Biking in Central Oregon

Spend enough time around Central Oregon, and you’ll quickly notice the region’s love affair with pedal-powered transit: Protected bike paths appear alongside roadways, scenic bikeways showcase Central Oregon’s natural beauty, more than 300 miles of mountain bike trails twist and turn through our lush forests, and home-grown companies show off the best of it all through bike tours, rentals, and tailored-to-you planning services.

With so much to see around Central Oregon, there may be no finer way to soak in the richness of the region than from the saddle of a bicycle or mountain bike. Here’s a guide to the best biking around Bend and beyond—top single-track trails, cycling routes, Central Oregon bike tours, and resources for making the most of your next ride around the region.

Explore the Top Mountain Biking Areas

In all, more than 300 miles of single-track trail cover the forests of Central Oregon. To put that in perspective: If those trails were placed end-to-end in a north-south manner, they’d run the entire length of Oregon. With so much terrain to cover, it can be tough to narrow down your next ride—so here are a few of our favorite mountain bike trails for riders of all skill levels. (For more, check out our page on mountain biking in Central Oregon.)

guy mountain biking on trail through a lodgepole forest

Phil’s Trail: The sprawling Phil’s Trail network comprises dozens of miles of trails and boasts some of the best mountain biking in Bend, Oregon. Dirt jumps, short uphill climbs, and flowing trails create one of the most fun mountain biking destinations anywhere in Central Oregon. Trails are built to accommodate riders of all skill levels, as well, giving everyone who rides an enjoyable challenge.

LaPine State Park: You won’t find much technical terrain at LaPine State Park, where a relaxing network of mostly flat single-track trails is best suited to beginners. Roughly a dozen miles of multi-use paths crisscross the park, with views of the Deschutes River and Cascade peaks poking through the ponderosa pine forest.
3 mtn bike riders unloading their bikes off the bike rack
mountain bike trail at McKenzie River Trail
McKenzie River: Just an hour from Sisters sits the 26-mile McKenzie River National Recreation Trail—widely considered one of the best mountain biking trails in Central Oregon (if not the Pacific Northwest). The gradual trail—ideal for intermediate to more experienced riders—passes through old-growth conifer trees and basalt lava flows while usually keeping its namesake river within eyesight. If you need a break, highlights along the way include the likes of Clear Lake, Tamolitch (Blue Pool), and Sahalie and Koosah Falls.

Mount Bachelor Bike Park: Every summer, the slopes of Mount Bachelor play host to more than a dozen miles of downhill mountain biking trails. Beginners can get used to the park via the Little Pine Lift, while more advanced riders can tackle machine-built and single-track trails (some of which are rated double black diamond) via the Pine Marten Express.

guy downhill mountain biking on a trail surrounded by mountain peaks and evergreens

Interested in where else all that single-track might take you? Check out our guide to the bike trails of Central Oregon.

The Many Bike Paths and Cycling Routes

Infrastructure around Central Oregon was seemingly designed with bicyclists in mind; paved paths, set back from roadways, offer safe, scenic, and fun rides in communities all over the area. Even on backroads and byways, cyclists have plenty of room to enjoy the many sights of Central Oregon. Here are a few of our favorite Central Oregon cycling routes, bike paths, and trail networks around the region.

McKenzie Highway: Sure, the winding McKenzie Highway is a popular summertime destination. But each spring, while the Cascades are still blanketed in snow, road crews plow one lane of the beloved highway—and open it up exclusively to non-motorized recreation. Naturally, that access makes the McKenzie Highway a favorite destination for cyclists who enjoy pedaling alongside towering snow drifts, through old-growth forests, into the heart of expansive lava flows, and in the shadow of numerous Cascade peaks.

a quiet road encompassed by ponderosa pines
couple riding bikes on a paved bike path next to the river
Sunriver Bike Paths: Travelers in Sunriver don’t have to go far for a fun road cycling experience. Nearly 40 miles of paved pathways—most separated from Sunriver’s roads—cover the community, with easy access to the Benham Falls Day-Use Area and the Lava Lands Visitor Center (part of the Newberry National Volcanic Monument) via the Sun Lava Path. Chances are good you’ll spy some of Sunriver’s deer population lounging alongside the paths while on your bike ride as well. (Just be sure to keep best practices in mind: Keep your distance, and don’t attempt to feed or approach the deer.)

Getting the itch to hop in the saddle and see where your next ride takes you? Learn more in our guide to road biking in Central Oregon.

couple taking in the view of the crooked river, the cliffs and rugged sage

Biking Resources and Bike Tours

You’ll want to be prepared before strapping on your helmet and settling onto a mountain bike or road bike in Central Oregon. Fortunately, several companies throughout the region help with just that—from rentals and repairs to guided tours and trip-planning. If you need help getting started with Central Oregon biking, these companies and outfitters can help.

Hutch’s Bicycles: Perhaps the best-known name in Central Oregon cycling, Hutch’s Bicycles boasts four locations—three in Bend, one in Redmond—that offer rentals, tune-up services, repairs, and recommendations for where to ride (and how to make the most of your time on the bike).

Blazin Saddles: The family-owned-and-operated Blazin Saddles is a full-service shop that has everything you need for a relaxing ride around town, an outing around Camp Sherman, or an epic trip into the heart of the Cascades—including road and mountain bike rentals, tune-ups, overhauls, safety checks, and more.

Trinity Bikes: A Redmond outpost since 2005, Trinity Bikes offers a variety of quick-turnaround services, along with a selection of bikes, e-bikes, scooters, and parts for sale.

Good Bike Co.: If your cycling adventures take you out to Prineville and into the Ochoco National Forest, Good Bike Co. is happy to help with rentals, repairs, and even tour planning; the shop’s friendly staff members will help with routing, logistics, gear, rentals, support, and whatever else you might need for an epic ride.

Let it Ride Bend Electric Bikes – Tours & Rentals: Since 2010, Let it Ride Bend has offered a variety of e-bike tours and rentals in the heart of Bend. Various tours cover the history of Bend, the sights and sounds of the Deschutes River, and some of the best brewpubs and eateries around town—while rentals range from single bikes to tandems and mountain bikes for heartier riders.

Have your eyes on a memorable outing? Check out our guide on how to tour Central Oregon by bike.

Explore Nature’s Beauty

From the sagebrush-covered plains of the high desert to the towering pines and majestic mountain peaks, discover the diverse landscape Central Oregon has to offer.