Fitness Paddling in Bend, Oregon
The flatwater stretch of the Deschutes River that
runs through Bend is an excellent place for fitness paddling. The river offers
all sorts of opportunities for the recreational paddler interested in increasing
his or her fitness. With a structured approach and an emphasis on technique,
paddling also provides the serious athlete with a great aerobic and
upper-body strength workout. (Flatwater kayaking is a perfect off-season sport for
cross country skiers since it works many of the same muscle groups.)
I train year-round on Deschutes and it always
surprises me that more people aren't out on the water using their kayaks and
canoes to get a workout. In an effort to spread the word about local fitness paddling,
I put together this information page. You'll find maps with public access
locations, information about the launch spots, and tips and hints about paddling the
river. Click on an orange number on the map to get more information about a
put-in (I'll be adding photos of all of them soon).
Where to Go
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Newport
Bridge to Colorado Dam Stretch
This part of the Deschutes River is bordered
by the Newport Avenue Bridge to the north and the Colorado Avenue Dam to
the south. This is classic urban paddling and you'll cruise by parks and
stately 1900s homes. One lap is about
2.4 miles (starting point to one end, then to the other end, and back to
the start). Generally, this stretch can be paddled year round.
The main hazards on this section include a
dam on the downstream side of the Newport Ave. Bridge (just above #1)
and rocks and whitewater as you approach the Colorado Ave. Dam (in the #6
vicinity).
The Drake Park footbridge (upstream of #3)
has lots of clearance to paddle under. The Galveston Ave. Bridge (upstream
of #5) is fairly low, but passable. The Columbia Park footbridge (between
#5 and #6) is easily
passable.
During low water there are numerous rocks
just below the surface from McKay Park (#6) downstream to the Columbia
Park footbridge (consider turning around upstream of the footbridge to
avoid the rock mine fields during low water). There are also the remnants
of old pilings just below the surface river left and downstream of #3
(stay to the center and slightly river right without getting into the
shallows).
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Maps courtesy of Google
and Navtech. Blue is the Deschutes River. Yellow are major roads. White
are minor roads. Brown are footbridges. |
Colorado Dam to
Healy Bridge Stretch
This stretch of the river is bounded by the
Colorado Ave. Dam to the north and the Healy Bridge to the south (you can
head upstream of the Healy Bridge but will soon run into rocks and
rapids). It
passes by the Old Mill District shops, new residential developments, the bluffs
above the river, and Farewell Bend Park. One
lap is about 2.8 miles. Starting in 2004, this part of the river is home
to the water leg of the Pole Pedal Paddle race held annually in May.
The
current is faster in this stretch because of the deeper channel and the
weeds aren't as much as a problem for fouling rudders. There's a 250 yard portage (#7) that connects
both stretches; the portage path surface has sandy beach, grass, concrete sidewalk, and gravel
surfaces.
All car and footbridges are easily passable
and the only hazard is a partially submerged piling roughly in the center
of the river between #9 and the Old Mill car bridge (Columbia Street).
The full stretch of the river isn't navigable year round
(check out the "When to Paddle" section below). |
When to Paddle
Let's start with a little background. The Deschutes River is a primary source of
agricultural irrigation water. The river's flow is controlled by the release of
water from dams at its headwaters. Irrigation season runs from mid-April to
mid-October and the water in the river is the highest during these months when
water is released from the dams. From
mid-October to mid-April, a limited amount of water is released into the river
so the headwater dams can fill and store water for the drier irrigation season.
During this time there's less water in the river, which can affect fitness
paddling.
With that in mind:
There's usually enough water in the river to paddle
the Newport Bridge to Colorado Dam stretch year round (watch out for rocks
during low water from McKay Park downstream to the Columbia Park footbridge
though).
While there's also usually enough water to paddle
the Colorado Dam to
Healy Bridge stretch year round, I don't recommend it during the low water months. This section tends to get shallow with
some serious mudflats and a
somewhat narrow (yet still navigable) center channel. During the winter, an "ice boom"
cable is strung across the river just upstream of the Old Mill car bridge to
prevent ice from building up downstream at the Colorado Ave. Dam. This prevents you from fully paddling this section unless you portage around the
cable (not worth it in my opinion). I'll usually wait until irrigation season is going
and the water is higher before paddling this stretch.
Even if there's enough water in the river,
depending on how cold it is in the winter your paddling workouts may get interrupted
by ice buildup. After
several days of below 15 degree F weather, the river may start to ice up. If the
nighttime temps are hovering around zero, be prepared to trade your kayak in
for XC skis. I've had to skip paddling workouts from several
days to several weeks depending on how thick the ice got and how long it took to
melt.
On the flip side, summer and early fall offer
incredible paddling. Warm mornings and evenings with the river completely still
are amazing (especially during your warm-ups and cool-downs when you can enjoy
the scenery with an easy paddle). There's even
a summer concert series at the Les Schwab Amphitheater (across from the Old Mill
District) and it's fun to schedule an evening workout around live music.
The downside to summer is there can be a
significant amount of vegetation in the water in Mirror Pond (between
the Galveston Ave and Newport Ave. Bridges). Stay to the center of the river to
avoid the weeds and fouling your rudder. Silt is also starting to accumulate
along the river edges and upstream of the Newport Ave. Bridge so you need to pay
attention to the shallows. (Hopefully the City of Bend will be dealing with the
sedimentation issue in the near future.)
Water temperature in the summer is quite warm
(during hot days, prepare to encounter inner-tubers and rafters floating
downstream). During the winter, the water is predictably colder and there is a
risk of hypothermia if you end up swimming. Dress for the conditions and your
skills. (During the winter I usually paddle something a little more stable than
my race boats so I don't have to overheat during my workouts, dressed for
immersion in a wetsuit or drysuit.)
Sharing the River
First off, be respectful of other
recreational paddlers (or rafters or inner-tubers) on the river who are going
slower than you.
There are several pairs of swans that
call the Newport to Colorado stretch of the river home. I've never had any
issues with swans, but I've heard stories of them coming after canoers and
kayakers. I give them the right of way and respect,
especially when they're nesting and raising their young, and we get along just
fine.
There are lots of ducks and Canada
geese on the Newport Bridge to Colorado Dam stretch, especially in Mirror Pond. They'll
eventually move out of your way. There's an island between #5 and #4 that
waterfowl use a nesting area. Stay to river right of the island to avoid
disturbing them.
Lately I've noticed an increased
number of people fishing on the river, particularly on the Columbia Park
footbridge,
the Galveston Ave. Bridge (and just downstream of it) and upstream, river
right of the Drake Park footbridge. Be aware and try not to run over lines and
bobbers.
Kids frequently jump off the Columbia
Park and Farewell Bend Park footbridges during the summer months (and to a
lesser extent the Drake Park footbridge) and every now and then may do a
surprise cannonball as you pass by.
back to fitness
paddling
last modified April 1, 2005