Welcome to your full guide to snowmobiling Bend Oregon. Snowmobiling Bend Oregon is a popular and exciting winter activity.
The Central Oregon climate produces an abundance of sunny, powder days each year. There are hundreds of miles of groomed snowmobile trails near Bend and extensive options for exploring untracked powder in the backcountry.
Lets cruise into this full guide to snowmobiling Bend Oregon, providing you with the must know information about rentals, tours, sno-parks, rules, and more.
Snowmobiling Bend Oregon: Overview
Snowmobiling Bend Oregon is as thrilling as it is accessible. The extensive network of groomed snowmobile trails and sno-parks near Bend provide access to limitless route options within a short drive from Bend.
There are 7 sno-parks within 35 miles of Bend (and more beyond that) that provide access to hundreds of miles of groomed snowmobile trails and incredible backcountry. We’ll cover each of these sno-parks in detail below.
Central Oregon has great snow. The high-desert climate in Central Oregon grants us with ample snowfall and sunny days each year. As a result, there is no shortage of pristine powder days throughout the winter.
In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about snowmobiling Bend Oregon. Let’s get into it.
Snowmobile Rental Bend Oregon
There are several highly rated snowmobile rental companies in Bend. Snowmobile rentals are great if you don’t want to do a guided tour. You really can’t go wrong with any of the options to rent snowmobiles in Bend below.
- Central Oregon Rentals: Very highly rated. They rent all sorts of water, land, and snow vehicles. Their snowmobiles are all high quality and well maintained. Their employees are knowledgeable, helpful and professional. Read their Google reviews
- Adrenaline Rentals: Very highly rated. Adrenaline Rentals provides high quality snowmobiles and top notch customer service. Check out their Google reviews.
- Cascade Lakes Adventures: Very highly rated. They only rent snowmobiles and their machines are well-tuned and ready to go. See their Google reviews.
- Elevation Adventure Rentals: Very highly rated. Elevation Adventure Rentals only do snowmobiles. Started by two Australians who love Bend, they also have a neat Sled Share program. These are their Google reviews.
Snowmobile Tours Bend Oregon
Snowmobile tours in Bend are a great option for beginners who are looking to experience the thrill of snowmobiling. These guided tours provide a ton of knowledge and enjoyment, in addition to bypassing the need to haul your own machine or rent.
- Central Oregon Adventures: Very highly rated. They offer 2-hour and 4-hour snowmobile trips led by professional guides, who are extremely knowledgeable of the trails and will customize the route based on your ability and pace. See their Google reviews.
- Cascade Snow Bike: They do snow bike guided tours. This is made for people who have experience riding dirt bikes, and it looks super fun! Very well rated. See their Google Reviews.
Bend snowmobile tours are a great way to experience the Central Oregon backcountry with a knowledgeable guide, taking the stress out of planning and transporting.
Popular Snowmobile Routes Near Bend
These are some popular snowmobile routes near Bend that are sure to offer incredible views of the Central Oregon backcountry. They all start from one of the sno-parks near Bend (more on those below) and make their way to buttes, viewpoints, lodges, loops, lakes, and more!
You can split up snowmobiling near Bend into three main areas:
- North of Century Drive
- South of Century Drive
- Newberry National Volcanic Monument
By the way, Century Drive turns into the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway after passing Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort going west.
You can reference the route descriptions below using these two trail maps:
- USFS Trail Map – West of Bend (North and South of Century Drive)
- USFS Trail Map – Newberry National Volcanic Monument
Route 1: Elk Lake Lodge
Area: West of Bend (South of Century Drive)
Start from: Dutchman, Kapka, or Edison Sno Park
Go to: Elk Lake Lodge for lunch
Great for: Lunch break, lakeside trails
Route 2: Kwolh and Sheridan Shelter
Area: West of Bend (South of Century Drive)
Start from: Edison Sno Park
Go to: Kwolh and Sheridan Mountain warming shelters
Great for: Warming shelter breaks, landscape vistas
Route 3: Paulina Lodge
Area: South of Bend (Newberry)
Start from: Six Mile or Ten Mile Sno Park
Go to: Paulina Lodge for lunch or dinner, Paulina Falls, Paulina Lake, various viewpoints
Great for: Lunch break, icy waterfall, lakeside trails, stunning viewpoints
Route 4: Three Creek Lake
Area: West of Sisters
Start from: Upper or Lower Three Creeks Sno Park
Go to: Three Creek Lake, Tam McArthur Rim, Triangle Hill Viewpoint, Moon Mountain
Great for: Lake and landscape views
Of course, there are limitless route options. Get creative using the trail maps and make your own adventure! Start from one of the sno-parks below.
Sno Parks Near Bend
There are 7 sno-parks within 35 miles of Bend that provide access to hundreds of miles of groomed trails. Each sno-park is a bit different, so we’ll cover each below in detail.
Wanoga Sno Park and Snow Play Area
Wanoga Sno Park is the closest sno-park to Bend where you can launch a snowmobile. It is located just 14 miles west of Bend just off of Century Drive.
Wanoga also has a sledding area and warming shelter, in addition to cross-country ski trails, snowshoe trails, and fatbike trails. The diversity of activity makes it great for the whole family. Dogs are also allowed!
Be aware, as this is the closest staging area to Bend, it is also often the most popular. The parking lot can fill up during nice weekends. Ski traffic to Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort can be brutal on weekend mornings, so plan accordingly.
Here is a trail map of the snowmobile trails west of Bend, including those accessible from Wanoga: USFS snowmobile trail map.
Kapka Sno Park
Kapka Sno Park is 18 miles west of Bend near the junction of Century Drive and Forest Service Road 45 (going to Sisters). Kapka provides access to snowmobile trails both north and south of Century Drive.
One great option is to head west towards Kwolh Shelter and stop for lunch. You can extend your trip to also include Sheridan Mountain Shelter. The options truly are endless.
As with other sno-parks, the parking area at Kapka is large, but can fill up on weekends. Also, the ski traffic to Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort can be rough on weekend mornings along Century Drive.
Here is a trail map of the snowmobile trails west of Bend, including those accessible from Kapka: USFS snowmobile trail map.
Edison Butte Sno Park
Edison Butte Sno Park, also called Edison Sno park, is 22 miles from Bend on Forest Service Road 45. This is the closest sno-park to Sisters.
Edison Butte Sno Park provides access to a wide range of snowmobile trails south of Century Drive. There are also ungroomed ski trails and snowshoe trails.
Some popular routes are cruising over to Sheridan Mountain Shelter or rounding (and summiting) Wanoga Butte. The parking lot is smaller than other sno-parks, so it can fill up on crowded weekends.
Here is a trail map of the snowmobile trails west of Bend, including those accessible from Edison: USFS snowmobile trail map.
Dutchman Sno Park
Dutchman Sno Park is 21 miles from Bend and directly across from Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort.
Dutchman Ski Resort allows access to the snowmobile trails north of Century Drive, including trails to Todd Lake, Moon Mountain, Triangle Hill Viewpoint, and Three Creek Lake. There is also a trail that connects to Three Creek Sno Park.
The parking lot is pretty small and fills up quickly on busy weekends, so be sure to get there early or opt for an afternoon ride. Again, ski traffic to Mt. Bachelor can be bad on weekend mornings.
Here is a trail map of the snowmobile trails west of Bend, including those accessible from Dutchman: USFS snowmobile trail map.
Three Creeks Sno Park
Three Creeks Sno Park is southwest of Sisters and 33 miles from Bend. There is actually an upper and lower parking area for Three Creek Sno park. The lower lot primarily functions as overflow for the upper lot.
The snowmobile trails from Three Creek Sno Park connect with Dutchman Sno Park to the south. Three Creek loop is a common trail, as well as the trails to Three Creek lake and Triangle Hill Viewpoint. Three Creek Sno Park is dog friendly.
Here is a trail map of the snowmobile trails west of Bend, including those accessible from Three Creek: USFS snowmobile trail map.
Six Mile Sno Park and Ten Mile Sno Park
Six Mile Sno Park and Ten Mile Sno Park are located 30 miles from Bend, within the Newberry National Volcanic Monument, just west of Paulina Lake along Paulina-East Lake Road.
There are tons of awesome trails in this area. A few great options are trail 4 around both Paulina lake and East Lake, trail 3 that goes up to Paulina Peak (talk about a view), and trail 11 to the Paulina Falls viewpoint.
See a trail map of the snowmobile trails accessible from Six Mile and Ten Mile Sno Parks: USFS snowmobile trail map.
Other Sno Parks Further From Bend
There are other sno-parks not described in depth here that are further from Bend, but still offer incredible snowmobiling.
These include Crescent Lake Sno Park and Junction Sno Park along Highway 58 south of Bend. See the USFS snowmobile trail map for this area.
There is also the Santiam Pass area, which includes Ray Benson Sno Park, Little Nash Sno Park, and Lava Lake Sno Park. See the USFS snowmobile trail map for this area.
How to Buy a Sno Park Permit
You must have a parking permit to park at Sno-Parks between November 1st and April 30th. These permits fund the removal of snow from the parking lots. You can buy the permit for three different intervals. Prices are as of October 2023.
- Annual Sno-Park Permit (November 1 – April 30) – $25
- 3-Day (consecutive) Sno-Park Permit – $9
- Daily Sno-Park Permit – $4
There are two ways to buy a sno-park permit in Bend. The first is from permit agents in retail stores. The retailers in Bend that sell the permit can be found at Oregon.gov.
The second way is to buy an annual permit online at DMV2U which includes a printable interim permit that you can use immediately.
More sno-park permit information:
- You can move a Sno-Park permit from one vehicle to another.
- You can use California and Idaho Sno-Park permits in Oregon.
- You can use Oregon Sno-Park permits in California and Idaho.
- You may get a fine for parking in a Sno-Park without a permit.
Learn more about sno-park permits at: Oregon.gov
Trail Maintenance, Grooming and Volunteer Support
Maintaining the Central Oregon cross country ski, snowshoe, and snowmobile trails is a collaborative effort between volunteer groups, clubs, and the US Forest Service.
Volunteer organizations are responsible for grooming and maintaining trails and stocking the warming shelter with firewood and maintaining the shelters. The USFS grooms the parking lots.
Each sno-park near Bend has an organization that maintains the trails/shelters at that sno-park. The table below shows this correspondence, as well links to their website where you can donate.
If you find value in these Central Oregon snow parks, please consider supporting the effort of these volunteer groups.
| Sno Park | Snowmobile Trail Maintenance |
| Wanoga | Moon County Snowbusters |
| Kapka | Moon County Snowbusters |
| Edison Butte | Moon County Snowbusters |
| Dutchman Flat | Sisters SnoGofers Club |
| Three Creek | Sisters SnoGofers Club |
| Six Mile | La Pine Lodgepole Dodgers |
| Ten Mile | La Pine Lodgepole Dodgers |
Weather Forecasts and Other Resources
Use the table below to see the most up to date NOAA weather forecast for the corresponding sno-park. You can also find some road cameras and road conditions on TripCheck.
| Sno Park | NOAA Weather Forecast |
| Wanoga | LINK |
| Kapka | LINK |
| Edison Butte | LINK |
| Dutchman Flat | LINK |
| Three Creek | LINK |
| Six Mile | LINK |
| Ten Mile | LINK |
Conclusion
We hope this article helped you learn about Snowmobiling Bend Oregon. Winter in Central Oregon produces some of the best snowmobiling in Oregon and beyond.
If you are interested, learn more about other activities to do at sno-parks near Bend. If you’re into skiing, see other places to cross country ski near Bend or check out our full guide to skiing near Bend.
We also have tons of other helpful articles about Central Oregon. If you are in Bend in the winter, learn more fun things to do in Bend in the winter.
