The kids have started school, the days are shorter and the daily routine has returned, but no need to stop traveling. In fact, fall can be one of the best seasons to discover new adventures.
Whether a day trip, a Saturday and Sunday or a long weekend (kids always seem to be getting an extra day out of school), we should always take advantage of the beauty surrounding us. Plus, Bend, being almost smack dab in the middle of Oregon, has the benefit of being close to countless activities throughout the state. Here are some ideas for a wide variety of excursions this fall.
Cooler temperatures create the perfect climate for outdoor hiking. Starting close to Bend, my first thought is Smith Rock State Park. No matter how interesting and beautiful the terrain, hiking in midsummer can be brutal. Amazingly, the same hikes in autumn are blissful with zero complaints from the kids. Nearby farms like Smith Rock Ranch and DD Ranch have pumpkin patches, and as Halloween approaches, they offer a variety of activities for kids and adults. (The pumpkin cannon is my family’s favorite).
In the vicinity, trails leading to the Redmond Caves are often dusty and blazing hot during summer, but much more tolerable in the fall months. The same rings true for the Oregon Badlands Wilderness, a landscape of cool rock formations, bedraggled junipers and sage, stunning in its own right and best explored on cooler days.
Farther from Bend, but still within striking distance, take the family rockhounding. At spots near the Prineville Reservoir and the Ochocos, scavengers can search for agate and jasper. Glass Butte is the best place to find obsidian. Get a map online or at Visit Bend for more details about what types of rock are native and where to find them.
If the kids enjoy this type of activity, consider a visit to John Day Fossil Beds where they can view prehistoric rhinos, tapirs, alligators and other ancient wildlife and vegetation that once thrived in Oregon. If viewing those vestiges of history isn’t enough, why not dig for your own? A short jaunt to Fossil, Oregon leads to Wheeler High School, a location where anyone can dig for real fossils! I mean, how cool is that?!
Most of these destinations are less crowded during the fall, another advantage of traveling during this time of year. Crater Lake, Oregon’s only national park, comes to mind. Rather than waiting in line at the entry and hoping to find a spot to take photos, you can find space during the fall and admire the scenery without much interruption.
I haven’t forgotten the signature of autumn, the multicolored hues of changing leaves. The bright maples along Industrial Way and other trees in several parks around Bend are awesome, but for a larger concentration of colorful deciduous trees like birch, oak, ash and others, we need a road trip.
Spend the weekend in Ashland. Lithia Park and the surrounding environs are ablaze with vivid reds, yellows and oranges. Introduce the kids to a Shakespeare play while there, too.
Spots like the Japanese Garden and Hoyt Arboretum are an oasis of brilliant colors in Portland, only a few hours away. OMSI is usually a must visit for families, among other countless activities that come with big city life.
Near Springfield, the Mount Pisgah Arboretum offers nature walks and talks, some workshops and has a seemingly endless number of trails to explore. The lushness and diversity of the area always beckons me to spend more time in the valley. Nearby, Dorris Ranch boasts the distinction of a national historic site, a living history farm, a working filbert (aka, hazelnut) orchard and has numerous trails and a park. Plus, it’s always fun to visit the Simpsons while in Springfield!
I could go on and on with excursions to keep the fall months fun and exciting, but I’ll stop there for now. School schedules and such might make travel more difficult, but these are outweighed by the rewards and family experiences. We are lucky to live in such a huge state full of diverse climates, scenery and excitement at our fingertips. Living in Oregon, you are guaranteed to never run out of new places to discover.
For more adventures near Bend, check out Joshua’s entertaining travel guide, “100 Things to Do in Bend Before You Die V2”, available in local bookstores and on Amazon!
This article appears in Jul 25, 2023 – Aug 14, 2024.
MAKE LOCAL JOURNALISM HAPPEN
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
