Hiking in Bend and around Central Oregon is a year-round activity—but there’s something especially magical about spring.
In spring, fed by winter snowmelt, waterfalls in Central Oregon reach their thundering peak. Wildflowers bloom alongside trails. The weather is warm enough for shorts, but snow-capped Cascade peaks still wear their winter jackets.
As you make plans to check out hiking trails in Central Oregon this season, here are a few excursions to inspire a magical outdoor adventure:
Keep reading for hiking trails and waterfalls to visit this spring.
Misery Ridge Trail Loop at Smith Rock State Park
Just two miles east of Terrebonne, Smith Rock State Park is beloved for the rhyolite formations that hug the Crooked River as it winds through the park.
A number of footpaths crisscross Smith Rock, and the Misery Ridge Trail Loop offers an idyllic introduction to what makes it so special. The four-mile (round-trip) path summits its namesake ridgeline, shows off views of farmland and far-off Cascade peaks, and skirts around Monkey Face—a bulbous formation popular with local climbers. Back along the Crooked River, keep an eye out for wildflowers between late April and June.
While you’re in the area, check out our guide to vineyards, viewpoints, and other fun things to do in Terrebonne, OR.
Tumalo Falls Near Bend
Roughly 14 miles west of Bend, Tumalo Falls is one of the area’s most popular destinations for anyone seeking out hiking trails and waterfalls. The 97-foot cascade provides a picturesque backdrop for outdoor adventure, making it one of the top waterfall hikes in Oregon.
A seasonal gate on Skyliner Road provides easy access to the Tumalo Falls Day Use Area, which overlooks the powerful waterfall, and is typically open between April or May and October. (If the gate’s still closed, it’s a gently sloped, five-mile round-trip trek to the Tumalo Falls viewpoint, which doubles as a trailhead that heads up Tumalo Creek.) Once the gate opens, an early-spring outing rewards hikers with colorful wildflowers, a welcome lack of mosquitoes, and plenty of solitude as the trail follows Tumalo Creek.
Deschutes River Trail: Benham Falls & Dillon Falls
Roughly halfway between Bend and Sunriver, a quiet stretch of Deschutes River Trail showcases two waterfalls—and is among the most unique waterfall hikes in Oregon.
We call it “unique” because neither looks like a waterfall in the traditional sense. Benham Falls, a short stroll from the Benham Falls East Day Use Area and Trailhead, is a 25-foot-tall series of rapids at a bend in the Deschutes River as it squeezes through a rocky canyon. Further north, the frothing Dillon Falls tumbles about 15 feet in a stepladder-like pattern while curving through an airy forest pockmarked by mammoth basalt rock. In between the waterfalls, the Deschutes River Trail occasionally descends to the edge of the waterway, looks out over lava flows across the channel, and gradually rolls through a forest of ponderosa pine.
Make the most of your next trip with our round-up of things to do in Bend, OR for outdoor destinations, food recommendations, cultural sites, and more.
The Newberry National Volcanic Monument & Paulina Creek Falls
Three individual sites make up Newberry National Volcanic Monument, which was created in 1990 to preserve its namesake volcano that covers roughly 1,200 square miles. They’re all worth visiting in spring and summer, but a visit to Paulina Creek Falls is undeniably one of the top waterfall hikes in Oregon.
Paulina Creek Falls sits at the western edge of the Newberry Caldera and is typically accessible in late May or June, depending on snow levels, making it an excellent late-spring trek. A wheelchair-accessible viewpoint near the parking area affords top-down views of the 80-foot-tall double waterfall, where two flumes tumble side by side, but a separate trail descends about 100 feet to the shore of Paulina Creek; there, you’ll enjoy straight-ahead views as Paulina Creek Falls cascades over a rock shelf and in the shadow of a lush forest.
Whychus Creek Overlook in Sisters, OR
You don’t have to work hard for epic views at the Whychus Creek Scenic Overlook just five miles south of Sisters. There, a short loop trail ascends gently through a pine forest that includes two viewpoints: One looks out over Black Butte and Mount Jefferson, while the other sits across Whychus Creek from the Three Sisters.
Two trails make up the loop: The North Trail is slightly more difficult, while the South Trail offers easier access to the wheelchair-accessible Three Sisters viewpoint. Get the scoop on the trail’s accessibility with Whychus Creek Overlook -Wheel the World. Once you’re back in town, celebrate with a filling meal and local craft beer, do some window-shopping, and enjoy the other fun things to do in Sisters, OR.
Hiking Trails at LaPine State Park
You could spend a whole weekend at LaPine State Park and still not see all of the park’s attractions. Base yourself in a shady campsite or well-kept cabin, and start exploring more than a dozen miles of multi-use trails that wind through the park. Some follow the shore of the Deschutes River, one heads to Fall River Falls, and one arrives at the base of Oregon’s largest ponderosa pine tree (which is more than 500 years old and about 160 feet tall).
For more inspiration, learn all about hiking, wildlife-watching, and indulging in the local food-and-drink scene with our look at things to do in La Pine, OR.
Plan Your Trip Today
Ready to go hiking in Bend? Start planning your waterfall hikes with a few easy tips:
Passes and permits: Wherever you go, check to see whether passes and permits—such as Northwest Forest Passes and Oregon State Park passes—might be required at your trailhead of choice.
Seasonal access: Access to some trails may be limited in early spring by snow or seasonal gate closures. Check conditions before heading out to ensure that it will be safe (and legal) to access a given hiking trail.
Preparation: Prepare by packing along the Ten Essentials whenever you go hiking; that includes plenty of water, navigation aids, and sun protection. You may also want to bring a trail map to stay oriented during your hike.
