Washington Trails
Association
Trails for everyone, forever
Washington Trails
AssociationTrails for everyone, forever
What to do on an off day when not skiing? Winter and early-spring hikes are perfect for the canyons and arroyos north of Bend. By Julia Duin
Oregon’s snowpack draws skiers from around the world to its slopes in the central Cascades, foremost among them the stunning Mount Bachelor, which dominates the central Cascades. A blue bird day on the old volcano’s slopes is one the nicest pleasures of outdoor life in the Pacific Northwest.
But what to do on an off day when not skiing? There are alternate winter and early-spring hikes that are perfect for the canyons and arroyos north of Bend. We were in the area in early April to catch the last bit of skiing at Bachelor and wander the high desert before the hot temps began setting in.
Smith Rock State Park. Photo courtesy Julia Duin.
The grandaddy of all hiking spots is Smith Rock State Park, the birthplace of modern American sport climbing, and host to more than 1,800 rock-climbing routes. Since the wind was freezing, we stuck to a gentle ambling route along the Crooked River. (There is a bit of an incline to get down there from the parking lot.)
We enjoyed a far warmer hike at Spirit Rock, a gentle stroll of only a few hundred yards near Powell Butte on the edges of Brasada Ranch, an 1,800-acre luxury resort 22 miles south of Smith Rock and just west of Bend. People had lawn chairs out on its western slopes to enjoy the afternoon sun and, of course, the sunset views were great.
We found a third trail almost due east of Brasada in a wilderness area south of Redmond’s Eagle Crest neighborhood. Most of actual terrain in this area is fairly desolate, flat country, so it’s a pleasure to find something scenic among the juniper and sagebrush. This meandering trail on the cliffs on the eastern side of the Deschutes River was in a place known as Wildcat Canyon. It was a newer trail, so hardly anyone was there, and it only took about an hour to do.
In the afternoon, we wandered along another part of the Deschutes a bit further to the north in Terrebonne; this time along the river about a half mile to Steelhead Falls. The walk under stratified cliffs and past juniper trees with bright blue-white berries was pleasant and the smell of sagebrush was everywhere. We clambered down a steep incline about 20 feet to the falls and lingered awhile. The late afternoon shadows fell early since we were in a canyon, so we headed back to our cozy hotel.
The view from Spirit Rock. Photo courtesy Julia Duin.
Signs from Highway 97 near Redmond lead straight there. Misery Ridge Loop and Summit Trail are the park’s best-known trails for their amazing views, and neither are very long. But stick to paths along the river if you have small kids and don’t go in the summer when temperatures soar into the 100s. Despite the title, the locals call the place Smith Rocks.
This short hike is on the east side of the Brasada Resort, 16986 SW Brasada Ranch Road in Powell Butte. Drive through the property and take a right on Spirit Rock road and the trailhead will be up the hill on the right.
Drive 4 miles east on Highway 126 east of Redmond, turn south on Cline Falls Highway and go south 5.5 miles south to the gravel Newcomb Road and turn left. This is the Cline Buttes Recreation Area. Drive just over a mile to a green metal gate and a small parking area on the left. Continue on foot down the road, then take the first trail on your right, which will shortly lead you to a lovely walk along a cliff overlooking the Deschutes. There’s enough of a drop to the bottom that I wouldn’t recommend bringing very small children along, but most kids would do quite well on this hike.
Although I saw some joggers and dog walkers, this is a new trail, so it doesn’t appear in many hiking guides or maps. We walked along the canyon for a half mile, then looped back up to the gravel road and returned to our car via a shortcut through the sagebrush. The trail goes by several names: Rockbar Trail, Settlement Trail or just Wildcat Canyon.
It almost took us longer to drive to this hike than to walk it. From Hwy 97 in Terrebonne, turn west on NE Lower Bridge Way, drive 2 miles and take a right on NW 43rd Street. Follow that 1.8 miles to Chinook Drive. Go almost a mile and take a left onto Badger Road. Travel 1 mile and turn right on Quail Road. Follow Quail Road for .5 mile and take a left on River Road. Take River Road downhill to the Steelhead Falls trailhead and campground.
Once there, it only took us only 16 minutes to walk the half mile along the Deschutes River to the falls, which I’d guess were some 20 feet wide over a jumble of rocks. The descent was a bit steep but nothing a child age 5 or 6 couldn’t handle. Bring hiking boots if you want to clamber down to the falls themselves. You’re not going to spend more than an hour doing this hike unless sunshine beckons, in which case you can continue strolling north along the Deschutes.
Brasada Ranch, 16986 SW Brasada Ranch Road in Powell Butte. Brasada.com. We stayed in a Cascade bungalow with stunning views of the Three Sisters (Oregon’s third, fourth and fifth-highest peaks), that were first named Faith, Hope and Charity by early settlers in the area. We could also see Mount Jefferson from a west-facing deck. Brasada had several pools that pleased my kiddo, especially the collection of hot tubs she could roam about. Our room had a hot tub as well, from which we could view the stars at night. Brasada is well beyond the reach of Bend’s light pollution, so you can get some good stargazing in during those desert nights. Being there during the off-season, it wasn’t hard for us to get appointments at the spa, rent an electric bike or snag a trail ride on two accommodating horses.
SCP (Soul Community Planet) Redmond (https://scphotel.com/redmond/), on 521 SW 6th St., is for those who’d prefer a more in-town experience with an emphasis on sustainability. We stayed at this red-brick hotel during a second visit to the area during the fall. It was warm, cozy and it smelled of fresh-baked bread. A very pleasant restaurant, called Terra, attached on one end, provided exceptionally crunchy pizza and some of the best salad vinaigrette I’ve ever had. The fourth floor has an expansive open-air terrace that overlooks the town and would be great on summer nights. The rooms’ minimalist décor was in whites and greys; there’s a meditation room/small library on the first floor and your own mason jar in which to carry water.
