BEND, Ore. — Wintertime can be hard on runners and cyclists in Central Oregon, and a particularly snowy winter like this one even more so.
Looking for a place to run on soft tread without having to deal with snow and ice, my running-obsessed family has discovered something of an oasis at Big Sky Park in east Bend.
The four of us, including my wife, 14-year-old son and 12-year-old daughter, enjoyed a family run on the new Perimeter Trail at the park on New Year’s Day. We completed three laps of the 1.7-mile loop for about a 5-mile outing. The footing on the trail was fine, as trails on that side of Bend can sometimes remain less icy and snow-packed than trails farther west during a mean winter.
The Perimeter Trail, which circles the ball fields, is just one feature of the developments happening at Big Sky Park, on the corner of Hamby and Neff roads. The park has long been a destination for youth soccer, baseball, lacrosse and BMX, but it will soon be a destination for mountain bikers as well as trail runners.
A new bike park is in the works with phase 1 including a pump track, skills area, singletrack and trials area with wood structures. Those features are nearly completed and are planned to officially open in March, according to Jason Powell, construction manager for Bend Park & Recreation District. A soon-to-be-built picnic shelter will be the hub of the bike park area.
“A lot of the stuff will become more clear once we have complete signage out there,” Powell said. “So much of the stuff is finishing surfacing and connections to the singletrack. The weather (last month) just shut that down. And they’re so close to being done. Once we have everything in, fencing and entry areas and signs, it will make a lot more sense.”
According to bendparksandrec.org, the bike park was designed in collaboration with community partners and will have elements for riders of all skill levels from beginner to professional.
Bikers and runners — and even skateboarders on the pump track — have been using the area for months now, but Powell cautioned that the bike park is not officially open, and users must respect the construction zone and safety notices as the first phase of the project is completed.
Phase 2 of the project, which will include a slopestyle terrain park with a start tower and a sessions zone, is estimated for completion in summer 2024.
“Slopestyle will be by far the biggest element out there, to get the elevation change for the start tower,” Powell said. “That will be a big addition, but that’s not happening for a couple of years.”
For now, bikers and runners can enjoy the Perimeter Trail, and the 7,000 linear feet of singletrack that has also been built near the bike park.
“The singletrack is not super technical but it’s a good learning place,” Powell said. “A lot of this is recreation-focused for everybody. The singletrack will have signage with maps where it leaves and enters the Perimeter Trail. It’s hard to tell right now.”
Initially, all bike features were planned to be built in the second phase of construction, according to bendparksandrec.org. In an effort to bring some of the bike park features to the community sooner, the park district applied for and was awarded a grant through the Bend Sustainability Fund, which invests in projects that protect, steward and create sustainable recreational resources and outdoor experiences in Bend.
Infrastructure improvements at Big Sky Park also include a new entry from Hamby Road, improved vehicle circulation within the park and 93 new parking spaces.
“There’s a lot of different stuff going on,” Powell said. “And we’re trying to make it so it can serve the most people. What are all the different user groups and how can we make the best of the space and serve as many people as possible?”
