Bend, Oregon - Day 1

After yesterday’s hike of Garfield Peak at Crater Lake, Jim had a chance to do some fishing near our campground at Diamond Lake before hitching up the trailer and driving to our next destination, Bend, Oregon.

For our first full day in the Bend area, we wanted to do some exploring at Smith Rock State Park. The weather forecast was calling for temperatures in the high 90’s, so we needed to get an early start. We were on the Misery Ridge trailhead at Smith Rock SP by 7:45am. It was 1.1 miles of steep switchbacks to get to the top - well worth it for the views! Instead of returning the way we came, we chose to do the 4 mile loop which winds along the Crooked River. Being in the high desert, we weren’t expecting the lush green scenery that we encountered along the river. As we hiked, it was fun to watch the many mountain climbers attempting the sheer walls.

Smith Rock State Park

We're ready to tackle Misery Ridge!

My view from the top of Misery Ridge

Resting the legs

Interesting rock formations

Such pretty scenery!

The cliffs are covered in mountain climber's hand chalk. See the climber in the middle of this picture?

The next stop was Tumalo Falls in the Cascade Range west of Bend. We walked up the short path to the top of the beautiful falls to take a few pictures. Jim was eyeing the river downstream as a potential fishing spot, so I relaxed with a book in the truck while Jim spent a few hours fishing with great success.

Tumalo Falls

The top of the falls

Prime fishing waters