HomeOregonBend › Meadow Day Use Area

Meadow Day Use Area

4.7 ★★★★★ 128 Google reviews · Running trail in Bend, Oregon · Posted hours

Runner's snapshot

Surface
Natural surface
Distance
Not reported
Shape
Not reported
Shade
Not reported
Access
Posted hours

Confirmed from Meadow Day Use Area's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.

Natural surfaceScenicDog-friendlyHillyRestroomsTrailhead parking

Dog-friendly park with a river and opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, and picnicking.

What runners say about Meadow Day Use Area

Pulled from public reviews of this trail (128 of them) — the things people bring up again and again, in their own words. Nothing here is written by us.

🏞️ beautiful scenery 9 mentions

“Great, beautiful place by the river to relax, picnic, paddle, climb, hike/walk, just about anything the outdoors person wants to do.”

🏃 great for running 2 mentions

“They were having a great time running and playing off leash, which is awesome!”

Absolutely beautiful area. Lovely hike running right by the river. Also a fantastic place to mountain bike. Easy to park and walk right to the water, or can hike for miles from here

★★★★★ — Michael , Jul 2022

Trail access for a beautiful, fairly easy hike along the Deschutes River.

★★★★★ — Jerrold , Sep 2019

Another great trailhead along the beautiful river! We like the Lava Island start a bit more because you can pay by card for your $5 day parking pass. Also, you can do longer hikes in either direction there. Going downstream from Meadow only goes 2.25 miles. In this direction there were a lot of dogs.

★★★★☆ — Riddle , Aug 2021

Great place for a picnic, hike or mountain bike ride. I enjoyed visiting this little gem. Be careful if you let your pooch swim here the water is very cold and some of the embankments much steeper than they look. I had to help pull my 85 pound Am Staff out of the river.

★★★★☆ — Wendy , Oct 2022

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 128 reviews →

Trail conditions & character

What this trail is actually like underfoot and overhead, taken from its own listing and from reviews. Each one links to every other trail with the same character. Busy or quiet is reported as a plain fact, not a plus or a minus — a runner heading out alone at dawn often wants company on the path, and someone running intervals wants an empty one.

🏞️ Scenic views 13 mentions

“Great, beautiful place by the river to relax, picnic, paddle, climb, hike/walk, just about anything the outdoors person wants to do.”

More trails like this →

🅿️ Trailhead parking 8 mentions

“Each site has about a handful parking spaces and all are located along the river trail which is great for walking your dog”

More trails like this →

🐕 Dog-friendly 8 mentions

“Each site has about a handful parking spaces and all are located along the river trail which is great for walking your dog”

More trails like this →

⛰️ Hills / elevation 6 mentions

“Great, beautiful place by the river to relax, picnic, paddle, climb, hike/walk, just about anything the outdoors person wants to do.”

More trails like this →

🚻 Restrooms 5 mentions

“It has 4 tables and 2 fire rings/grills right along the river and bathroom in the first section and about 4-6 more tables and rings and bathroom down the way lots of space”

More trails like this →

🌲 Natural surface / singletrack

More trails like this →

Plan your run at Meadow Day Use Area

The practical stuff

  • AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
  • SurfaceNatural surface — easiest on the joints and the most fun, but expect roots, rocks and mud after rain
  • DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
  • ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
  • At the trailheadparking, restrooms — reported by runners
  • DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
  • Websitefs.usda.gov
  • Phone(541) 383-5300
  • Social Instagram · Facebook

Hours

Monday 1 AM–10 PM
Tuesday 1 AM–10 PM
Wednesday 1–3:30 AM, 4:30 AM–10 PM
Thursday 1 AM–10 PM
Friday 1 AM–10 PM
Saturday 1 AM–10 PM
Sunday 1 AM–10 PM

Posted hours for the park or trailhead. Gates and parking lots often close earlier than the trail itself, and seasonal hours change — worth a check before a pre-dawn or after-dark run.

Where to find Meadow Day Use Area

Bend, Oregon

Get directions

Running trails near Bend

Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.

GoodDog!

4.8 ★★★★★ 315 reviews

Bend, OR

3 miDog-friendly

Wooded, vast area for dogs to roam off leash on myriad trails, as well as river access and walking loops.

1.2 miles away

River Canyon Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 91 reviews

Bend, OR

3 miLoopCrushed gravelScenic

Relaxed park with pine trees and a 3-mile loop trail along the Deschutes River.

1.9 miles away

Storm King Trailhead

4.6 ★★★★★ 21 reviews

Bend, OR

2.5 miles away

Phil's Trailhead

4.8 ★★★★★ 376 reviews

Bend, OR

Mixed

2.9 miles away

Deschutes River Trail

4.9 ★★★★★ 447 reviews

Bend, OR

12 miLoopMixedScenic

Scenic 12-mi. trail meandering through forest, canyons, and basalt formations along the Deschutes River.

3.7 miles away

Benham Falls East Trailhead

4.7 ★★★★★ 594 reviews

Bend, OR

MixedScenic

Popular, easygoing hiking trail on a paved path that leads to river rapids.

5.1 miles away

All running trails in Bend, OR →

Nearby towns

Listing verified July 2026 from public records, the trail's own website and runner reviews. Trail conditions change — paths flood, gates close at dusk, and shaded woods stay muddy for days after rain. Something out of date? Report a correction. Manage this trail? Send us the details — it is free.