park in downtown Bend with Pacific Park north of the Newport Avenue Bridge allows me to combine those two routes for an out-and-back run that showcases the best of Bend.

If this sounds like a tip for tourists, well, maybe it is. Besides, isn’t fall the best time to be a Central Oregon local acting like a tourist? The summer vacationers are gone and the skiers and snowboarders are not here yet, so let’s enjoy the Bend tourist traps in November.

On Saturday, I started out on the paved paths of the Old Mill District and ran north through grassy Drake Park. I cut through the grass onto the boardwalk and under Newport Avenue, connecting to Pioneer Park and eventually the First Street Rapids Trail. This is a route I never would have considered before because I would not want to deal with crossing Newport in downtown Bend.

Before the steep hill near River’s Edge Golf Course along the First Street Rapids Trail, I turned around to go back the way I came. It made for a 6-mile run that included the Old Mill, Drake Park and dramatic river scenery. And the trails were all wide enough to make passing walkers easy.

Here are a few more options for fall trail running in Central Oregon:

Central Oregon Historic Canal Trail

The Central Oregon Historic Canal Trail parallels the canal and connects to parks, trails and area businesses. If you are looking for a trail run that includes both west and east Bend, or looking to add some miles to a run on the Deschutes River Trail, then the 4-mile canal trail is an ideal option.

The trail runs unbroken from the Deschutes River east to Reed Market Road. It includes a tunnel under U.S. Highway 97, an under-crossing at Brookswood Boulevard, and a pedestrian-activated crossing signal at Third Street. I use the canal trail to connect to the river trail from southeast Bend.

An additional section of the canal trail is open between 15th Street and Ferguson Avenue in southeast Bend. There is no public access along the canal through the Nottingham neighborhood.

Maintained by the Bend Park & Recreation District, the canal trail features a wide path for passing and soft, compacted gravel.

Dry Canyon in Redmond

Those who live in Redmond know the Dry Canyon Park well. A mix of High Desert geological features with modern recreational amenities, the park stretches 3.7 miles through the center of Redmond. Within the park are a variety of paved and dirt trails, some singletrack and some wider, allowing for out-and-back trail runs with little elevation gain.

The majority of the Dry Canyon is set aside as a nature preserve, and the steep canyon walls reflect the volcanic past of the area.

Peterson Ridge in Sisters

Located on the southern edge of Sisters, the Peterson Ridge network consists basically of two main trails — Peterson Ridge Trail West and Peterson Ridge Trail East — with about a dozen smaller trails that connect the two sides. The network is well-marked with signs on nearly every trail connector (the trailhead kiosk is usually stuffed with detailed maps that show every numbered junction in the network).

PRT West is a bit more technical and cuts alongside the edge of the ridge. Runners can enjoy the views as they climb. PRT East features more flow and fewer rocks.

More than 15 loop options are possible along the PRT from Sisters, varying in distance from 1.4 miles to 20.8 miles.