Deschutes River Trail
Seasons
Checklists
Location
The Deschutes River Trail parallels the Deschutes River. This trail summary will include only sections of the trail on the west side of the river and will cover an area from River Bend Park in Bend to the canoe pullout at Sunriver. The trail is not contiguous over this span but main trailheads and access points will be listed. This section of the trail is about 15 miles and would take about 6 hours to walk the entire route. To bird that entire stretch would take considerably longer so it’s suggested that birding should best be done in sections. Below is a list of access points that are of interest to birders. They begin in Bend and conclude in Sunriver.
Riverbend Park, Bend – 44.04277, -121.32178
Meadow Day Use Area – 44.00156, -121.37965 – eBIRD HOTSPOT – HIKE -Meadow TH to Lava Island TH: ~1.5 miles
Lava Island Trailhead – 43.98516, -121.40039 – eBIRD HOTSPOT – HIKE – Lava Island TH to Big Eddy TH: ~1 mile
Big Eddy Trailhead – 43.9769, -121.40926 – eBIRD HOTSPOT – HIKE – Big Eddy TH to Aspen TH: ~1 mile
Aspen Day Use Area – 43.96983, -121.415 – eBIRD HOTSPOT – HIKE – Aspen TH to Dillon Falls TH: ~1.5 miles
Dillon Falls Trailhead – 43.95732, -121.41683 – eBIRD HOTSPOT – HIKE – Dillon Falls TH to Slough TH: ~1.5 miles
Ryan Meadow – 43.951845, -121.419890 – eBIRD HOTSPOT
Slough Day Use Area – 43.9447, -121.43145 – eBIRD HOTSPOT – HIKE – Slough TH to Benham Falls West TH: ~1.5 miles
Slough – 43.9481, -121.43444 – eBIRD HOTSPOT
Benham Falls West Trailhead – 43.93901, -121.41395 – eBIRD HOTSPOT – HIKE – Benham Falls West TH to Benham Falls East TH: ~0.75 miles
Benham Falls East Trailhead – 43.93041, -121.41269 – eBIRD HOTSPOT – HIKE – Benham Falls West TH to Sunriver Canoe Takeout: ~1 mile
Sunriver Canoe Pullout – 43.92848, -121.43364
DirectionsHabitat and Birds
Click Here For a Map of all Sites
This long trail winds through canyons, meadows, rural Bend, forests, and other habitats. Because of his diversity, many of Central Oregon’s common species can be found along the trail. Listen for Canyon and Rock Wrens in the rocky cliffs created by the river’s rapids. Gray and Ash-throated Flycatchers can be found at the beginning of the trail where junipers grow. Open, shallow oxbows like the Slough can harbor shorebirds. The open meadows and brushy riparian areas are good for the usual suspects like Common Yellowthroat and Western Wood-pewee but also some rarities like Gray Catbird. Just about every section produces a unique combination of species. Local rarities include the aforementioned catbird (which, as of 2018, is almost annual) Rusty Blackbird, Green Heron, Red-shouldered Hawk, American Redstart, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Northern Goshawk, Swainson’s Thrush, Solitary Sandpiper, Barred Owl, to name a few.