Bend (Winter)

Bend sits at the foot of the Cascade Mountain Range in the high desert of central Oregon. Come winter, its privileged location guarantees two things: easy access to snow and lots of sunshine. With an average of 250 sunny days per year, odds are good that your skiing, snow boarding, sledding, snowshoeing or cross country skiing adventures will involve sun. That’s what makes Oregon’s premier outdoor destination the perfect winter getaway. Only 22 miles from town, Mt. Bachelor boasts 71 runs, dry snow and an average snowfall of 387 inches. Virginia Meissner, Wanoga and Swampy Lakes sno-parks are even closer to town and offer everything from ...

Bend sits at the foot of the Cascade Mountain Range in the high desert of central Oregon. Come winter, its privileged location guarantees two things: easy access to snow and lots of sunshine. With an average of 250 sunny days per year, odds are good that your skiing, snow boarding, sledding, snowshoeing or cross country skiing adventures will involve sun. That’s what makes Oregon’s premier outdoor destination the perfect winter getaway. Only 22 miles from town, Mt. Bachelor boasts 71 runs, dry snow and an average snowfall of 387 inches. Virginia Meissner, Wanoga and Swampy Lakes sno-parks are even closer to town and offer everything from sledding to cross country skiing and snowshoeing. If you’d rather hit the rock, you’ll find world class climbing all winter long at nearby Smith Rock. Mountain biking? Yep. Golfing? You bet. Hiking? That, too. Best of all, however you spend your winter days in Bend, you’ll always be able to return to town and wind down in style. Microbreweries, superb restaurants, fun bars and relaxing health spas are all to be found in central Oregon’s largest town.

About the Expert

Danny Palmerlee is the main author of numerous Lonely Planet travel guides, including Ecuador, Argentina, South America on a Shoestring, and Pacific Northwest Trips.