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Trails near Bend

TheAlmightySam

TheAlmightySam

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Portland, OR
I'm planning a trip out to the Bend area this summer with a couple of friends, and wouldn't you know it, my "let's go bomb around in the desert and beat the hell out of my Jeep" trip is slowly turning into a "let's all be pansies, stay in hotels, and make sure we don't get too dirty" trip.

This will not stand. I swear, I will get my Jeep dirty, even if I have to kick heads in.

We're planning on staying in the Bend area and hitting up the local geological goodies (and, since we're going with Russians, some hot springs). Are there any good trails in the area that we could blast around? These don't have to be hardcore - just some overland-style stuff, dirt roads, etc. Something scenic would be awesome.

I was looking at China Hat road on Google Earth, and I keep finding conflicting reports as to whether it's a boring paved road or something more interesting and dirty. Nice thing is, it runs right from one of our destinations (Fort Rock) to another (the Newberry Crater). Is this worth hitting up?

Thanks!
 
China hat road is kinda meh, I used to live down there, get out to sun river and go explorer the back mountains.
 
China hat is unpaved but it's mostly washboard gravel. It is scenic and you can really bomb down it. Also the drive from China hat up and over to newberry is nice. I also tend to just explore some of the small roads off China Hat, including driving up to the top of China Hat.
There is also the Millican OHV area south east of Bend on hwy 20. I've never been there but I've heard some good things.
Recently opened is the Edison OHV area, I think there was a thread about that recently on here, I don't know much about that.
You can also just go explore areas, I've found plenty of interesting roads in the Sun River area. There are some canyons out near Sisters that run north and south and intersect hwy126 east of "Cloverdale" lots of fun to have all over out there.
 
TheAlmightySam said:
I'm planning a trip out to the Bend area this summer with a couple of friends, and wouldn't you know it, my "let's go bomb around in the desert and beat the hell out of my Jeep" trip is slowly turning into a "let's all be pansies, stay in hotels, and make sure we don't get too dirty" trip.

This will not stand. I swear, I will get my Jeep dirty, even if I have to kick heads in.

We're planning on staying in the Bend area and hitting up the local geological goodies (and, since we're going with Russians, some hot springs). Are there any good trails in the area that we could blast around? These don't have to be hardcore - just some overland-style stuff, dirt roads, etc. Something scenic would be awesome.

I was looking at China Hat road on Google Earth, and I keep finding conflicting reports as to whether it's a boring paved road or something more interesting and dirty. Nice thing is, it runs right from one of our destinations (Fort Rock) to another (the Newberry Crater). Is this worth hitting up?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Whats going on sam lets see pics of your rig. i just never make it out to the traisl so i dont know many people. My STOCK jeep is on jackstands right now...
 
Smittty9785 said:
Whats going on sam lets see pics of your rig. i just never make it out to the traisl so i dont know many people. My STOCK jeep is on jackstands right now...
Click to expand...

Most have seen my stockish pile of blue and silver:

n1671724557_8173_2505104.jpg


Just a '92 with a 2" lift.

You should really come out to a TSF run. They're a riot, and the local guys are good folks (except for Ryan up there :laugh: ).

Anyway, I appreciate the info, guys. We'll be real near Sun River for most of the trip, so I'll see if we can sneak out that way. We'll also be on SR242 for part of the trip, so maybe I can find a trail that winds up a little closer to the Sisters.

Is there a decent view at the top of China Hat? Maybe I can make a lunch stop up there.
 
The Sunriver area is,for the most part,forested with Ponderosa,East Cascade foothills.For desert,you want to head a little north and east.Millican,Christmas Valley,Ft.Rock,etc. are all in that area.There is a place east of Redmond called Tank Tracks that I want to check out,supposed to be good for blasting around.
 
Nightfoam.. Did you live down there?? your mentioning alot of areas that sound so familier, but its been 2 years since i've been down there!
 
TheAlmightySam said:
Ryan, one quick question: how long of a drive do you figure that trail would be in summer? Trying to figure out what day it fits best in the trip schedule.
Click to expand...

Well it took us, going the opposite direction, about two and a half hours. And that was with our little sidetrip to Three Creeks lake (which I recomend) and me sliding into the ditch, which took up a good fifteen minutes. Of course I'm told the road is a lot rougher when there isn't snow on it. You might bank on anything from two to three hours.
If you feel adventurous, check out the Oregon Back Country Discovery Route 3, which this runs partly on. It cuts from Big Lake down through this area before following the Cascade Lakes hwy clear down as far as you wanna go.

nw-xj-scott said:
Nightfoam.. Did you live down there?? your mentioning alot of areas that sound so familier, but its been 2 years since i've been down there!
Click to expand...

No, I just really like it out there and try to go out to Central Oregon for a least a week every year. I've got two trips planned in May alone and might be going back in October
 
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