Bend Whitewater Park – photo courtesy of Bend Park & Recreation website.
Yesterday was a gorgeous, sunny day so we went to Bend’s Whitewater Park to let my son try out his new kayak. As you would expect, it was crowded. Kids were splashing in the shallow water, kayakers and surfers were playing in the whitewater passage, and of course, folks on tubes, rafts, and all sorts of inflatable pool toys were cruising down the Passageway Channel. If you’ve never floated the Deschutes River in Bend, you really should give it a try at least once, but you should definitely be prepared. The Visit Bend website has a truly fantastic blog post featuring everything you need to know about floating the Deschutes River in the summer.
Some advice from the post includes starting with the right gear. Some of these suggestions just make good sense while others are actually the law.
- A durable inner-tube or high quality flotation device. Don’t underestimate the ability of river rocks to pop your cheap pool toy.
- Durable water shoes that will stay on your feet and allow you to walk comfortably back to your car. I lost count of the number of flip-flops we saw floating down the river.
- A small dry-bag or way to keep your personal belongings safe and dry.
- Sunscreen. The Central Oregon sun is intense people, especially when you’re on the water.
- A life-jacket. State law requires that each boat or paddleboard carry one Coast Guard approved life jacket for each person on board, and children age 12 and under are required to wear life jackets. Need a life jacket? They are available for free rental at Riverbend Park.
- Leave the alcohol at home. Alcohol is not allowed in the parks, parking lots or on the river.
Now that you’re prepared, you need to figure out where to start and end, and how to get back to your car. Riverbend Park in the Old Mill is one of the most popular starting locations. There’s the added convenience of the Tumalo Creek Kayak & Canoe kiosk where you can rent gear from May 25-June 15, 2018. Lucky you, this year there’s a brand new option and that’s Tumalo Creek Kayak’s Park & Float kiosk next to the Bend Parks & Rec Pavillion on Simpson and Bradbury Dr. When it comes to dealing with parking and shuttles, do yourself a favor and take advantage of the $3 Ride the River Shuttle. The shuttle transports river floaters from the Drake Park ‘get out’ back to the Old Mill ‘put in’ and for $3, you get unlimited rides. $3! Seriously, they could be charging so much more but shhhhhhhh.
Those are basics. Thanks again Visit Bend for the great blog post. To make the most of your Bend vacation, check out some of their other posts, starting with Visit Like a Local and The Bend Pledge. As always, be nice, you’re in Bend. #visitlikealocal #inbend
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