Benham Falls Trail Hiking Guide
Benham Falls is a roaring stretch of whitewater on the Deschutes River between Bend and Sunriver, and the walk to see it is about as flat as hiking gets. From the east trailhead you cross the river on a footbridge and follow the bank through old-growth ponderosa pine to a viewpoint over the falls. Here is how to get there and how to stretch it into a longer day.
Permit: Both Benham Falls trailheads (East and West) are Deschutes National Forest fee sites: $5 per vehicle per day, or a Northwest Forest Pass ($30 annual), a $5 day pass or digital day pass, or an Interagency pass. No permit is needed to hike.
Bridge, Pines and the Falls
AllTrails starts this walk at the Benham Falls East day-use area, crosses the Deschutes on a footbridge and follows the riverbank to a short spur and viewpoint over the falls. It maps the out-and-back at 1.7 miles with 59 feet of gain, rated easy and taking about half an hour. The Forest Service describes the day-use area as a stand of old-growth ponderosa pine on the edge of the riparian zone, with picnic tables and vault toilets.
East or West Trailhead
The east site is reached from Highway 97: about 8 miles south of Bend take the Lava Lands Visitor Center exit and continue past the visitor center on Forest Road 9702 for about 4 miles. It is open from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. The Benham Falls West site, reached from the Cascade Lakes Highway and Forest Roads 41 and 4120, is closer still: the Forest Service says a trail of about 50 yards leads to a viewing platform over the falls. Both charge the same $5 daily fee.
Longer Walks on the River Trail
Benham Falls sits on the Deschutes River Trail, which runs north toward Bend and south toward Sunriver past a string of day-use areas. AllTrails lists 3.0 miles round trip from the Slough Day Use Area, 6.6 miles between Dillon Falls and Benham Falls, and 6.7 miles from Sunriver, each with under 300 feet of gain. The river corridor has separate hiking, mountain bike and horse trails that overlap in places, and the Forest Service bans horses and bikes on some sections of the hiker trail.
Leash Rules by Season
Dogs must be leashed at the trailheads all year, and on the Deschutes River Trail from May 15 through September 15, which the Forest Service says is because of heavy use and repeated conflicts. Outside those months the corridor follows the forest's general rules, but the falls are fast and powerful, so keep dogs well back from the water above the rapids at any time of year.
Hiking tips for Benham Falls Trail
- Start from Benham Falls East for the footbridge and the shady pine walk.
- Use Benham Falls West if someone in the group just wants the platform view.
- Keep kids and dogs back from the edge; the river above the falls is fast.
- Bring your own water and plan on vault toilets only.
- Leash your dog from May 15 to September 15 on the river trail.
Nearby trails to explore
- Big Obsidian Flow Trail
- Pilot Butte Nature Trail
- Tumalo Falls Trail
Hike this trail with TrailMates
Benham Falls is a flat river walk that works for every pace. Use TrailMates to find Bend and Sunriver hikers for a morning on the Deschutes River Trail. Download TrailMates on the App Store or Google Play to join a group.