10 Central Oregon Activities Fueled by BeGOAT
Bend, Oregon, located in the heart of the state, is home to many outdoor activities. It is also the founding location of BeGOAT; one of the healthiest energy drinks in the market. What better way to complete your packing list for a full day’s outdoor adventure than to throw in a few BeGOAT flavors! A refreshing midday beverage with an added 200 mg of caffeine is the perfect way to boost your active afternoon. Here is our local guide to exciting activities throughout Central Oregon. Whether you choose to have a paddle or binoculars in one hand, we sure hope BeGOAT is in the other!
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Enjoy a day skiing or snowboarding at Hoodoo
Hoodoo is located 44 miles west of Bend and is the landmark of Oregon’s Santiam Pass. It was founded in 1938 and remains the original ski area and the ideal destination for family-friendly excitement. It offers over 800 acres of terrain, 34 runs, and 5 lifts. If skiing or snowboarding doesn’t seem to be hitting the spot, you can find the largest tubing park in the West at Hoodoo. Talk about a full day of family fun!
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Paddleboard through the picturesque Old Mill
The Old Mill is one of Bend’s most iconic districts. Filled with outstanding shopping, delicious restaurants, wine-tasting rooms, exercise facilities, and a paved river trail walking loop. Three large and beautiful smokestacks shoot out from REI which have been preserved from when the Old Mill was a logging mill in the early 1900s. Better yet, you can paddleboard right through the middle of it all! You can easily rent paddleboards from Tumalo Creek Kayak & Canoe if you didn’t bring your equipment.
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Take a casual hike to Tumalo Falls
Nestled into Bend, you can find some stunning waterfalls. Tumalo Falls is one you won’t want to miss, and you can enjoy a leisure hike with an outstanding view of one large fall with a few smaller ones above it. This is a perfect day hike equating to 6.4 miles out and back. It takes approximately 2.5 hours to complete, and certainly worth every moment! With only 557 feet of elevation gain, this popular Bend activity is perfect for the entire family.
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Road Cycle the Tumalo Loop scenic route
Starting and finishing the bike ride in Drake Park, is a fantastic activity to get your heart rate elevated in addition to seeing a lot of beautiful Central Oregon terrain. The Twin Bridge Loop is the most popular and scenic road biking route in the area. Covering an astounding 36 miles of rolling terrain, offering magnificent views of the forests, and farmland, in addition to the sprawling Cascade Mountain Range. For instructions on how to complete this route, click here. This will be a worthwhile and memorable road cycling experience!
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Treat yourself to a few laps of mountain biking through Phil’s Trail
Phil’s Trail is a massive network of trails rated for all levels of experience mountain bikers. It is certainly one of the most popular trailheads in the Pacific Northwest. Most of the trails are rated beginner to intermediate, with a handful of advanced options. You can quickly stack several trails to add up the distance to whatever is preferred. This is the perfect playground for new and conservative mountain bikers or families who are riding with all their kiddos.
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Rock Climb at the world-renown Smith Rock
Smith Rock, the mecca of rock climbing, is located just 26 miles northeast of Bend. Its massive canyon gorge and towering rock walls are quite a sight to see. It was recently nominated as one of the 7 Wonders of Oregon for a reason! With hundreds of sport and traditional climbing routes, you can get easily spend an entire weekend at this state park. If climbing isn’t your cup of tea, there is a wonderful 4-mile hiking trail that guides you up and over Misery Ridge. From here, you will see a well-known rock by the name of Monkey’s Face, for the very reason that it looks like a giant monkey’s face! The view from up top is spectacular and certainly worth the steep hike!
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Easy breezy sail around Elk Lake
Several immaculate alpine lakes are tucked up in the Cascade Mountain Range just 25 miles southwest of Bend. Elk Lake Resort is one of the more popular destination lakes with access to a full resort, from live music to delicious elk burgers and rentable cabins. With an afternoon breeze that always sweeps over the lake, this is a fantastic lake to sail, especially without needing to compete with motorized boats. The lake is usually peppered with sailboats each summer evening as the sun begins to set and the music from the lodge is performed.
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Observe the wildlife at Benham Falls
Benham Falls is a set of rapids, ranking to be the largest on the Deschutes River. These rapids were formed by a volcano eruption about 6,000 years ago! Now, the area has been moderately developed for hikers to enjoy the river trail and falls. The shady area is a sanctuary to Central Oregon flora and fauna. You’ll find yourself amongst tall Poderosa Pines and on the border of a riparian area. There are many picnic tables to enjoy an afternoon of observing all the wildlife. Maybe you’ll even see a few rafters or kayakers navigate their way through the class 5 rapid!
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Catch your biggest fish in the Upper Deschutes
With year-round fishing opportunities, the Upper Deschutes provides several possibilities for flyfishing anglers. Depending on which portion of the river you choose to fish, you can catch brown trout, rainbow trout, and brook trout, all providing a picture-perfect moment. If you need purchasing flies replicating the local insects, stop by Fly & Field Outfitters. They will be sure to set you up depending on the time of year and the fish you are wanting to catch. Bend, Oregon is located in the heart of Oregon and home to a healthy list of outdoor activities. From mountain biking at Phil’s Trail to rock climbing at Smith Tock or trail hiking to Tumalo Falls, we’ve provided a list of our top 10 favorites with a high-level guide to accomplishing each activity. If your paddle or binoculars are in one hand and BeGOAT is in the other, you certainly won’t be disappointed. Happy adventures and we look forward to bumping into you at the trailhead!
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Sunset paraglide at Pine Mountain
Pine Mountain is a beautiful landscape with outstanding views of the Cascade Mountain Range. It’s located 33 miles east of Bend and is known for the perfect winds that pick up during the summer months as the day heats and triggers thermal wind. There are several launch and landing zones around the entire mountain. There are a few private property launching and landing zones in which you need to respect the property rules and regulations, otherwise, the zones are located on BLM or Forest Service land.
This is a small fraction of activities available in Bend and around Central Oregon. You cannot go wrong with whichever activities you choose to embark on! Stop by any local convenience store to pick up BeGOAT on your way out of the neighborhood.
We promise you cannot go wrong with whatever activities you choose to participate in or what BeGOAT flavor you choose for that day. Happy voyage & see you on the trails!
References & Resources:
https://www.oldmilldistrict.com
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/oregon/tumalo-creek-trail-to-tumalo-falls
https://www.visitbend.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Oregon-Scenic-Bikeway-Twin-Bridges-1.pdf
https://www.visitbend.com/points-interest/smith-rock-state-park/
