In spring and fall, it’s worth venturing down to Bend’s Old Mill District for a little after-work walk. These times of year the parking is plentiful, the paths are less crowded, and if you can stand that cold river air, the lighting can be marvelous.

Come summer, the area is bustling with tourists and the Hayden Homes Amphitheater will be kicking out music, so soak in the quiet moments and follow a little of the city’s history along the paved, accessible 2.8-mile loop.

The district hosts two named paths, the Mill A Loop (1.5 miles) and the Loggers Loop (1.3 miles), both mainly following the river on both banks. Personally, I like to combine both for that longer distance, but with a couple of different options, you can cut things short or even lengthen it to include part of the Deschutes River Trail farther upstream.

Recently, I had some time to kill before catching a film screening at the Regal Old Mill 16, so I decided to take the walk for the first time this year. Armed with my puffy jacket and my crusty old country playlist, I set out upriver on the Mill A Loop starting just south of the pedestrian bridge in the heart of the Old Mill.

While the riverbanks sit with dormant shrubbery and cattails, it allows those taking in the trails here to see the river without having to crane one’s neck over the verdant bushes. The Deschutes was calm. Only a few ducks disturbed the glassy surface as I walked along spying old pilings, relics from the days this was a mill.

The Old Mill District has its moniker because there indeed used to be a mill here. Two, actually; the Shevlin-Hixon and Brooks-Scanlon mills, which graced either side of the river once upon a time.

Along the paths, you can become more accustomed to the cultural history of the area thanks to the collection of interpretive signs posted along the paths. Mill A Path is named for Brooks-Scanlon, which opened a month after its rival in April and March 1916, according to the Old Mill District’s history page on oldmilldistrict.com.

These mills made the town, both literally and figuratively. At one point, they were some of the biggest pine sawmills in operation, but in 1950, the two enterprises combined as Shevlin-Hixon sold to Brooks-Scanlon before it, too, closed in 1994.

A few remnants of the mill days remain visible along the Mill A path including the cement footings for Mill A’s burners, located on the grass between the river and Tumalo Creek Kayak and Canoe, near the Colorado Avenue crossing.

If you are more into natural history, you will also enjoy the wildlife along the river here, too. You can find resident mallard ducks, Canada geese as well as lesser scaup and various songbirds filling the branches of shore plants. You may even catch sight of an osprey or bald eagle catching a meal. In spring and during bird migration season, you’ll find more critters to add to your wildlife watch list, including the resident marmots whose presence are an official sign spring has arrived in Bend.

Mill A Path passes underneath Colorado Avenue and is vibrantly decorated on either side with wildlife murals, while inside the tunnel is a colorful abstract design that dazzles.

The path then crosses over the river on a pedestrian-only bridge spanning the whitewater park, which on slightly warmer days you’ll see surfers riding the wave. The day I went, however, it was still cold, even for the most intrepid.

Following the path on the edge of McKay Park under Colorado again past the amphitheater, once you reach the end of the fenced-off section turn left along the paved path and back toward the river. Here, you have the option of going back to the shops over the footbridge or continuing along the Loggers Loop.

This one crosses under Columbia Street, thanks to another colorful tunnel then between the river and the dog park where it continues through Riverbend Park until the footbridge.

Currently, the trail upstream here is closed, but you can cross here and continue your trek further upriver or stick to the Loggers Loop, which turns back toward the Old Mill here at the Two Bits sculpture, the art piece featuring two draft horses pulling a log welded out of a wide swath of found metal objects and materials.

The path again continues along the river and includes a spur path leading to a boardwalk that crosses over the mudflats over the river, where you can get a better look at the wildlife. On my visit, the light was dwindling, and a cold winter haze was beginning to fall, so I quickened the pace and made it back to my start point to grab a bite before the movie.

It’s worth taking a quick walk through Bend’s history, and this easy trail can be a great way to shake off the winter blues or see spring or fall colors.