The best hikes around Bend, Oregon, ranked

Out of all the places we visited in our 6 month road trip, Bend was easily my favorite. Incredible hikes within a 30 minute drive, cute stores and cafes, tubing, kayaking, plenty of great dining and drinking options and even ClassPass – Bend really had it all. This post ranks all the hikes we did within an hour of Bend in the month we were there. Some of these hikes require permits at the trailheads during the summer so the relevant permits are linked below. For No Name Lake and Bend Glacier, Green Lakes and South Sister, we had to reserve the permits a week in advance. These hikes are popular so the permits would book up within a minute or two of the ticket opening window. 

6. Tumalo Mountain – 4 miles, 1424 feet of elevation, no permit required

5. Scott to Tenas Lake – 4.9 miles, 662 feet of elevation, permit required

4. Green Lakes – 9.1 miles, 1,187 feet of elevation, permit required

3. Misery Ridge and River Trail – 3.5 miles, 948 feet of elevation, ticket can be bought at park

2. No Name Lake and Bend Glacier – 5.5 miles, 1420 feet of elevation, permit required

1. South Sister Trail – 11.6 miles, 4986 feet of elevation, permit required 

6. Tumalo Mountain Trail – 4 miles, 1424 feet of elevation

This hike was perfect for a quick workout after work. It took us under 2 hours and was only 30 minutes from Bend. The hike steadily climbs Tumalo mountain with very little variation in incline. There’s a clearly marked path to the top and minimal chances of getting lost. Although it made for a great workout and got us sweating, the views at the top were not comparable to surrounding hikes. The fact that we did the hike in the evening when the sun was right over the mountains might have contributed to that. I would recommend doing this hike in the morning or early afternoon if you’re going for the views. From the top, we could see Broken Top, Middle Sister and South Sister on one side , and other peaks and hills on the other side.

5. Scott to Tenas Lake – 4.9 miles, 662 feet of elevation

This was our first hike in Oregon. It’s a little further from Bend, and we took an hour to get there. The hike goes through a forest for about a mile and a half before hitting the first lake – Benson Lake. Benson Lake was pretty but the highlight was definitely the last lake. Tenas Lake is smaller but our experience there was magical. We were the only people when we got there and mist was floating above the lake. The water was almost warm and we would’ve taken a swim if we’d carried swimsuits.

4. Green Lakes – 9.1 miles, 1,187 feet of elevation

Don’t let the distance of this hike intimidate you. The hike is mostly flat with some short areas of elevation gain, making it a very manageable 9 miles. It took us 4 hours, including a long period of relaxing by the Green Lakes. The first portion of the hike transverses through forest and the second half goes along a path parallel to South Sister.

The second half has beautiful views of South Sister the whole way. At the end, we were greeted with a South Sister shining over the Green Lakes. There are plenty of areas to relax around the lakes and some great picnic spots.

3. Misery Ridge and River Trail – 3.5 miles, 948 feet

This hike packs a lot in 3.5 miles. Set in Smith Rock State Park, the hike goes through the unique and awe inspiring rock structures around the park. An added bonus was that there was a rock climbing festival that weekend so we saw some pretty crazy things like people climbing Monkey Face and practicing tightrope walking.

The hike starts with a descent to the point where the climbing starts. This climb is quite steep and covers almost 700 feet in less than half a mile. This along with the ascent back up to the hike’s starting point makes up the hike’s 1000 ft of elevation. We finished the hike just around sunset and got to see the rock structures glowing red and reflected in the water.

2. No Name Lake and Bend Glacier – 5.5 miles, 1420 feet

This hike had stunning views throughout and the lake and Broken Top at the end were truly special. Broken Top is especially unique because it is literally the inside of a volcano that eroded due to glaciers.

We reached the lake in the evening so the light was against Broken Top but the colors were still spectacular. There were purples, pinks and reds against the greenish blue lake that made us feel like we were on another planet.

Getting to the trailhead

Getting to the start of this hike was an adventure in itself for us. The trailhead is deep in the woods and is reachable only by driving for 5 miles on the worst road you can imagine full of ruts and the deepest potholes. We came here on a Tuesday in our Subaru Outback and we reached a huge rut about a mile into the dirt road drive. My husband decided not to take the risk of damaging the car and we turned around.

At this point, we had 2 options – do the long version of the trail (13 miles vs 5) or find another way to reach the trailhead. We decided to rent a car for the next day since we already had other plans for the weekend and didn’t have a full day left in our month to do the hike. We found a Toyota Tundra on Turo a mile from our Airbnb and easily (relatively) got through the awful road the next day. I’m not sure how the long version of the hike is but I highly, highly recommend finding a way to get to this trailhead.

1. South Sister Loop – 11.6 miles, 4986 feet

South Sister was easily the uncontested winner in this list, and perhaps even the best hike in our entire trip. The hike ticked all of our checkboxes. Incredible views from the top and along the way, a challenging and intense workout, beautiful lake stops, and maneuvering various types of terrain – South Sister offered so much.

We started this hike at 8am and it took us 8 hours including breaks to reach back down around 4pm. It was grueling in parts, especially as we neared the top. After several sections of steep uphill climbing, we stopped at Lewis Tarn, which is a lake 1 mile from the top. It was a good place to rest because the rest of the hike to the summit was the most challenging portion for us. The last mile is a 50-70% inclined climb up lose rock and gravel, and required all our determination to get to the top.

From the top, we could see Middle and North Sister on side and several lakes on the other. We were lucky to get a clear day in August and the view of the Sisters was one of the most rewarding views we’d ever seen. On the way down, the views did get smokier so I would recommend starting early.

Final Notes about the hike:

1. The first 1.7 miles are a gradual incline through forest.
2. There is an option for a slight detour just after the forest to see Morraine Lake. (adds about half a mile).
3. We definitely needed our permits for this hike – nobody checked in the beginning but around 3.5 – 4 miles in, there was a ranger checking everyone’s permits and turning back people who didn’t have one. 
4. We carried 4 liters of water for 2 people and some fruits, nuts and 2 sandwiches to sustain ourselves and it was sufficient.
5. Overall, this hike was difficult but a non-technical one in the summer/fall.