For snowshoers, Central Oregon is a winter wonderland of many miles of easily accessible, dedicated snowshoe trails. Ranging in mileage and difficulty, these local trails are easy to follow and regularly maintained by the Central Oregon Nordic Club (CONC). And beginning this season, the new Vista Butte trail provides snowshoers with a challenging route and a big view payoff at the end.

Work on this trail by CONC began in January 2016 with the initial scouting of the route, followed later by submission to the U.S. Forest Service for approval. Construction was finally begun earlier this year and completed in late fall. Over 250 hours of CONC volunteer work, including scouting, marking, clearing, trimming, brushing, and sign and marker installation were required to complete the trail. Funding for the markers and signs was provided by a Small Projects Grant from Deschutes Trails Coalition. Dogs are not allowed on this trail.

Taking the trail

At the parking area, my friend and I strapped on our snowshoes and walked toward the trailhead kiosk and the blue snowshoe trail sign directing us to the trail. We also noticed the blue diamond assurance markers with the yellow snowshoe figure fastened onto the trees every 75 to 125 feet or so. Spaced so the next markers in front of and behind are visible when standing next to a marker, they are reflective and appear even more visible in low light.

From the start, the trail begins its 700-foot climb to the summit. It is rated “Most Difficult” due to the elevation gain over its 1-mile length. Three short, steeper sections are broken up by more moderate terrain. We climbed this trail right after new snow had fallen, and breaking trail in the powdery, fresh snow was very hard work. We stopped many times just to catch our breath. But we took our time, traded out the leading duties and just enjoyed tromping in the beautiful forest as we anticipated the big view reward at the top. Along the way, we also crossed over several ski trails and snowmobile trail No. 5. We checked both ways carefully before crossing over these existing trails.

We labored up the final, steepest pitch and came out into the open. We first turned right and headed slightly downhill, where we were rewarded with up-close views of Mount Bachelor and Tumalo Mountain. We could even see as far south as Mount Thielsen and Diamond Peak. We then turned back uphill and followed the trail higher up the summit as Broken Top and the Three Sisters came into view. We also looked down into the Swampy Lakes area and saw the open Swampy meadow as well as miles beyond all around.

A longer way down

We ate a well-earned snack as we drank in the stupendous views. Once we had our fill, we had a decision to make. We could follow our existing tracks and head back the way we came, or, we could follow the marked ski trail (blue diamonds) and take a longer, more leisurely route back to the trailhead. I use the Avenza mapping app available for phones, and had downloaded the free Vista Butte Sno-park map at home. It operates using GPS tracking so cell service isn’t needed to see your location on the map. We decided to be adventurous and take the longer ski route down. We were careful to parallel the ski tracks instead of stepping on them. The trip back to the trailhead was a lot easier since it was downhill and we stopped several times to chat and check our route. We arrived back at the trailhead tired from our exertions, but exhilarated from the exercise, fresh air, and awesome views.

Here are some logistics: the Vista Butte Sno-Park is a small parking area along Century Drive and there is no highway sign. Heading from Bend toward Mt Bachelor, drive 2 miles past Swampy Sno-Park then look for a cleared area along the right side of the highway shortly before reaching the junction to Sunriver. If you’re coming from Sunriver, take a right onto Century Drive toward Bend, then immediately look to the left side of the highway for the cleared area once the divided highway comes together. If the parking area is full, park at the nearby Kapka Butte Sno-Park and follow the Kapka/Vista trail tie through the Century Drive underpass then take a left and parallel the highway until you get to the Vista Butte parking area. Snowshoers share the tie with skiers and the underpass with snowmobilers, so keep an eye (and ear) out. You must have a Sno-Park permit to park at both Vista Butte and Kapka.

If you’ve done all of the existing snowshoe trails and are looking for a new challenge with an incredible view, the new Vista Butte snowshoe trail will certainly fit the bill. Go check it out!