Winter Activities in Central Oregon

Enjoy Bend, Oregon with fun winter activities while making Riverhouse on the Deschutes your home base.

We are located in the heart of Bend and Central Oregon – just five minutes from downtown and 30 minutes from Mt. Bachelor.

Riverhouse on the Deschutes offers great ski and snowboard packages, for parties of 10 or more, to Mt. Bachelor. Mt. Bachelor is known for its dry snow along with having a long ski season running November through May. It's the largest ski resort in the state of Oregon and the second largest single-mountain ski resort in the U.S. (behind Vail) and the sixth largest of all ski resorts in the nation. Mt. Bachelor also offers snowshoeing with a forest ranger and downhill tubing for the non-skiers or non-snowboarders. There are several lodges for warming up and grabbing a bite in, as well as the new Cloud Chaser lift opening more access to terrain.

Local Libations

Let Wanderlust Tours take you behind the scenes with either the Bend Brew Bus or the Local Pour to witness Bend’s brewing and artisan distilling cultures. Your professional guide will provide insights into the processes of distillation, fermentation and the craft of making beer all while sampling the passions of the producer. When the snow melts, we are happy that it ends up in a glass. Cheers!

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Snow Play mean Hot (Cocoa)

Nothing inspires wanderlust like the winter wonderland of central Oregon! Looking for the best winter things to do in Bend, Oregon? Whether you're interested in tracking the wanderings of animals while snowshoeing through old-growth forest, exploring the ancient caves in the high desert, or stargazing around a bonfire in the snowy mountains, Wanderlust Tours has you covered with daily tours led by our incredible naturalist guides.

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Cross Country Skiing

Boasting one of the longest Nordic seasons in the country, Mt. Bachelor has its own Nordic lodge and offers 56 km of machine-groomed tracks for both classic and skate skiers. They offer private and group lessons to hone your skills. There are several sno-parks along the Cascade Lakes Highway on the way to Mt. Bachelor that offer cross-country and snowshoe trails ranging from beginner to expert. Seasonal sno park passes are required.

Snowmobiling, Snowshoeing and Sledding

Explore over 1.6 million acres of Deschutes National Forest by snowmobile. If you’re feeling adventurous, reserve a snowmobile through Central Oregon Rentals. Mt. Bachelor offers FREE 90 minute snowshoe interpretive tours led by US Forest Service Naturalists (they provide the snowshoes). Check out Mt. Bachelor's website for details. A sledding hill is offered on the left side of Wanoga Sno Park and seasonal sno park passes are required. Bring your favorite sledding device! Mt. Bachelor also offers a Snowblast tubing hill for a fee located at West Village.

Dog Sledding

Operated out of Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort join the Oregon Trail of Dreams Dog Sled experience. This homegrown company is operated and owned by Jerry Scdoris and his daughter Rachael. Rachael is a world renowned athlete and participated in her first Iditarod finish in 2006. Tour through the Cascade Mountains, taking in the sights of Central Oregon snow-covered cascades and Mt. Bachelor from the comfort of a dog sled, no work required!

Snowblast Tubing

Not a skier? Head to Mt. Bachelor and enjoy their Snowblast Tubing Park. Mt. Bachelor offers three sessions daily and they typically sell out on the weekends, so reservations are suggested.

Ice Skating at The Pavilion

Another winter attraction in Bend is an outdoor ice skating rink that offers times for open skate. It is an open aired rink protected by a roof. Amenities at the rink include concessions, outdoor fire pits, group and private lessons and rental skates. Be sure to check the schedule for open skate times on their website.