Oregon · Hiking

Sand Trail

2.9 mi
one way
84 ft
climb
3,516 ft
high point
Point to point
route
May–Oct
best months

Sand Trail is a short, easy hike in Oregon's Oregon Badlands Wilderness, on land managed by the Bureau of Land Management's Prineville Deschutes Field Office. The route is about 2.9 miles long, with a total elevation gain of 84 feet, and it runs from a low point of about 3,427 feet to a high of about 3,516 feet. The climb is flat, with the steepest stretch at about 1.4 miles in, where the grade reaches about 3 percent. The trail is a point-to-point route, and it is open to horses. Bikes are not allowed. 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 two or three wet days a month. Winter is much colder, with January highs around 42°F and lows near 24°F. The trail makes an easy addition to a day of exploring the surrounding area. Tumulus Trail and Nighthawk Trail are each about 1.5 miles away, and Reynolds Pond Trail is about 1.6 miles off. The Drive In climbing area is about 3.5 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 Sand 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, 12.1 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

~2 min drive

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

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.

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.

HIKE

Oregon Desert Trail

~18 min drive

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

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

Dry River Trail

~10 min drive

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

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

Escape from Moscow

~12 min drive

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

ParkwayPhoto: Sapphireblue, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Parkway

~12 min drive

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

HIKE

Reynolds Pond Trail

~3 min drive

Out-and-back trail to a scenic pond in Oregon's forests.

HIKE

Black Lava Trail

~4 min drive

Out-and-back volcanic lava field trail with dramatic basalt formations.

HIKE

Carey Act Trail

~4 min drive

Out-and-back desert trail through Oregon's high desert sagebrush country.

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors