The Deschutes National Forest will begin implementation of the West Bend Trails Project in early April. This project is located on the Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District west of Bend.
The Deschutes National Forest, in partnership with Central Oregon Trail Alliance (COTA), plans to begin trail construction of the COD Easy Option connectivity route on April 4. This approximately 0.65-mile section of new trail will provide single track trail connectivity suitable for all trail users. The existing technical trail sections of COD Trail will still be available for those seeking a more challenging trail experience.
Additionally, an unauthorized trail in the area will be decommissioned to provide habitat where wildlife can seek refuge and avoid disturbance in this highly recreated part of the forest. Several sections of existing trail will also be renamed to provide for more intuitive use of the trail system.
This initial phase of trail work for the West Bend Trails Project is expected to be complete by April 11.
No road or trail closures are anticipated at this time. The public should recreate with caution in the area during this timeframe because heavy equipment will be operating in the area. To provide for public safety, recreators are asked to provide trail workers and heavy equipment ample space while they work.
The goal of the West Bend Trails Project is to provide quality trail-based recreation opportunities for trail users of all experience levels while minimizing disturbance and negative impacts to other resources.
Project planning documents can be viewed on the Deschutes National Forest website here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=65732&exp=overview. A webmap detailing the project can be found here: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/b74242b5ab504fec821dda37081741f9 .
For more information, please reach out to the Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District at (541) 383-5300.
