Bend, OR

Do you ever find yourself wishing you could just get away; even if only for a short time, a place to sneak off to? We never seem to take enough time for ourselves. Of course you have to get things ready as if you’re planning a trip and that takes away some of the spontaneity. Sometimes life happens and you simply have no time. It might even seem that to be gone an entire day, trying to relax is almost a chore in itself. So what do you do and where do you do it at? If you want to quietly stand on the bridge and watch the river go by, have a quiet lunch with one of the few geese, take a long or short stroll, get a few or a lot of people for a get together, climb/repel the small rock bluffs then Sawyer Park’s 21 acre, naturally wooded area is a great choice.

The upper part of this park is roughly the size of 2 football fields and is complete with grass hosting an array of picnic tables, restrooms and water fountains, all with the winding asphalt path that runs down through the middle. At the East end of the park is one set of rock bluffs, guarding the entrance of the bridge that goes across the Big Deschutes River to the trail that winds down stream, along the rivers edge. The river is dotted with boulders for several miles; well I haven’t run out of them yet anyway. I use them as a personal challenge to see how far I can make it down river on just the rocks as there are so many. The main trail is an easy trail for young and old alike. Every once in awhile you will find someone biking but not often and they are courteous. Several spots along the river you will find the rock bluffs for climbing or practice repelling. Come evening time, as the sun sets, the river becomes enshrouded in a light shimmer of gold that has reminded me of simpler days and lives, probably the kind I see on tv though. There are a ton of birds here as well for the bird watchers. I keep hoping to spot a nest among the reeds by the bridge.

Sawyer Park is located at the North end of Bend about a mile off of Hwy 97. There is a stoplight at the North End of The Riverhouse Motel and this cross road is OB Riley Rd.

If Heading North, make a left at the light, if heading South then take a right but either way go about 1 mile down and on your left is the turn in for the park.