Heading outside: Hosmer Lake offers paddling, fishing

Published 2:58 pm Thursday, July 10, 2025

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Mountain bikers ride the Mrazek Trail through a burn area in the Deschutes National Forest. (Mark Morical/Bulletin file photo)

It’s going to be a hot week in Central Oregon.

Temperatures are forecast to reach the 90s both Saturday and Sunday. With clear, sunny skies all week, expect toasty summer days — perfect for lounging along and floating the Deschutes River or spending time at a Cascade lake. Lows are expected to be around 60 degrees at night.

Mountain bike trails are dry and sandy, but make for enjoyable riding. Make the most of these hot Central Oregon days with an alpine hike in the morning and time spent on the river in the afternoon.

Below are some recommended spots for recreation this weekend.

Hosmer Lake offers paddling, fishing, views

Escape the heat at Hosmer Lake off of Cascade Lakes National Scenic Byway. Offering views of Mount Bachelor, South Sister and Broken Top along with wildlife, the lake is popular for canoeists, kayakers and other paddlers. The views can also be enjoyed from the shallow lake’s shoreline. It’s also a great spot for fly-fishing.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) has received positive reports on fly angling for brook and rainbow trout at Hosmer, according to its website. The warmer lower lake is experiencing an algae bloom, according to the ODFW, and fish are congregating in the upper lake and channel. The lake is restricted to fly-fishing only with barbless hooks and is catch-and-release for all species.

Hosmer Lake is about a 45-minute drive from Bend. At 5,000 feet, the air should be a little cooler than in town.

Mrazek Trail opens up high country

The Mrazek Trail is riding well, according to reports on bendtrails.org. I also rode a couple of sections a couple of weeks ago and it was superb. The trail starts just west of Shevlin Park and is a classic summer route that opens up much of the western, high-elevation trails like Trail 99 and Metolious-Windigo.

Mrazek currently has a few closures to consider: The junction between Forest Service Road (FSR) 700 east to FSR 4601. Another section between FSR 370/4601 junction east to the junction with FSR 700 is closed Monday through Friday. Hop on a forest road to bypass the closures.

Some higher trails, like the Met-Win, do still have snow in spots, according to reports on the BendTrails Facebook page. The full Mrazek trail is 13 miles long and climbs more than 3,000 feet. This is an intermediate-level trail.

Monthly stockings prime Fall River

According to the ODFW website, fly anglers continue to report good and consistent fishing in the Fall River thanks to monthly trout stockings.

ODFW replenishes the river each month, providing excellent angling opportunities. Anglers report that nymphing and stripping small streamers with light fluorocarbon tippet have been the most effective methods. With the warm temperatures, anglers should keep an eye out for Green Drake and Pale Morning Dun — mayfly species — hatches and dry-fly opportunities.

The Fall River is restricted to fly-fishing with barbless hooks only. ODFW staff have noticed an increase in lures being used in Fall River. The use of lures and bait is prohibited, according to the ODFW website.

Check out the ODFW’s website for more fishing reports.

Get out early, late during heat waves

With 90-degree temperatures this weekend, getting out early will have its benefits. I often like to get an early morning or late evening run along the Deschutes River Trail. The gravel sections on the north and south ends of town, and various spin-off trails along the canals, such as the Central Oregon Historic Canal Trail, heading east from Brookswood Boulevard just south of Blakely Park, offer great soft-surface, flattish running.

On the north end, the Deschutes River Trail curves around the north side of Awbrey Butte through Awbrey Reach and along Archie Briggs Canyon. This section offers some rolling terrain and landscape views of the High Desert and Deschutes River in the canyon below. There’s also a great spot to dip in the river post run, right by the bridge at First Street Rapids Park as you make your way back toward downtown.

Possibly the most popular section of trail is on both sides of the river southwest of Riverbend and Farewell Bend parks. The winding and rolling gravel trail follows the river for a couple of miles before coming to the south-end bridge to take you back along the other side of the river. An impromptu dip in the river is easy here if you are overheating.

For a full list of conditions updated regularly, visit bendbulletin.com/conditions-report.

Ian Haupt: 541-617-7821 or ian.haupt@bendbulletin.com. 

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