Steelhead trout, Crater Lake National Park, and a good old fashioned string band

When we arrived in Oregon, Bend welcomed us with blistering 90-degree heat and ash falling from its smoky wildfire skies. We missed the coastal Washington breeze and the shade from its monster tall trees on our daily trail runs. But, as the temperatures dropped and we slowly found our place in the super cool community here, Bend grew on us. 

Sunsets on the Deschutes River

We were lucky enough to stay in a small studio, walking distance from town and driving distance from countless hiking destinations. Reminiscent of Bozeman, you can drive 30 minutes and camp or hike in some beautiful, remote places. Also giving Bozeman vibes were the evening walks we took through residential neighborhoods with a mix of beautiful craftsmen and modern style houses with carefully selected flowers that filled each lawn. The streets were also lined with many different kinds of very tall trees, mostly juniper and ponderosa pine. The downtown streets were constantly bustling with people seeking out the fancy boutique shops, foodie restaurants, and local breweries. The focal point of the downtown area is the Deschutes River. There are walking paths on either side of its shores that stretch for miles, always full of strollers, dogs and early morning runners.There are hungry ducks with their bottoms in the air feeding on its aquatic plants and geese flying overhead. The parks that line its edges are full of people juggling, playing music, or quietly enjoying their books from one of the many benches. The neatest part was all of the different people actually on the river. There were kayakers, tubers, and paddle-boarders, especially on the hot days it was evident that this river is the heart of town. There is even a man-made surfable wave where bystanders can watch local surfers attempt to catch their ride just right through its strong current.

Views of Mt Hood from Tom, Dick and Harry Mountain hike

On our first weekend here we ventured away from the heat and smoke hanging over Bend and headed toward Mt Hood National Forest. We secured a perfect little wooded campsite on Saturday morning and took off to check out Tom, Dick and Harry Mountains with beautiful views of Mt Hood. This summit view was pretty incredible because we were looking directly at snowy Mt Hood from a nearby similar elevation peak. In true Mashley fashion, we celebrated our successful hike with a beer at Mt Hood Brewing and then settled into camp. We fried up a local fish for a delicious dinner –steelhead trout, its taste similar to salmon, but less fishy (highly recommend!). We packed up early the next morning and headed out to explore the Wahkeena and Multonmah Falls Loop before it got too hot and busy for us to enjoy. This hike started off very steep, but had rewarding views from the top of a waterfall at its highest point. There were beautiful views of the Columbia River as we made our way back down the trail. We passed a number of tiny falls sprinkled along the trail’s edge, stopped for a minute or two to take in the magic of the two-tiered Multonomah Falls and then found our way back to the big blue truck. After a snack and a much needed shower at a local Planet Fitness, we decided to explore Oregon’s biggest city for the afternoon.

We handpicked a few neighborhoods that sounded interesting to us (ie: asked ChatGPT which neighborhoods had bike shops (for Matthew), bookshops (for Ashley) and breweries (for Mashley) and took our time strolling through the streets. A southeast neighborhood we explored had the most beautiful community gardens full of different varieties of vibrant colored roses. Each bed was maintained by someone from the neighborhood. The homes were charming old historic buildings that lined diagonal streets and formed a big 'X' with the rose garden right at the center. A classic greasy dinner with tasty bloody marys was walking distance away, so we ate all the eggs and potatoes we could fit and kept walking. Overall we enjoyed the Portland community vibes, but we were ready to get back into the wilderness.

Matthew found an epic waterfall hike on our trek back to Bend called the Trail of Ten Falls. It was pretty incredible, very jurassic park-esque with its towering trees, ground covering ferns and vines crawling up rock walls. And then of course there were ten epic waterfalls hidden throughout the park. We ran an eight mile loop that took us to each one. There were wide waterfalls that ran their way over giant rock walls into beautiful blue pools, there were falls you could walk under, and falls you had to search deep into the forest to find. This trail was enchanted forest at its finest.

Multonomah Falls

Trail of Ten Falls

The following weekend we decided to explore a popular, nearby hike in the Three Sisters Wilderness. It was only about a half hour drive and the views were stunning. Of course we had to tackle the highest of the sisters and started up South Sister mountain on Saturday morning just as the sun was coming up. The first half of the hike took us up through a lovely forest shaded by big, old trees. It led to a nice flat gravel path with mountain views for a mile or so and then it turned into a slippery slog to the summit. The terrain was steep and the ground was slick with pebbles that crumbled under your shoes as you walked. Similar to walking up a mound of kitty litter, when you took one step forward, you slid back down about three. Needless to say it was hard and felt terribly long. The views from the summit were unmatched with Lewis Glacier creating a gorgeous aqua pool and Middle and North Sister nearby on the horizon. If the way up was hard, the way down was harder. I slipped and picked myself back up again more times than I could count, while Matthew mountain goat sprinted down the mountain at warp speed. It was such a treat to walk on that flat gravel path and wooded trail back to the start. This was a hard one, not my favorite, but I was proud we did it. And we were home by one for some lunch, a shower and a nap. We checked out a super fun food truck/live music/tap room outdoor space called Tapped for dinner. I enjoyed the tastiest pizza and beer while we listened to some classics and watched kids do cartwheels across the field in front of the stage. It was a gorgeous summer evening.

View from South Sister Peak

Lewis Glacier on South Sister Mountain

Oh my goodness, Crater Lake National Park. We had the most perfect day here. The sun was out, glittering off the surface of the lake's waves. We found an insanely beautiful trail that went around the entire rim of the lake and we stopped to peer down into its massive beauty over and over again just saying wow or so beautiful. No words come close to doing it any justice. We ended up going on the one day of the year that they shut down half of the roads in the park to vehicles so that bikers can enjoy the whole road. At first it was a bit annoying because there were SO MANY bikers and not so many parking spots. But, once we were out running on the trail, bikers were cheering us on or they would stop to say hello. It was also just neat to see the number of people that came out for the event. The line of bikes just kept coming and everyone was so excited. Dressed up in silly costumes-- antennas on their helmets or brightly colored bike suits. It ended up being a very cool day to be there. We just want to go back and see the part we didn't get to see some day. I would want to go back anyway. The sheer size of that lake and its deep, deep blue color; I swear you could stare at it forever. Mesmerizingly beautiful. One of those things in nature that remind you how small you are and forces you to stop, slow down and take it in. One day was enough for this small park, but I'd go back everyday if I could.

View of Crater Lake from the Crater Lake Rim Trail

Ashley cruisin' down the Crater Lake Rim Trail

More Crater Lake Rim Trail (look at those trees!)

Stopping to take in Crater Lake

We found another beauty our last weekend in Bend. The trail to No Name Lake started on an old fire road and then quickly made its way up to mountain views. There were sweeping red volcanic rock formations all around, the color so deep in places in looked almost purple. No Name Lake is a literal hidden gem, as you can't see it at all until you almost stumble into it at the trail's summit. Much like the temperature of the water, the surprise takes your breath away. The lake somehow becomes even more beautiful if you continue up the mountain and look at it from above. Its turquoise color is enhanced by the striped red rock backdrop and spots of snow tucked throughout. We sat up there for as long as possible and admired its beauty while the sun warmed our salty skin. A moment that will be hard to beat and hard to forget. The path down was also incredible. The trail was just level enough to run down, so we took it as fast as we could, smiling all the way down. This was my favorite hike here. I'm smiling thinking of it right now. That night, we went to one of our favorite breweries in town and enjoyed a very talented string band play outside under the stars. Another excellent summer Saturday. And to think, I got to share it all with my best friend. Could I get any luckier?

Matthew at No Name Lake

Aerial View of No Name Lake

Mashley selfie at No Name Lake

We are excited for the next leg of our journey, but sad to leave all of the beautiful things we found in Bend behind. The adventure continues! Next up: Truckee, CA and the Lake Tahoe region, where fall colors, mountain biking, and lakeside hikes await (plus, our first time sharing our airbnb with friends for the month!).