Escapes: Winter Picnics in Bend
Fuel the fun on ski and snowshoe adventures
By Suzanne Johnson
Photo at right: The Edison Sno-Park off the Cascade Lakes Highway is Bend’s best spot for a dog-friendly snow outing. Photo by Suzanne Johnson
In Central Oregon, winter can stretch from November well into April. Rather than hibernating inside, embrace the snow-covered trails near Bend with a cross-country ski or snowshoe adventure—and stay fueled up with picnic fare that reflects the true Central Oregon spirit.
Here are my top choices for winter picnics in Bend.
Picnic Idea One
The Skate Ski Day-Starter at Meissner Shelter
Some people ease into their vacation days, lounging over coffee and planning the day. Others dash out the door, squeezing the most out of every minute. If you fall into the latter group, start your day by skiing into the Virginia Meissner shelter for a well-earned breakfast picnic.
Fourteen miles from Bend, the Meissner Sno-Park is extremely popular, with more than 40 kilometers of meticulously groomed trails. Skiers don’t need a trail pass, but we encourage you to make a donation to the Meissner Nordic ski club, the local group responsible for trail maintenance.
Picnic Essentials
A skier takes a break at the Meissner Sno-Park which has over 40k of groomed ski trails and two log shelters. Photo by Jeff Johnson
The afternoon before your breakfast picnic, stop into Baked, the tiny bakery that creates great big flavors in its hearty breads and pastries. You can’t stop in for breakfast, because they don’t open until noon, but you can choose a few goodies for your drive up the mountain the next morning.
The morning of your picnic, before heading up to ski, stop in at Mother’s Juice Café for coffee and breakfast sandwiches to go; just ask the café staff to double-wrap the sandwiches in foil.
The Baden-Baden sandwich is a personal favorite, with eggs, avocado and tomato; bacon worshippers will surely love the Good Morning Sunshine sandwich. Bring in your thermos to fill with hot chai tea made with My Chai, a locally brewed mix that is less sweet and more flavorful than the standard boxed concentrate.
To get there:
Just past mile marker 14 on the Cascade Lakes Highway, turn right into the Virginia Meissner Sno-Park. A quick study of the map at the trailhead will show you the most direct route to the shelter: head straight out on the wide, rolling skiers’ highway known as Tangent Loop, then head left onto Manzanita.
Two sturdy log shelters sit at the highest point of a ridge along the Manzanita trail, each with a cast-iron wood-burning stove. Early morning visitors will need to stoke up the fire, but chances are good the coals will still be live from the prior evening’s visitors. Logs are stacked outside along the shelter walls to feed the fire.
While the stove warms up, skiers can head out on one of the longer and more challenging trails branching off from the shelters. Take the long loop on the Wednesdays trail or add some good climbs with a detour onto Pine Drops. Be sure you’ve got your map to navigate the intersections. Once back at the shelter, rest the foil-wrapped sandwiches on the woodstove, and enjoy a cup of chai while they warm.
Picnic Idea Two
Ski in for lunch at the Edison Sno‑Park
Some days, you just can’t leave your four-legged friends behind. Bend’s best spot for a dog-friendly snow outing is Edison Sno-Park, located a few miles off the Cascade Lakes Highway. You won’t find any groomed trails here, so break out a sturdy pair of classic skis and be prepared to make your own tracks.
A one-mile jaunt along Light Bulb trail brings you to the Edison Shelter, where your first task should be to check the woodstove. Be sure you’ve got fire-starting materials to get the fire roaring before you venture out to explore nearby trails, such as High Voltage or Short Circuit.
Picnic Essentials
- Little-Bit-Mores
The dogs will be working hard to bound through the snow, so pack extra water, a bag of kibbles and a small bowl. Second, pick up a package of Smokey Joes, the miniature sausages found in the hot dog section of most grocery stores. We use fondue forks to roast them over the fire, and eat them plain or tucked into a small section of bun. The tastiest little hot dog ever! Keep the fondue forks going with “Little-Bit-Mores”— the mini version of S’mores. Toast mini marshmallows over the fire, then layer on animal crackers with chocolate chips.
To get there:
Head out on Cascade Lakes Highway for 18 miles to the Sunriver turn-off. Follow the curves for about five miles, watching for Edison Sno-Park on the right. Snowmobilers often start out from the Edison Sno-Park, so stay off the motorized trails to avoid user conflict.
Picnic Idea Three
Snowshoe and Stargaze at Swampy Lakes
The first stars come out on an unexpected clear dusk at Swampy Lakes. Photo by Suzanne Johnson
Clear, starry winter nights don’t come often in the Cascades, but when they do they’re worth experiencing. Many folks love the full moon, but new moons or crescent moons keep the sky at its darkest, making the constellations pop.
The Swampy Shelter is tucked into the woods, just a short walk from the parking lot. The proximity makes it a perfect base camp, allowing snowshoers to venture out as far as they like and to follow their own tracks back. Headlamps help greatly while trekking, but at some point, turn them off and let your eyes adjust to see the winter constellations, such as Orion, Sirius, and Taurus, roll across the sky.
Picnic essentials:
Bend is known for more than outdoor recreation—it’s also home to a dozen micro-breweries. Stop in at Silver Moon, Boneyard Ales, or 10 Barrel Brewing with a growler to fill with one of their seasonal brews that can’t be found bottled in stores. Don’t forget a non-alcoholic beverage for your designated driver!
Crackers, fruit, and cheese round out the picnic, especially if the cheese is Tumalo Farm’s Pond Hopper, made in Central Oregon with goat milk and Deschutes Brewery’s Mirror Pond Ale. Stick a few candles in your pack as well, to light up the shelter for a cozy evening you’ll long remember.
Suzanne Johnson lives, writes, and plays in the Cascade Mountains of Central Oregon with her family of adventure-prone boys. Find more of her writing at OregonAdventurist.com.
Winter Picnic Essentials
Sno-Park parking pass, available at the Department of Motor Vehicles, or at most outdoor gear shops in Bend
Emergency gear, including a map, compass or GPS, extra water and warm clothing
Fire-starting material, for the woodstoves in the Sno-Park shelters
Swampy Lakes Sno-Park map
Resources
Oregon Sno-Park Permits: http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/DMV/vehicle/sno_park_permits.shtml
Meissner Nordic Ski Club: http://www.meissnernordic.org
Baked: http://www.facebook.com/bakedinbend
Mother’s Juice Café: http://www.mothersjuicecafe.com
Boneyard Brewing: www.boneyardbeer.com
Silver Moon Brewing: www.silvermoonbrewing.com
10 Barrel Brewing: www.10barrel.com
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Damian Fagan, 3 years ago
Sweet. I love the Edison area when there is enough snow covering the lava flows. Did a “shoe” up there last week during some wild winds!