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Informationen zum Autor Lucas Alberg is a native Kansan who ventured west after college in pursuit of outdoor adventure in the mountains. A distance runner since his youth, Lucas took to trail running when he moved to Portland, OR, in 2001. After exhausting the trails in the northwest part of the state, he moved to the sunnier side of the Cascade Mountains and Bend in 2011. Since then, he has been eagerly exploring Central Oregon's diverse geography and gobbling up miles on the area's vast network of trails. Outside of running, Lucas enjoys spending time mountain biking, hiking, backpacking, cross-country skiing, and camping with his lovely wife, Rae, and their son, Loren. A longtime musician, Lucas has written and recorded two albums with his band, The Beautiful Train Wrecks, and has found time to play hundreds of shows across the Pacific Northwest. Lucas currently serves as PR Manager for a Bend-based outdoors company. Klappentext This guide features detailed descriptions of running trails in the Bend and Central Oregon area. Leseprobe 1 Old Mill Loop TRAIL DETAILS AT A GLANCE DISTANCE 4.3-mile to 5.5-mile loop GPS TRAILHEAD COORDINATES N44° 2.549' W121° 19.244' DIFFICULTY 2 • SCENERY 4 • CROWDS 9 SEASON Year-round; Bend city parks are open daily, 5 a.m.–10 p.m. ELEVATION Negligible USERS Hikers, runners, mountain bikers (limited access) CONTACT Bend Park and Recreation, 541-389-7275, bendparksandrec.org PERMITS/FEES None RECOMMENDED MAP PDF map at tinyurl.com/oldmillloop DOGS Yes (leashed only) Though this book focuses mainly on running in the wilderness, sometimes it’s nice to have a trail run right outside your front door. The Old Mill Loop on the Deschutes River Trail offers myriad distance options and is a great combination of quintessential Central Oregon trail running and the beauty of what makes Bend one of the premier places in the country to live. There’s no trailhead per se for this loop—you can start in many places—but one place I like to begin is at Riverbend Park, off SW Columbia Street and Shevlin Hixon Drive. There’s plenty of parking, and this spot tends to be less crowded than some of the others. Plus, the Bend Park and Recreation District is housed in the building adjacent to the park, so I like to think of it as paying homage to all the hard work its employees do to make Bend’s parks and trails wonderful. From the park, head south along the river on a paved pathway that takes you away from the Old Mill District. As you near the first footbridge over the Deschutes River, stay straight, exiting off the pavement onto a wide dirt path—the famed Deschutes River Trail (DRT). In a short distance, you’ll run under the Bill Healy Memorial Bridge and through a fenced gate before descending back down to the river’s edge. At this point, the Deschutes River picks up speed, and you’ll see the end of the stand-up paddleboarders and the beginning of the river rapids. It’s also here that you’ll begin to run up and down a few rolling hills to match the increased pitch of the river. Stay left at the next junction to avoid going uphill toward Century Drive, and at 1.6 miles along the DRT you’ll reach the second footbridge and southernmost point on the trail. After admiring the rapids under the footbridge, head back north along the river and pass through another fenced gate. This side of the river is more closed in by the forest, but still allows for spectacular views of the river. A short climb brings you to a viewpoint, where you then descend back down to a spillway and boardwalk before crossing over a marshy area. Once you pass under the Bill Healy Bridge a second time, the dirt path converts back to sidewalk and you’re now in Farewell Bend Park. Continue along the paved pathway where you’ll pass by an impressive bronze horse sculpture—a nod to t...
