Changes lie ahead for several sections of Bend’s most popular trails, following a proposal to improve heavily used areas west of Bend and Sunriver. The Deschutes National Forest signed the final decision for its West Bend Trails Project on Jan. 14. The project aims to provide more opportunities for all trail users, including hikers, mountain bikers, skiers and others, while minimizing disturbance and negative impacts to other resources.
The proposal will make changes to several sections of the popular trail system, starting on the west edge of Bend and extending west to areas around Mt. Bachelor.
DNF’s project is set to reroute approximately 8.8 miles of trail, construct about 17.5 miles of new trail and decommission about 17 miles of unauthorized trail. The project also includes Travel Management actions, changing how some roads are used to protect recreation infrastructure and trails, on approximately 33.3 miles of system roads.
DNF expects trail construction to begin within the next two years. According to a press release, the process of adding, decommissioning and rerouting trails will improve confusing intersections, provide better connectivity and different types of trail opportunities, while also reducing disturbances to wildlife.
The Central Oregon Trail Alliance, which advocates for and helps to maintain and build trails, worked with the Forest Service and advocated for many of the changes laid out in the proposal. The organization said it often hears requests for more advanced and challenging terrain – something that will be addressed in the DNF project.
Some of the changes include rerouting sections of trails such as Pine Drops and Swampy Loop, and adding a formal connector trail between Shevlin Park and Phil’s Trail – allowing people to put trails together in new and different ways, creating shorter or longer loops.
The proposal will also create 5 miles of new winter bike trail, southwest of Kiwa Butte, and 5.3 miles of new trail to the incomplete mountain bike route on the unnamed butte above Wanoga Snow Play. DNF allowed public comment in April to obtain feedback about the project. According to Kaitlyn Webb, public affairs and partnerships staff officer with DNF, there were no significant changes made based on feedback.
“We’re looking for ways that we can incorporate more downhill and technical trails so that we can meet that need for the growing demand for that here with mountain bike populations,” Webb with DNF told the Source in April.
This article appears in Jan 28, 2025 – Jan 28, 2026.
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