Overview
A brief introduction to Deschutes National Forest
Bend is a city in Central Oregon and the county seat of Deschutes County, Oregon, United States. It is located to the east of the Cascade Range, on the Deschutes River.
The site became known by pioneers as a fordable crossing point of the river, where it ran through a bend. An 1870s ranch popularized the name "Farewell Bend", with the post office later distinguishing the area as Bend. It was incorporated as a city in 1905, starting off as a logging town. In 1910, Mirror Pond was created as a dammed river reservoir to provide energy. In 1950, the two major logging companies were consolidated due to depleted timber, causing an economic drop. In later decades, it experienced rapid growth as a center of recreation.
Situated in high desert, Bend is bordered by the Deschutes National Forest to the southwest. Economically, it is a tourist destination, featuring recreational attractions (e.g. breweries, an amphitheater, and the last Blockbuster video-rental store) as well as outdoor sports, including mountain biking, fishing, hiking, camping, rock climbing, white-water rafting, skiing, paragliding, and golf.
Bend is Central Oregon's most populous city. In the 2020 census, it had a population of 99,178, with the eponymous metropolitan statistical area (MSA) population totaling 247,493. This makes the city and MSA the sixth-most populous city and fifth largest metropolitan area in Oregon, respectively.
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Scan for cancellationsContact Deschutes National Forest
- Recreation.gov
- Booking site: https://www.recreation.gov
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Other nearby parks
Open to camping at other nearby parks? Here are a few other parks you'll find in the vicinity.
Reviews
Camper reviews for Deschutes National Forest
Spend time in a sleeping volcano!
Little Crater is nestled alongside a ridge between two lakes in the caldera of a volcano. The lake, Paulina, is great for kayaking and fishing, with a hot springs vent, and excellent geologic sites. The campground is quiet since the speed limit on the lake is 10 miles per hour. There is a big area at the boat launch, campsites are spacious and there are sites big enough to accommodate big RVs.
Map
View a map of Deschutes National Forest
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