Cycling & running events in Bend, 2026

Bend Training Notes

Running: Locals run the Deschutes River Trail when they want easy miles close to Downtown Bend. The north segment runs 5 miles from Riley Ranch Nature Preserve to Tumalo, and the south segment stretches 18+ miles when you want more. Shevlin Park gives you the 5-mile Tumalo Creek Trail and a 6-mile Shevlin Loop with tree cover. Phil's Trail has plenty of loops and mileage for trail days. Central Oregon Running Klub meets Thursdays at 6pm, and FootZone's Tuesday Performance Group meets Tuesdays at 5:30pm. The Bend Marathon and Half anchors spring, and Bigfoot 10k, Fall Foot Races, and FootZone Bend Classic Mile keep the calendar honest.

Cycling: Locals ride everything from wide gravel paths and cross-country singletrack to loose desert sand and windy pavement. Central Oregon Wheelers rolls road, gravel, and mountain bike rides from Bend, while Bend Area Cycling Enthusiasts keeps the menu broad with gravel, road, fat bikes, and tandems. The typical ride covers 7 km with 293 m elevation. Mt. Bachelor/Cascade Lakes Loop brings almost 3,500 feet of sustained climbing right from downtown Bend. The Cascade Chainbreaker opens MTB season in May, Oregon Trail Gravel is the big gravel pull, and the real party is the Halloween cyclocross series.

Season: October through April works best for sandy-area riding, and locals use those months for base miles without much fuss. May to mid-June opens the west side MTB trails as snow backs off, and Farewell opens August 15 for an awesomely beautiful, semi-tough ride. Summer feels like true high desert, and the exposed areas get extremely hot and dry. The air stays cool and fresh on river and forest runs, even on the hottest summer day. Winter pushes higher west-side riding under snow until mid-May or mid-June, while east-side trails stay rideable year-round and runners keep using paths, parks, and CORK meetups.