About 30 minutes south of Bend, Oregon the La Pine State Park trails meander along the banks of the Deschutes and Fall Rivers for approximately 11 miles with many MTB loop options which can shorten or extend your ride. The terrain is mostly level with no real climbs or technical challenges making this a great ride for families or novice mountain bikers who want to get out on the trails — but don’t have a lot of experience.
The trails are well-signed and maintained with markers at each junction and are multi-use so you’ll likely encounter horses, hikers, other mountain bikers, or a group of Llamas (one of the weirdest things I’ve ever come across on BendTrails).
Mostly single track, with a few old double track sections, these trails are typical Central Oregon sand, so they’ll be very soft and loose in the summer months.
One of the cool things about La Pine State Park are the gigantic old-growth Ponderosa and Lodgepole pines. A highlight of the Big Pine Loop is a massive tree named “Big Red” that’s over 500 years old and 27′ in in circumference (you can’t miss it). Big Pine is now mostly paved and there is a new parking lot we have yet to visit.
For information about the park or camping opportunities, visit the official Oregon State Parks webpage.
