Sahalie Falls
A powerful 100-foot cascade over an ancient lava dam on the upper McKenzie River — a premier scenic viewpoint (wheelchair-accessible
Swimming Holes
Elk Lake
A long sandy beach along the Cascade Lakes Highway with cool, clear water and an on-site resort serving food and
Cultus Lake
A family-friendly Cascade Lakes Highway lake with shallow water and a sandy beach at its day-use area, plus a nearby
Paulina Lake & East Lake (Newberry Volcano)
Two scenic lakes sitting inside the caldera of Newberry Volcano — still technically active — ringed by forest and lava
Scout Lake
A small lake where only non-motorized watercraft are allowed, making the water calmer and noticeably warmer than Bend’s larger Cascade
Steelhead Falls (Deschutes River)
A short, easy hike leads to a scenic waterfall on the Deschutes River where jumping from a 25-foot cliff into
Metolius River (Camp Sherman area)
One of Oregon’s most pristine spring-fed rivers, running a constant, icy temperature year-round near the small community of Camp Sherman
Tumalo Creek / Tumalo State Park
A locally popular creek near Bend offering a cooler alternative to the Deschutes, with several easy-access swimming spots within the
Deschutes River (Bend — Farewell Bend Park to Drake Park)
A gentle, steady-flowing stretch of the Deschutes running right through downtown Bend, popular for floating, tubing, and casual swimming between
Lake Billy Chinook / Cove Palisades State Park
A 72-mile-shoreline reservoir framed by 400-foot rimrock cliffs where three rivers converge; developed day-use areas offer sandy beaches and floating