Oregon · Hiking

High Desert Trail

2.5 mi
one way
63 ft
climb
3,554 ft
high point
Point to point
route
May–Oct
best months

High Desert Trail is a 2.5-mile point-to-point hike on Bureau of Land Management land in Oregon's Prineville Deschutes Field Office. It's a short walk with a low climb, rising about 63 feet from a low point of 3,503 feet to a high of 3,554 feet. The route is rated easy, and the trail runs almost flat, with the steepest stretch at about 4% grade around the half-mile mark. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Bend show July and August highs around 82°F with lows near 49°F, and only a couple of wet days a month. Winter is cold, with January highs around 42°F and lows near 24°F. The trail is open to horses, and bikes are not allowed. The trip takes about an hour. Tumulus Trail is about 1.5 miles away, and Sand Trail is roughly 2.9 miles away. Climbers can find The Drive In about 2.2 miles off, and the Castle climbing area is about 3.2 miles away.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · May–Oct

    Best time to visit High Desert Trail

    Best months: May–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      42° / 24°

      8 wet

    2. Feb

      45° / 25°

      6 wet

    3. Mar

      51° / 28°

      6 wet

    4. Apr

      57° / 31°

      7 wet

    5. May

      65° / 38°

      7 wet

    6. Jun

      72° / 43°

      5 wet

    7. Jul

      82° / 49°

      3 wet

    8. Aug

      82° / 49°

      2 wet

    9. Sep

      74° / 42°

      3 wet

    10. Oct

      62° / 34°

      5 wet

    11. Nov

      48° / 28°

      7 wet

    12. Dec

      40° / 23°

      8 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Bend 7 Ne, OR, 14.1 mi away at 3,358 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Tumulus TrailPhoto: Bureau of Land Management Oregon and Washington, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

Tumulus Trail

~3 min drive

Out-and-back Oregon trail featuring a notable natural or cultural landmark.

Dry River TrailPhoto: Bureau of Land Management Oregon and Washington, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

Dry River Trail

~6 min drive

8.70-mile point-to-point trail in Oregon with 157 ft elevation gain

Sand Lily TrailPhoto: Bureau of Land Management Oregon and Washington, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

Sand Lily Trail

~8 min drive

Out-and-back Oregon trail featuring sand lilies and high-desert wildflowers.

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Oregon Desert Trail

~14 min drive

Remote 15.5-mile point-to-point desert trek across Oregon's high sagebrush country.

Mazama Ash TrailPhoto: Bureau of Land Management Oregon and Washington, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

Mazama Ash Trail

~8 min drive

Out-and-back volcanic terrain hike in Oregon's geothermal landscape.

Escape from MoscowPhoto: Sapphireblue, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Escape from Moscow

~8 min drive

1.48-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 683 ft gain.

ParkwayPhoto: Sapphireblue, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Parkway

~8 min drive

4.27-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 1,011 ft elevation gain.

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Sand Trail

~5 min drive

2.87-mile point-to-point trail in Oregon with 103 ft gain

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Nighthawk Trail

~6 min drive

Out-and-back trail offering scenic Oregon hiking with moderate challenge.

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social trail

~5 min drive

1.96-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 174 ft elevation gain

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors