Benham Falls

While most of my adventuring happens in Washington because I live in Seattle, I have also gone on several hikes in central Oregon. My boyfriend’s family lives in Bend, so when we visit them, I always try to get out and explore! Central Oregon is a wonderful mix of mountains and desert and is a beautiful place to hike. 

On one of our recent trips, we were set to drive back to Seattle on Sunday afternoon, but I wanted to squeeze in a hike that morning before we left. Since I wanted something quick and easy, my boyfriend’s mom and I decided to hike part of the Deschutes River Trail from Sunriver Trailhead to Benham Falls. The Deschutes River runs through the city of Bend and there are many miles of hiking trails along it. We just did one small section of the trail.

There are two trails which start from the Sunriver Trailhead that both lead to Benham Falls: the Lava-Benham Trail and the Deschutes River Trail. I thought it would be nicer to walk along the river than only through the woods, so we chose the Deschutes River Trail. We were the first car at the trailhead that morning. Even though it had snowed a little the night before, it was not enough to warrant snowshoes. My boyfriend’s mom wore her Yaktrax for some extra stability, but I decided it wasn’t icy enough for me to need microspikes.

The first section of trail was through the forest. Everything was so quiet and beautiful in the snow. As we walked, we remarked on the different kinds of trees. Lodgepole pine trees towered above us and fir trees grew in pockets directly next to the trail.

Forest of lodgepole pine and fir trees

After about a mile, we emerged next to the river. Wide and calm, the surface of the water appeared like glass. Trees on the other side of the river were reflected perfectly onto its surface. I remember being surprised that we had come upon the river all of a sudden since we had not heard it in the forest. But, the water was flowing so peacefully and there were no rapids at this point in the river to produce any usual river noises.  

The trail continued along the river and soon after this point, it began to snow gently. Soft, white flakes floated down from the sky to create a magic atmosphere. Everything was so peaceful and quiet: it felt as if we were in a snow globe. We paused at several more places along the river so that I could take photos to try and capture the beauty around us.

Snow falling over calm river

After hiking for about three miles, we reached a day-use area with a wooden bridge that would take us across the river and to the falls. During the summer, I’m sure this area is  busy with people picnicking and tubing in the river, but there was no one else there on that snowy winter morning. Before we crossed the bridge, we noticed a small dam built up before it. A sign next to the bridge explained that the dam was there to prevent debris from knocking into and destroying the wooden bridge supports. 

Across the bridge the trail was wide and flat. To our right we could hear the river growing more turbulent as it neared the falls. Unlike other waterfall trails I’ve been on, this trail followed the river downstream so we approached the falls from the back side, instead of traveling upstream to approach the falls from the front.

Benham Falls

Finally, we reached another day-use area and followed a series of short switch backs down to the view point. The view was amazing! The river flowed over rapids and through a narrow canyon flanked by snow-covered lodgepole pines on either side. The turbulent water had become an aqua-green color as it flowed through the falls. It was something out of a fairy tale.

I took as many photos as I could before we began our return trip. On the way back, we took a short side trail that ran closer to the river and allowed us to watch the water flow through the canyon right before it flowed through the falls. The red rock of the canyon walls was a gorgeous contrast to the white snow, green trees, and aqua water. It was absolutely breathtaking.

River flowing through canyon

I practically floated down the trail after that. I was so happy to be in the forest surrounded by falling snow and the beautiful river. When I picked the hike, I had no idea that it would be so amazing. 

Soon, the rapids faded behind us and we were once again gazing upon the smooth glass-like appearance of the river. It was amazing that the river could go from calm and peaceful to wild and turbulent in just a few miles. Eventually, we reached the point where we had to turn away from the river and head into the forest, back to the car. I was a little sad to leave the mesmerizing river behind, but happy and thankful for the amazing hike.

I love the green-aqua color of the water