Our Favorite Places to Paddle in Oregon
Flat water standup paddling on high mountain lakes defines the Central Oregon paddling experience. The town of Bend, Oregon, is half edged with the solitary peaks of the Cascade mountain range. Settled into the spaces between the mountains are beautiful lakes. The water is clear and clean. The water temperature ranges from cold to not-so-cold, unless you're a native Northerner, then you'll think the water is warm. The air can be very warm. Summer temperatures are often in the 80's and 90's F. We're about four hours from the nearest Ocean surf. It's a great place to play. The Deschutes river is a beautiful river trail. The Bend Paddle Trails Alliance published a guide to the Deschutes river that we highly recommend.
Here are some of our favorite places to paddle in order of their distance from the town of Bend, Oregon.
Check out our Other Places to Paddle around the country.
Read Our Blog: stories, photos & more from the SUP Flat water community.
- Send us a picture and a note about your favorite place in or out of Oregon. We'd love to hear from you.
Mirror Pond by Drake Park in Bend, Oregon
Weeping willows, Canada Geese and flocks of wild ducks looked
on as Judy and Ed Shasek along with Al Paterson enjoyed their
evening paddle in Mirror Pond in Bend, Oregon. Putting in at McKay Park they floated
downstream and across Mirror Pond to the Newport Avenue
Bridge.
Mostly shallow and slow-moving water on this stretch of the
Deschutes River is damned at Newport Avenue by a very old and
small hydro-electric dam. Drake Park on the East side
and Harmon Park on
the West side edge the pond along with some lovely vintage
Bend, Oregon homes. The Galveston Avenue bridge (on the
up-stream side of Mirror Pond) requires a crouch.
This is a lovely short paddle in the middle of the town of
Bend, Oregon. During the summer Munch 'n Music concerts on
Thursday evenings (July 10th thru Aug 14th, 5-8 p.m) you can
listen to musicians and people watch at a safe distance from
the crowds of thousands.
Thanks Ed, Judy
and Al for the photos.
Deschutes River by the Old Mill Shops:
Snaking through the west side of the heart of the town of Bend, Oregon, the Deschutes River is easily accessible from a variety of launch places -- Farewell Bend Park and Columbia street river access (Pole, Peddle, Paddle launch area). This is a great stretch of river for a quick fitness paddle, or easy touring paddle. This is a favorite section of the river to launch a floatie, so expect to see all kinds of craft. Overblown air mattresses, kayak classes, Hawaiian Outrigger Canoe practice teams and teenagers plopped in the middle of tire inner tubes share the water. You''ll paddle past restaurant patios dotted with well dressed diners enjoying a meal near the shopping center and small islands of wetland filled with ducks and geese tending to their broods. If you're lucky you may even see a river otter. Within a half mile paddle you'll pass under a few bridges -- high or low concrete and steel structures, and even an old wooden bridge built during Bend, Oregon's logging days. For most of the twentieth century timber mills dominated this stretch of river, stacks of fresh-cut logs floated in ponds carved from the rivers edge. Mill buildings now house trendy restaurants and shops, everything from chains like Gap and Victoria Secrets to more regional and local businesses like REI. West of the Healy Bridge (upriver) the river narrows and quickens. Fly fishers seek trout in view of runners and walkers enjoying the trail system looping between bridges.
Photos: Randall Barna, Group shot of L-R: Gerry Lopez, Isabella Barna, Mike McComb, Randall Barna, Dave Chun, Dennis Oliphant, Jeremy McKelry, Peter & Susie Miller.
Sparks Lake: On the Cascade Lakes Highway, Elev. 5,400
About 25 miles (35-40 minutes ) from the heart of the town of Bend, Oregon. Sparks Lake is a 400 acre lake. The depth ranges between 1 to 10 feet. A favorite photo spot of Oregon's late photographer laureate, Ray Atkinson, the lake has so many photo ops the beauty can dull your senses. On the South side (near the launch area) is the paved, wheelchair accessible 1/2 mile Ray Atkinson trail, with benches positioned strategically at the sites of Atkinson's most famous Sparks Lake photos. You will see the South Sister and parts of the Middle Sister and North Sister, Broken Top and Mt. Bachelor depending upon your viewpoint. Paddle the South side of the lake around twisted lava formations with mini-canyons and secret spots of wildflowers. Paddle down a narrow canyon and you might hear the water rushing out of the lake down into a hidden lava tube. The maximum boat speed is 10 mph. You rarely see motors on this lake, most people paddle various craft.
Elk Lake: On the Cascade Lakes Highway, Elev. 4,884
About 35 miles (45 minutes) from the heart of Bend, Elk Lake is a 480 acre lake approximately 70 feet deep. Motorcraft are limited to 10 miles per hour and personal watercraft (jet skis) are prohibited. Elk is the home of Oregon's 2nd oldest Yacht Club. On the West side of the lake is a lodge with a small store and cafe and lodging. It's a great place to get an ice cream cone and look at the sailboats docked by the lodge. Neighboring the lodge to the South, is a USFS campground. If you're windsurfing, put in at Sunset Beach (follow the Elk Lake Loop forest service road to Sunset View) to take advantage of the prevailing winds. The winds usually kick up in the afternoon and stop at sunset. Winds tend to be light and shifty. It's the perfect place for a early morning paddle and a simple breakfast at the cafe. Sunset Beach is the place many paddlers and windsurfers meet. We often have picnics and meals toasted over a campfire. See our Events page for our schedule of paddling and windsurfing events.
Rent Standup Paddle Boards and Paddles at Elk Lake Lodge!
Photos: L-R: Randall Barna tuning his sail, Cristina Acosta kayak paddling her windsurfer, Randall Barna, Isabella Barna toasting marshmallows
Hosmer Lake: On the Cascade Lakes Highway, Elev. 4,966
About 38 miles (50 minutes) from the heart of Bend. Paddling
Hosmer on a still early morning can be a religious experience.
The lake is about 160 acres with a depth of 2 - 12 feet, mostly
2 smaller lakes connected by about a mile of channel. The views
are the usual beauties. The amazing view is looking down into
the water. Light colored sand in the shallow channels is a
contrasting background to the dark colored bodies of hundreds
of landlocked Atlantic salmon, and trout. The channels are
lined with cat tails, water lilies and other aquatic plants.
Families of Otters and raptors including Osprey and Bald Eagles
are the only fishers not doing the catch and release thing.
When you first park, you'll see what looks to be a small pond,
and wonder why you drove so far. Suck down your latte and take
your board off the car, you're going to really like this.
Launch and travel North into the channels. The only motors
allowed are electric, so you mostly pass fly fishers in their
float rings or on canoes. It's quiet. If the wind kicks up you
can't see the fish, so get here early.
Cultus Lake: On the Cascade Lake Highway, Elev. 4,668
Forty eight miles from Bend, Cultus is a good size lake (792
surface acres) with a mix of watercraft. Eighty to over 200' in
depth, the water is cool and clear. In the morning it is often
mirror smooth. Fishers in powerboats and wake boarders stay to
the middle of the lake and paddlers hug the shoreline. Most
afternoons the winds pickup and windsurfers rig up. There is a
little lodge with a restaurant and cabins and lots of camping.
This is a favorite lake to standup paddle behind a boat.
Photos are of Gerry Lopez and Dennis Oliphant catching the endless inland wave from Dennis' boat.
Crescent Lake:
About one and a half hours south of Bend about on Hwy. 58. In
1993 someone caught a 30 pound trout out of this lake. It's
been awhile, so by now there must be a few more big trout. If
you decide to try trolling off the back of your SUP, send us a
photo. You can get some distance on this lake. It covers 4,008
acres and ranges from shallow to 258' deep. The water is used
for irrigation so late summer the water is down about 15'.
Practically, that just means that there is more beach!
There is a lodge, camping and private homes on the lake. It's
close to the tiny town of Crescent where you can stock up on
picnic supplies.
Photos of Gunner Oliphant and Cole Ortega doubling up on the
board and Gerry Lopez and Brit Oliphant making some style
points.
Pacific City
Pacific City is about a 4 hour drive from Bend. The Oregon
Coast is renowned for solitary beaches, this isn't one of them.
This place is a scene. Old people, kids, active people and
observers, there's a place for everybody in Pacific City.
Stay at the Cape Kiwanda RV park in your tent or RV,
rent a camping cabin or get a room at the hotel. The RV park
has a a sparkling clean indoor pool and hot tub, a market with
a fresh fish counter and a pizza joint. In the morning stop by
the small espresso/book shop next door on your way to check out
the waves. Across the street on the ocean front is the Pelican Brew
Pub where you can get a hand crafted ale and watch the
beach action.
Read MORE.....
Agate Beach, Oregon
Agate Beach is about a 4 hour drive from Bend. There really are
agates on the beach, though with the changing sands winter
storms bring you can change your fortunes. This is a great
place to standup paddle surf. Standup keeps you out of the cold
water just enough to keep you warmer and surfing longer. The
beach is protected by a point. There's a cute refurbished hotel
that overlooks the beach or you can find RV camping nearby.
Here is Tod "Tdub" Wooldridge getting in some SUP turns. READ MORE. . . . 
Randall Barna, sells standup paddling and windsurfing equipment. If you don't live in Bend, Oregon, he can arrange shipping.
Randy Barna Sports, Inc./ Footform Performance, 345 SW
Century Drive, Suite 1, Bend, Oregon 97702
541-389-4547
OR Contact us via email.
