Where to Paddle Board in Bend, Oregon
Bend, Oregon is my home town! And it’s a great place to enjoy “The Great Outdoors!” Kayaking & paddle-boarding are two of the most popular summertime activities in Bend, as the city lies directly on the Deschutes River. Bend is also close to many amazing lakes up on the Cascade Lakes Highway. In this article, I’ll give you my top picks for “Where to Paddle Board & Kayak in Bend.” I’ll start with the most popular spots in town, then work my way out to more remote & typically less crowded places to paddle.
The most popular place to paddle board in Bend is right downtown, by the Old Mill District ~ on the Deschutes River. This is my friend Keely!
Get Your Gear Ready!
If you want to take photos while paddling, bring a waterproof Go Pro ~ or simply pick up a waterproof case for your phone…with a lanyard that goes around your neck.
I’ve been able to get a TON of great photos this way!
Where to Stay for Paddle Boarding in Bend:
| Staying For… | Best Area | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| Cascade Lakes (Hosmer, Sparks, Devils) | Seventh Mountain | Closest access to Century Drive + family-friendly |
| Families | Sunriver Resort | Marina, calm water, bike trails, tons of pools, great for beginners! |
| Downtown Paddle Boarding | Old Mill District | Walk to the river + shops, restaurants |
| Luxury Getaway | Tetherow Resort | Resort experience + mountain views + close to all lakes! |
| Budget Trip | Old Mill Area Hotels | Central location + more hotel options |
There’s no better place for a family vaction than Sunriver Resort!
Map of Bend Hotels
Best Paddle-Board Spots by Bend
1) The Old Mill District in Bend, on the Deschutes River: This is by far the most popular place to paddle-board in Bend, with the best people-watching. Put your board in at one of these spots: Riverbend Park (with all the river floaters), Farewell Bend Park (across from Riverbend), or if you’re renting paddle-boards at popular Tumalo Creek Kayak & Canoe ~ put your board in at their private dock…then paddle to the left, up-river, towards Riverbend Park. The good news is: you can simply float on the way back!
GWTW Tip: This section of the river gets SUPER BUSY on hot summer weekends. If you’re looking for more peace & quiet, or are new to paddle-boarding: paddle on a weekday, or check out one of the lakes outside of town for a more peaceful experience.
My friend Karissa paddling in the Old Mill District of Bend!
2) Todd Lake, Sparks Lake, Elk Lake, Devils Lake, & Hosmer (Up Century Drive): If you don’t mind a 25-minute drive up the mountain towards Mt. Bachelor, & you have racks or an inflatable paddle-board ~ the scenery up here is INCREDIBLE. And you’ll have a more peaceful experience than at the Old Mill….even on weekends. The most popular lake to paddle-board is Elk Lake, but it can get busy on weekends, so come early! This is the largest lake by Bend, with a restaurant & cabins on the lake, plus live music on weekends!
My friend’s daughter, learning to paddle board at Elk Lake!
Two more popular lakes to paddle/kayak are Sparks Lake & Devils Lake. Both are gorgeous, & you can park very close to each lake. Sparks Lake is larger, & you may be able to find your own private beach ~ but you’ll need to drive on a b-u-m-p-y dirt road for awhile. (Note: Sparks Lake can get really shallow in late summer; be careful that your paddle board doesn’t get “stuck” in the mud here). Devil’s Lake is one of my favorite Cascade Lakes for its gorgeous turquoise-blue color. Park in their parking lot, or along the side of the highway, & walk just a few steps down to put your board in the lake.
My friend & I just paddled Sparks Lake two days ago with puppy + infant! Great views of Bachelor & South Sister.
TURQUOISE!! And FREEZING!! That’s Devils Lake in two words : ) If you fall off your paddle board, you’ll cool off for sure!
Two more close options to Bend: Todd Lake is the closest lake to Bend on the Cascade Lakes Highway. The only bummer is that you need to carry your board about an 1/8 mile to reach the lake from their dirt lot. Which means you won’t see too many other paddlers out here. Hosmer is just past Elk Lake, & a little hidden: this is by far my favorite place to paddle-board by Bend. You can’t really see any of this lake from the parking lot ~ which means you have to kayak or paddle to see how gorgeous it is here.
This is a local’s favorite spot, but there aren’t many places to camp out on the beach here ~ so it can be tricky with kids.
Hosmer Lake is a hidden GEM, ideal for kayakers & paddle-boarders….as well as fearless, swimming puppies!
Further afield: if you keep going past Elk Lake & Hosmer, you’ll eventually reach Lava Lake & Little Lava Lake on the left-side of highway. And even further, Cultus Lake Resort is on the right side; you can paddle-board & kayak at all of these lakes.
Cultus Lake Resort is another place where you can rent a paddle board~ but it’s about an hour’s drive from Bend.
3) Along the Deschutes River, off Conklin Road: This is more of a “Local’s Spot,” so I don’t want to give too much away here. And access to the Deschutes here is only on bumpy dirt roads, FYI. On this stretch of the river, you have major rapids & falls like Big Eddy & Benham; but between these wet & wild sections are peaceful spots, perfect for paddle-boarding. My friend & I recently parked at Dillon Falls, inflated our paddle-boards by the river, & paddled to the right, towards Benham Falls.
Once you see the falls, you’ll obviously want to turn around & head back.
My friend Kadi & I just paddled the peaceful stretch of Deschutes between Dillon Falls & Benham Falls. Be careful though ~ there are lots of rapids near this part of the river: go with a guide!
GWTW Tip: If you’re unfamiliar with this stretch of the Deschutes, paddle with a guide or a local, so you don’t go the wrong way & end up in dangerous rapids! People have died here when they floated the wrong section of the river & couldn’t get out.
BE CAREFUL!!!
4) In Sunriver, on the Deschutes River: The Deschutes River winds its way all through family-friendly Sunriver Resort. And there are dozens of places where you can paddle peacefully up or down the river here. You can also rent gear at the Sunriver Marina.
This section of the Deschutes is very calm, & perfect for beginners.
The river is extra wide through Sunriver, giving you plenty of room to get around rafts & kayaks.
Best Areas by Paddle-Board Type:
| If You Want… | Best Spot |
|---|---|
| First Time Paddle Boarding | Sunriver Resort |
| Best Photos | Sparks Lake |
| Most Scenic | Hosmer Lake |
| Closest to Bend | Old Mill District |
| Families With Kids | Elk Lake |
| Dogs that Swim | Hosmer or Todd Lake |
| Easy Parking | Devils Lake or Elk Lake |
Need a place to stay nearby? Check hotel availability in Bend.
Where to Stay in Bend
The best hotel for accessing all these beautiful paddle-board spots is Tetherow Lodge. It’s located right off Century Drive, close to Conklin Road, & about a 5-minute drive to the Old Mill District. All lakes on the Cascade Lakes Highway are close to this luxurious, pet-friendly hotel with its massive mountain views!
Another good option for families & big groups is to rent a house in Sunriver, which gives you access to loads of amazing paddle & kayaking options on the Deschutes.
Tetherow is one of the best hotels in town: they’re pet-friendly, have amazing restaurants, mountain views ~ & are close to EVERY spot listed here.
Read My Other Articles on Bend:
- Guide to Devils Lake by Bend, Oregon
- Guide to Elk Lake by Bend, Oregon
- The Perfect 3-Day Weekend Guide in Bend, Oregon!
- Guide to Floating the Deschutes River in Bend
Floating the river in Bend is a summer MUST!
Where to Paddle Board & Kayak in Bend
If you’re bringing an inflatable kayak or paddle board to any of these spots: make sure to bring a quick-fill electric air pump that can be charged in your car! This makes inflating anything soooo much easier, & I love the fact that this particular pump has three different attachments: I haven’t found anything that it can’t inflate!
xoxo Noelia
Read Next: Guide to Floating the River in Bend, Oregon!
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I love that you actually live in Bend! You can never tell these days if AI is writing articles or what – but I can tell that you’re an actual person! Question: my family will be visiting in Bend in late June. Is it usually warm enough then to float the river? And how long would it take us to get from downtown Bend to that Aspen area, if we want to paddle board there? It looks really cool, and like less crowds.
Hey Susanna, haha yes I’m a real person & yes I really live in Bend: I’m looking at Black Butte from my kitchen windown right now! So yes, late June is usually warm enough to float the river. You may get a random cloudy day in there ~ but if you’re in town for several days, 90% chance you’ll be able to float the river at least one of those days (my friends & I always go for the warmest day of the week). To get to the Aspen “put-in,” as we call it, from downtown Bend that will take you about 12-15 minutes. You’re heading up Century Drive, & then turning off onto a dirt road for about 1 mile. If you bring a dog with you, there’s also an AMAZING off-leash dog area right near there (across from Tetherow Resort) called Good Dog: it’s a favorite spot for my friends & I + the dogs : ) Have fun here!! xoxo
Hi Allison, thanks for this lovely comment! And I know: its been SO HOT here!! I went to the beach myself last week to escape the heat! But so glad you guys were able to try out so many good spots to cool off around Bend : ) xoxo Noelia