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Best Plants for Fall Color in Central Oregon Gardens

Every autumn, beautiful varieties of flora go unnoticed at nurseries as home gardeners grab quintessential fall icons they’re more familiar with. While maple trees turning fire-engine red, mounds of mums in amber and fuchsia, and golden sunflowers and marigolds are stunning, they are not the only plants that thrive in fall gardens. To help encourage a new look at gardening when the weather turns, local experts share a few of their favorite autumn showstoppers, unexpected gems that shine when the cold air seeps in. All are low maintenance, hardy in Central Oregon and likely to thrive beyond their dramatic fall display.

Colorful Shrubs for Central Oregon Fall Gardens

Spirea

Josh Ashcraft, purchasing manager at Schilling’s Garden Market, highly recommended spireas, a woody shrub in the rose family that burst into clusters of small flowers. “Goldflame and Snowmound are stunning and really pretty for fall color,” he said. Snowmound gets heaps of tiny spring-white flowers that cover entire branches, like snow draping on a tree limb. In the fall, its leaves turn a brilliant orange. Goldflame has vibrant gold leaves and dark, reddish-pink clusters of blooms. Bluebeard, commonly called Blue Mist Spirea, is technically in the mint family but is similar to spirea and sprouts wispy, soft cobalt flowers across it in the fall, giving it an almost ethereal indigo glow. An added bonus: This bush is unappealing to deer.

Blueberry

“For something fun and different,” Cindy Jeffers, Landsystems plant manager, recommended trying blueberries. The shrub has dark green, showy leaves, is hardy and can also be grown in a container. Blueberries ripen in summer and can last through September. Pick some for your morning cereal or leave on the plant for a pop of color against the bright gold fall leaves. One important care note to consider is that blueberry bushes need acidic soil, and Central Oregon dirt runs more alkaline. Consider supplementing an acid option when establishing the plants, and the bushes will continue to thrive for many years to come.

Sedum

For a modern drought-tolerant look, try sedum. These succulents typically have thick, round leaves and striking flowers in late summer. Autumn Joy has vibrant green leaves and dark pinkish-red fall blooms that add interest even into winter. Wildfire is particularly sensational, with deep green and burgundy foliage, hot-pink edging, and fiery, crimson fall flowers. Like all succulents, these plants thrive with less water, ideal for dry fall conditions in the high desert.

Fall Color Trees and Shrubs That Thrive in the High Desert

Serviceberry

Coming in both tree and shrub forms, “serviceberries are a straight-up win-win; very drought-tolerant and good to have on your property,” said Ashcraft. Interest year-round includes clusters of white flowers in spring, berries in summer (you can even eat them, and birds love them), and leaves that turn brilliant shades of yellow and orange in the fall. “And when leaves drop,” said Ashcroft, “the structure itself is pretty in the winter.”

Crabapple

Brandywine crabapple delivers incredibly fragrant, rose-like pink flowers in the spring, and its leaves transform into a vibrant salmon and golden orange in the fall. “It’s unusual for a crabapple, but they do really well here,” said Jeffers. The tree can grow to more than 15 feet, offering shade when needed in the summer months, but without being so tall, maintenance is difficult. The smaller Becthell crabapple also puts on a show of fall color and produces small red berries that birds love—though owners should take care to clean up after the berries fall to avoid a mess in the yard.

Chief Joseph Pine

Don’t forget evergreens. “One I highly encourage is Chief Joseph Pine. It’s extremely hardy, and the whole tree turns a brilliant yellow that can stay all winter long,” said Jeffers. Chief Joseph Pine is a slow-growing, compact lodgepole pine that reaches only about 6 feet tall, making it perfect for small yards.

Fall Gardening Tips for Central Oregon Yards

If you’re hoping to extend the life of summer planters, pansies will flower into late fall. Ornamental cabbage, kale, and daisy-like coreopsis or helenium inject shades of purple, coral, and paprika. For a Halloween twist, place Blackhawk in large planters—the tall ornamental grass turns a dark burgundy, almost black. Then, add orange or white pumpkins for decoration.

“Make sure to water,” said Jeffers. When it gets cold, people tend to stop watering, but plants still need moisture. If you’re unsure about how much water to give, local nursery staff are trained in proper care and can help you find the right plant for your climate zone. “That is going to make you more successful in the end,” said Ashcraft.

Think Outside the Patch: 5 Clever Uses for Pumpkins

Pumpkins and squash now come in all shapes, sizes and colors, from dwarf white pumpkins to striped Italian varieties in orange and green. In the spirit of turning over a new leaf, here are five unexpected ways to put pumpkins to work beyond run-of-the-mill decor.

1. Birdfeeders

Cut small pumpkins in half and hollow them out. Drill holes to thread twine or decorative rope, then fill with birdseed and hang.

2. Stacks

Add whimsy to planters or porchscapes by stacking pumpkins in a creative display. Stack three to make a giant candy corn or Halloween ghost.

3. Planters

While not completely unexpected, pumpkin planters take on an entirely new look depending on the plants used. For instance, pair dark grasses and white flowers in a Black and Silver pumpkin. Simply hollow it out, clean it, and let it dry before filling it with soil and plants.

4. Deer Distraction

Deer do love pumpkins. Place cut pumpkins strategically far away from your porch, closer to where deer roam, to lure them away from porch planters.

5. Party Drink Ice Cooler

Hollow out a large pumpkin, fill with ice, and chill bottles of wine, beer, or soda for autumn festivities.

Inside Bend’s Open Arts Center, a New Space for Creativity

The foundation of the Open Arts Center (OAC) traces back to a spontaneous encounter at a local theater production. Claire Brislin, a writer and longtime educator, first met Maija Kellner-Rode, an artist, designer and teen mentor, during a 2023 production that featured panel discussions and an art exhibition. Kellner-Rode was exhibiting her paintings when Brislin, an audience member, shared her thoughts on creating more opportunities for young people to make art. That brief exchange sparked a series of coffee meetings where the two began shaping a shared vision. Just three weeks after their first conversation, they committed to creating a third space for teens to practice their creative agency.

Their vision has since expanded to serving young people and adults while fostering intergenerational creative relationships from the OAC building on Second Street, which officially opened its doors in April 2026. They designed a dynamic space meant to invite people to discover their artistic inclinations. The building also features gold accents and signage, a street-level beacon signaling that creativity is welcome.

Teens at Open Arts Center — Current teen ambassador cohort, Open Arts Center

Open Arts Center Gives Bend Teens Space to Explore Art and Creativity

Through the double doors of the Teen Center, a fashion-design station holds textiles and magazines donated almost entirely by Fashion Workshop, a partner nonprofit. An art wall nearby is stocked with supplies for teens to take what they need and return when done. There’s a lounge with instruments scattered throughout that’s also home to a monthly open mic, and couches that encourage the artists to settle in. Nothing is precious; spills aren’t faux pas as most furniture and supplies are reused.

Open Arts Center studio artist, Hayley Purvis

Central to the founders’ shared philosophy is providing teenagers with a level of agency rarely found in other environments. Brislin and Kellner-Rode emphasize the importance of unstructured time, allowing young people to explore their identities away from the constraints of highly scheduled instruction. By using a self-directed model with no rigid curriculum or phone bans—only an open space with the necessary tools—the center encourages teens to follow their own marvel instead of an adult-imposed agenda. This approach is rooted in their conviction that positive adult relationships beyond those with parents and teachers are vital to a teenager’s development. Brislin cited the impactful work of the Boys and Girls Club as an example. The founders continue to prioritize recruiting mentors who participate in the creative process alongside youth, championing a collaborative atmosphere rather than a traditional teaching dynamic.

Open Arts Center opening night — Opening Night at Open Arts Center

Art Studios and Creative Spaces for All Ages in Bend

The co-founders are cultivating a “sense” of creativity, viewing it as a capacity as essential as sight or taste, though one that is too frequently neglected. Kellner-Rode seeks to reawaken this instinct in individuals who may no longer even perceive themselves as creative. “Innately, we’re born as creative humans, and that can look and develop in so many ways,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be a 2D drawing; it can be music, dance, crochet, the way you dress—there are so many ways in which we’re creative people.” This philosophy is evidenced by the adults who rent studio space throughout the facility—many are returning to artistic pursuits after lengthy professional careers, driven less by a desire for technical mastery than by a need to reconnect with curiosity.

While the adult studios are physically distinct from the Teen Center—featuring large warehouse garage doors and collaborative working tables that are more reminiscent of Brooklyn than Bend—the core mission remains unified throughout the building. It is a shared environment where a teenager discovering a new interest and an adult reclaiming a long-dormant one are engaged in the same instinctive process.

The gallery room connects the adult and teen spaces. It’s a modular space framed by a wall of windows, built to be rented out, activated and filled with whatever the community brings to it. The founders are prepared to host teen art shows here, multimedia collaborations, retreats, live music performances and the like.

Open Arts Studio artist, Michele Barinaga Delisi

Open Arts Center Connects Bend’s Artists and Creative Community

Looking forward, Brislin envisions the space becoming largely teen-driven, with young people operating the open mic and leading their own workshops while she simply supports what they’ve already decided to build. Beyond that, Brislin wants the OAC to be Bend’s gathering point for the creative community at large, a place where artists and organizations can come together to speak and catalyze change for the city’s artistic future.

The inception of the Open Arts Center began as an ambitious undertaking to give young people a place to explore creativity, build confidence and navigate the transition from childhood to adulthood. Since then, the space has become a home base for volunteer mentors, teens finding their voice and working professionals rediscovering a forgotten passion. Brislin and Kellner-Rode first found that sense of creative community when they met in a shared artistic environment, and now they have established a space where others can similarly experience and consistently return to creative exchange.

Direct Donations and Ways to Support

There are various GoFundMe pages to show your support, and the Silver Rail PTO support for affected families. For more details on individual donations, see the following:

Donate to the Megan Lambert Memorial Fund

Donate to the Rhoam Summer Family

Dino Art for Rhoam: Rhoam’s parents would be grateful to receive any drawings, crafts, or artwork of sharks and dinosaurs—Rhoam’s favorite animals. He loved animals with big teeth and “misunderstood” animals. They will use these to celebrate his life during a private family ceremony. Mail to: Lillian & Kelik Summer; c/o Heather Arnett, 320 SW Century Dr Ste #405 PO Box #217 Bend, Oregon, 97703.

Donate to the Saylor Graham Family

Send a letter to Saylor: A PO Box has been set up to send letters of encouragement and support to Saylor: P.O. Box 82, Bend, OR 97709.

Donate to the Kaylub Giamanco Family

Donate to Ms. Becky’s Family

Donate to the Bend-La Pine Schools’ Silver Rail Recovery Fund

Donate to Oregon Community Foundation’s Rapid Response Fund

Send art supplies and creative kits to the families of Silver Rail Elementary. Two Suns Art Studio + Makerspace is partnering with Whimsy With Purpose to provide children with a creative outlet to help them navigate this difficult experience.

A Bend Artists’ Benefit Auction: Proceeds will support BEAM, an afterschool program serving children with special needs, neurodivergence, and trauma.

Cambria Hotel: If you have family in town, they can stay at the new hotel on Columbia Street at no cost. Reach out directly to the front desk to arrange the stay.

Local Food Pantries and Free Groceries

The Giving Plate: Central Oregon’s largest food pantry, offering a Community Store where guests can shop for themselves, plus a Kid’s Korner Market/Mobile Pantry and Snack Packs Program for Bend/La Pine students.

NeighborImpact’s “Fresh to You” Mobile Pantry: A free grocery store on wheels bringing fresh produce and meal staples directly to neighborhoods across Central Oregon.

Family Kitchen: Provides free, nutritious meals to anyone in need in a safe, welcoming environment with no questions asked.

Westside Church Free Food Market & Westside Mercado: A no-registration-required food market to help families pick up supplementary groceries, done in partnership with NeighborImpact. The Free Food Market occurs the fourth Monday of most months in the Student Center, and the Westside Mercado runs Sundays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the East Atrium entrance.

Resources to Establish Ongoing Care

If you, your family, or community members are looking to establish ongoing care, counseling, or support groups:

Partners in Care: Offers short-term individual grief support counseling for those who have experienced the death of a loved one (Call: 541-382-5882).

OSU-Cascades Counseling Clinic: Provides free mental health services to Oregon residents, operating as a training clinic (Call: 541-322-2047).

St. Charles Behavioral Health: Offers outpatient diagnosis and treatment for emotional and mental health issues in Bend, Redmond, and Prineville (Bend: 541-706-7730).

NAMI Central Oregon: Provides free peer support, engagement, education, and advocacy for individuals and their loved ones affected by mental health struggles.

BestCare Treatment Services & Rimrock Trails: Both offer outpatient mental health counseling and substance use support at multiple locations across Central Oregon (Bend, Redmond, Prineville, Madras).

Brightways Counseling Group: Offers comprehensive mental health therapy with locations in Bend, Redmond, and Madras (Call: 541-904-5216).

New Priorities Family Services: A Redmond-based non-profit providing mental health and outpatient treatment programs for adults, children, and families (Call: 541-923-2654).

Vista Counseling & Wellness Center: Offers individual, child, and family therapy, with immediate openings for children, families, and adults. In-person sessions in Bend and telehealth across Oregon (Call: 541-517-9733).

City of Bend’s Community Support: Offers a comprehensive list of resources and information in one place.

Immediate Mental Health and Crisis Support

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — Call or text 988 (24/7)
Deschutes County Crisis Line — 541-322-7500, extension 9 (24/7)
Deschutes County Stabilization Center — 63311 NE Jamison St., Bend. 24-hour walk-in crisis support
Deschutes County Crisis Services

Helping Children and Teens

National Child Traumatic Stress Network: Talking to Children About a Shooting
School shooting resources
Bend-La Pine Schools family resources

Additional Family Support

211info — Dial 211 or click here for connections to community services.
For school updates, click here.

Ways to Care for One Another

Reach out to families, friends, teachers and neighbors who may be struggling. Offer a meal, help with errands, listen without judgment, or simply let someone know you are thinking of them.

Respect the privacy of families directly affected. Avoid sharing unverified information or graphic material.

For financial contributions, follow official school district announcements and verified family-authorized fundraising efforts.

Our neighbors will need support long after the initial shock has passed. Let’s continue showing up for one another.

Bend Artist Turns Tumbleweeds Into Sculptural Lighting

The tumbleweed: That desert-hued, rootless drifter rolling across open land. We have come to understand it as cinematic shorthand for the desolate, windblown landscapes of the West. This iconic weed—an invasive Russian thistle that hitched a ride in flaxseed to South Dakota in the 1870s—may seem far from the world of sculptural, innovative home decor, but for artist Lefty the lonesome tumblin’ tumbleweed was an inspiration that crossed his path at just the right time.

How TumbleGlow Began in Bend

Upon landing on a 13-acre property just east of Bend’s city limits, Lefty was coming off two decades in the restaurant business. He ran a catering company, launched eateries and acted as a consultant—the kind of hospitality life that eats every waking hour. Weeks before Covid would shut everything down, he sold the catering business and his home in Raleigh, North Carolina, to travel the open road from a converted van for four years. He moved to Bend at the end of 2024 with a partner. They broke up almost immediately. “Most of the time when I start creating,” Lefty said, “it’s from some sort of traumatic event that happened in life.”

He began doing electrical work and sales for Oxbow, a van-conversion outfit—a 40-hour week that felt, after life in the hospitality business, almost like nothing. The hours he used to lose running restaurants were now free for him to be open, observant and inspired. At home one day, the wind kicked up, blowing a tumbleweed across the big grassland behind his home.

Rare in the Northeast where Lefty grew up, the symmetrical spikey plant piqued his interest. “It just sat there, kind of teasing me a little,” he said. Then it got pinned against the fence. “I had to go look at it, see if I could do something with it.” Lefty rigged a bulb inside it, hung it in his room and posted a video. People began to ask if he’d make them one too, and TumbleGlow was born.

Handmade Tumbleweed Chandeliers and Sculptural Lighting

Lefty, who studied art and design in college, had previously made upcycled lighting for his home, such as chandeliers built from whiskey barrel hoops. His TumbleGlow iterations include floor lamps and hanging chandeliers. The bulbs are integral to the look: hand-blown, low-wattage LEDs cool enough to touch, in shapes picked for how they appear through the spines, from squat and ringed to tall and dimpled. One unfinished TumbleGlow piece runs on a smart bulb that is capable of emanating two million colors and is synced to music through a built-in microphone—ideal to one day outfit an event venue.

Each piece takes about 30 hours to build. Whittaker gathers the tumbleweed (some nearly five feet across), washes it in vinegar and water, trims with garden clippers while lying underneath it on the ground, then fireproofs it with a flame retardant he first used years ago on thatch-roof tiki bars for restaurants. He estimates he’s scrapped 50 tumbleweeds for every one that makes it to a ceiling.

The lights have tumbled their way well beyond Whittaker’s own living room. One hangs outside at a wedding venue near Smith Rock, chosen by the venue’s owner to incorporate into the property’s local art collection. Other fixtures have landed in Seattle and at both a boutique and private home in Sacramento.

A Slower Approach to Handmade Lighting

This is a pursuit that Whittaker doesn’t wish to scale, even as demand grows. He starts each piece by hanging a tumbleweed from a tree by his back deck, then watches it spin for hours—sometimes days—reading nearby, to see how the light filters through it. For now, he’s happy to see where the wind takes the endeavor. The process requires a patience that feels deliberate following two decades of demanding hours in hospitality. “I don’t want a hobby to turn into a career that rushes me around,” said Whittaker. See tumbleglow.com

Rosemary and Fox Brings Fresh Flavor to Bend’s Dining Scene

On a warm evening, the patio at Rosemary and Fox hummed with conversation at tables covered with white linens and set among colorful flowers, greenery and twinkling lights. Diners spread baked, triple-cream brie with roasted orange and cranberry-cognac compote on grilled crostini with sea-salt honey and enjoyed dishes such as duck confit with garlic-roasted potatoes, sautéed leeks and a Bordeaux cherry demi-glace. In the kitchen, chef Josh Podwils was exactly where he always imagined he’d be. “I just really love Bend,” he said, “I ski, snowboard and hike. I just never wanted to leave.”

Chef Podwils at Rosemary + Fox — Chef Josh Podwils

Bend Chef Josh Podwils Brings New Life to the Former Jackalope Grill

Longtime Bend diners will recognize the restaurant as the former Jackalope Grill, where Podwils served as executive chef for three years before seizing the opportunity to purchase it in 2026. Rosemary and Fox is less a fresh start than the culmination of a career spent in Bend’s kitchens. A Bend native, Podwils attended Mountain View High School and Cascade Culinary Institute before working in local restaurants. At the Italian restaurant Ernesto’s, Podwils worked his way from bar back to lead line cook. After that, he worked at The Victorian Café, where the owner, John Nolan, became a mentor. “You find people you connect with and take bits and pieces from how they run businesses and kitchens,” said Podwils. Among his other Bend culinary experiences were stints at Brother Jon’s Alehouse and operating a pop-up dinner series called Loyaute.

appetizer at rosemary and fox restaurant

Seasonal, French-Inspired Dining at Rosemary and Fox in Bend

French technique forms the foundation of the menu at Rosemary and Fox, but seasonality and responsible sourcing drive every dish. It’s an approach rooted in exceptional ingredients rather than unnecessary embellishment. “We’re looking for good products that make good food,” Podwils said. “It’s about letting the food shine.”

Welcome area at Rosemary and Fox

Pacific Northwest farms and ranches provide much of the meat on the menu, but Podwils sources duck legs from American Humane Certified Culver Duck Farm in Indiana and wild boar from Texas. While the menu changes seasonally, diners might expect to find dishes like a tender smoked Pendleton Ranch filet mignon with creamy wild mushroom and thyme risotto, rich, roasted marrow butter and decadent caviar, and a burger with melty Tillamook white cheddar along with bacon, arugula, pickled red onion and roasted garlic mayo on a Big Ed’s brioche bun. “We’re not a typical steakhouse or chop house. We have our own niche,” said Podwils.

Scallops at Rosemary and Fox

Signature Dishes at Rosemary and Fox: Scallops, Steak and More

Podwils promises one popular item, the restaurant’s signature seared scallops, will always have a place on the menu. A must-try first course, the applewood-smoked bivalves sit atop a sweet roasted corn sauce with fire-roasted poblano coulis and a drizzle of red pepper oil. It’s fresh and sweet with a hint of heat.

wine wall at rosemary and fox

Wine and Craft Cocktails at Rosemary and Fox

The wine program is thoughtful but not overwhelming, with a range of Pacific Northwest and French wines that pair well with the cuisine, such as Simonnet-Febvre Chablis from Burgundy and organic Hedges Family Estate Bio Syrah from Washington State. Cocktails including the Dark Horse Espresso Martini and the Foxtail—a refreshing concoction of tequila, carrot, pineapple and ginger—are familiar yet creative.

plating dishes at rosemary and fox

Chef Josh Podwils Takes Ownership of Rosemary and Fox

Ask Podwils what he does, and he’ll likely answer, “I’m a cook.” But now, as a restaurant owner, Podwils finds himself balancing two demanding jobs. He still spends his days on the line rather than behind a desk, though ownership also means spreadsheets, food costs and pricing. “Of course I enjoy cooking more than I enjoy doing numbers,” he said. “But when you have to, you dive into it.”

the rosemary and fox team in bend oregon

After 25 years in Bend’s kitchens, Podwils finally has a place that reflects both his cooking and his hometown: honest, simple and, above all, approachable.

Discover more places to eat and drink in Bend.

rosemary and fox dining room

Why Bend Pet Owners Keep Coming Back to Bend Pet Express

You Can Buy Pet Food Anywhere. So Why Do Bend Pet Owners Keep Coming Back to Bend Pet Express?

Bend Pet Express has spent 33 years meeting pet owners’ needs, even as buying pet supplies has never been easier. Customers get help sorting through an overwhelming number of food options, discover something new for their pet, keep everyday essentials stocked with convenient ordering options, and support a business invested in the Bend community.

“You can buy pet food almost anywhere, so we know people come to us for different reasons,” said Stephanie Wright, marketing and community coordinator at Bend Pet Express. “Our job is to give them a reason to choose us, whatever they need.”

Inside Bend Pet Express Eastside Location

When the Pet Food Aisle Leaves You With More Questions

Walk into a pet store today and the number of choices can be overwhelming. Different proteins, ingredients, brands, and feeding philosophies can turn what sounds like a simple purchase into a wall of questions.

Bend Pet Express employees start by learning about the animal instead of immediately reaching for the most popular bag on the shelf.

“Do you have a goal in mind? Do you have a weight management issue? Do you have an allergy you’re working around, or do you just want to ensure your elderly pet thrives?” Wright says.

Wright and another team member are certified professional canine nutritionists who can handle more complex concerns and support employees working directly with customers. The team can also help pet owners sort through options when they’re not sure where to begin.

“We want to be the neighbor you come to when you have a question,” Wright said. “People come back because they trust our advice and know we’ll take the time to understand their pet.”

Man at register at Bend Pet Express

Convenient Pet Food Delivery and Auto-Ship in Bend, Oregon

Of course, plenty of shopping decisions are simpler. Sometimes pet owners do not want to run out of dog food.

Bend Pet Express offers auto-ship options and quick local delivery for customers who prioritize convenience. It gives pet owners another way to shop locally without adding another errand to the week.

Being independently owned also allows the company to make decisions locally. The team can respond to recalls, reconsider products, or make purchasing changes without waiting for direction from a national corporate office.

Love is Love sign at Bend Pet Express

Discover Pet Toys, Treats and Supplies at Bend Pet Express

Online shopping may be convenient, but sometimes you want to pick something up, compare a few options, or wander the aisles until something catches your attention.

The store stocks toys and treats in addition to everyday essentials. During the holidays, shoppers will find sweaters, bow ties, fun shampoos, and plenty of gifts for the dog or cat on their holiday list.

How Bend Pet Express Supports Local Animal Rescues and Shelters

Choosing Bend Pet Express keeps shoppers’ dollars closer to home. The store works with local vendors and supports Central Oregon nonprofits and rescue organizations.

Bend Pet Express signage at the westside location

Customers can round up their purchases or donate directly to the Bend Pets Fund, which currently supports about 14 nonprofits. Contributions are divided among participating organizations each quarter.

Eligible pet food returns and donations are shared with local rescues, shelters, and organizations on a rotating basis. Bend Pet Express also offers adoption packages with food and treats to help new dog owners get started, along with a local resource for questions during those first few weeks together.

Supporting the community does not mean Bend Pet Express views every chain, franchise, or feed store as competition. The team believes there is room for many pet retailers in Bend and appreciates each customer who chooses to spend their money locally.

store shelves at Bend Pet Express

“We want people to have good feelings when they think about us,” Wright said. “We want you to know you have someone here who is going to connect with you.” Thirty-three years after opening, Bend Pet Express is still a place where the people behind the counter might remember your pet’s name before they remember yours.

Learn more about Bend Pet Express, or for locations, hours and online shopping, visit bendpetexpress.com.

Where to Ride With and Without E-Bikes Near Bend

With balmy temperatures, fewer summer crowds and miles of forest singletrack framed by changing fall colors, autumn is an ideal time to explore Bend’s trail network by bike. Central Oregon cyclists have more miles to explore this fall thanks to the Central Oregon Trail Alliance (COTA), the nonprofit that builds and maintains mountain biking trails across the region.

Following a December 2025 U.S. Forest Service decision, Class 1 pedal-assist e-bikes are now permitted on roughly 161 miles of selected trails in the Deschutes National Forest, including portions of the Phil’s, Wanoga, Sunriver and Peterson Ridge trail systems. Other trails remain off-limits to e-bikes.

As cyclists adjust to the new rules, COTA encourages everyone to lead with patience and trail courtesy. “Having proper riding etiquette, knowing where you can now legally ride Class 1 e-bikes and being kind are the most important things,” said COTA Executive Director Casey Andrews.

Before heading out, check current COTA or Forest Service information for seasonal and temporary closures.

The Best E-Bike Friendly Trails

Upper and Lower Storm King

Storm King connects the Phil’s and Wanoga trail systems and crosses Cascade Lakes Highway near Green Gate. It’s a versatile trail that works just as well as a steady climb as it does as part of a longer descent from Wanoga via Funner or Tiddlywinks.

Storm King’s appeal comes from its variety. Upper Storm King winds through the forest on well-graded singletrack, while Lower Storm King rewards downhill riders with a fast, twisty finish. Climbers get a relatively manageable grade, making the trail a useful — and fun — connection between some of Bend’s most popular riding areas.

Trail mileage: 9 miles total
Upper Storm King: 5.4 miles
Lower Storm King: 3.6

Pinedrops

Pinedrops is the kind of trail that proves a climb doesn’t have to feel like a chore. The roughly 2-mile stretch winds gradually uphill through the forest on approachable singletrack, with enough turns and short steeper sections to keep the ride interesting without turning it into a grind.

COTA put significant work into Pinedrops this year, improving the trail as part of a larger effort to separate climbing traffic from the faster downhill action around Whoops. The result gives riders a more comfortable way to gain elevation while setting themselves up for another lap through the Phil’s network.

Trail mileage: 2 miles

Royal Flush

Short, fast and built for play, Royal Flush packs a lot into 1.3 miles. A large Trail Love event hosted by COTA in spring 2026 focused on maintenance to get the trail primed for the riding season.

The downhill-only trail strings together tabletops, banked turns and other features in quick succession, making it a good choice for riders who want more action without committing to a long descent. The machine-built flow and steep berms encourage riders to carry momentum from one feature into the next. Be aware of low spots, which can retain snow or rainwater in colder, wetter weather.

Trail mileage: 1.3 miles

Voodoo Child

Voodoo Child offers a mellower change of pace in the Phil’s network. With relatively little elevation change, the 0.8-mile trail is a good choice for riders looking for a casual cruise or an easy connection between more demanding trails.

Its appeal is in the flow rather than big technical features: riders can keep moving without the sustained climbing or descending found elsewhere in the network. Thanks to COTA’s roughly 700-foot expansion in 2025, riders can also connect Phil’s Trailhead and Voodoo without using Forest Road 4610.

Trail mileage: 0.8 miles

Phil’s to Shevlin

The connection between Phil’s and Shevlin opens up opportunities for riders who want to turn a familiar Phil’s-area outing into a longer adventure. The connector links Phil’s Trailhead, Shevlin Park and Lower Mrazek while supporting the retirement of unauthorized routes that fragment wildlife habitat and disturb natural and cultural resources.

The payoff is variety: riders can move from the classic forested singletrack around Phil’s toward Shevlin and, for riders on traditional mountain bikes, continue onto the flowing terrain of Lower Mrazek. Lower Mrazek is fun in both directions, with climbing singletrack on the way up and stretches of fast, flowing trail on the return.

If you continue onto Mrazek Trail, however, leave the e-bike behind: e-bikes are not allowed.

Trail mileage:
Shevlin: 2.5 miles
Phil’s: 7.6 miles
Lower Mrazek: 7.5 miles

Cant we all just get along on the bike trails

Acoustic Bike Only Trails

Wanoga Downhill Trail

Wanoga continues to evolve into a mountain biking hub west of Bend, with something for riders at very different stages of the sport. Families and newer riders can start with the pump track at Wanoga Sno-Park, while more experienced riders can head toward the downhill trails for steeper terrain and more technical challenges.

One of Wanoga’s biggest advantages is connectivity. Riders looking to extend the outing can link into Tiddlywinks and Funner for a longer ride, combining purpose-built downhill riding with some of the Wanoga network’s best-known singletrack.

Trail mileage: 5.5 miles

Cline Butte and Cascade View

The new trails at Cline Butte and Cascade View give riders more reasons to explore beyond Bend’s west-side trail network. Developed in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management, the project added trails while rerouting unofficial user-created routes away from private property and sensitive golden eagle habitat.

But the conservation work also produced more riding variety. COTA’s completed additions include trails such as Chainbreak, Positive Vibrations, Legal Eagle and CrossFire at Cline Butte and Whiptail, Rattler, Bull Snake and Hummingbird at Cascade View. Together, the additions create more options for putting together different rides instead of following a single established route through the area.

Trail mileage: 11.5 miles total
Cline Butte: 6 miles
Cascade View: 5.5 miles

Pine Drops Extension

Also known as the Uphill Whoops Route, this uphill-only connector is designed to make one of the busiest parts of the Phil’s network work better for everyone. Instead of climbing the same trail other riders want to descend, riders get a dedicated route uphill toward Pinedrops and Whoops.

That separation is the real appeal: climbers can settle into their pace while downhill riders get more freedom to enjoy the flow and features of Whoops. The extension also improves connections within the larger Phil’s network, making it easier to string together laps without relying as heavily on forest roads.

Trail mileage: 3 miles

Ridge Loop

Ridge Loop brings riders into the higher-elevation terrain around Swampy Lakes Sno-Park, offering a noticeably different experience from the lower, drier trails closer to Bend. The forested setting and roughly 580 feet of climbing give the trail more of a backcountry feel while still connecting into the larger Swampy trail network.

Its biggest strength is connectivity. Ridge Loop gives riders another way to build longer loops through the Swampy area rather than simply riding an out-and-back, making it particularly useful for riders who like piecing together bigger high-country days.

Trail mileage: About 2.5 miles

Yeti Winter Fat Bike Trail

Yeti adds something different to the mix: a trail created specifically to expand winter fat-biking opportunities. Located southwest of Kiwa Butte, the route adds approximately 5 miles of riding designed to offer more varied terrain and challenge than existing winter options.

That makes Yeti less about simply keeping the bike rolling through winter and more about providing an actual trail-riding experience on snow. Its terrain and location give fat-bike riders another option for exploring the forest when many of Central Oregon’s traditional mountain bike trails are buried for the season.

Trail mileage: Approximately 5 miles