Ben's/Phil's easy loop route

Overview
Get acquainted with Bend’s flavor of trails (and the elevation) with a spin from Phil’s trailhead. Easy climbing and fun, twisty descents will put you in the groove for the rest of the week.

Route Details
Phil’s Trailhead is a popular spot, and for good reason: close to town and appointed with restrooms, parking, and helpful signs, it drops you right into the fun. Not only is the trailhead just minutes from downtown but it has a bike path alongside the road so you don’t have to drive. Nothing quite beats the feeling of kitting up and rolling from your lodging straight to the trails.

The singletrack starts immediately as you climb up Ben’s Trail, a fun, twisting ramble up a moderate grade. Gentle climbing defines much of the Bend riding experience, which makes it an ideal place for families and those of us not graced with massive quads and low resting heart rates. With an open pine forest laid out before you, the first five miles let you take in the scenery and breathe in the fresh mountain air.

You’ll cross Forest Road NF-300 (and another trailhead on your right) and hop onto Forest Road NF-310 to continue your climbing for another 1.5 miles and then you’re almost at the top. Turn left onto Phil’s Trail and gear down for a quick, steep climb to the top. Grab a quick snack and drink, and prepare to enjoy the fruits of your labor. The first descent is the steepest, with a few rocky parts but it all flows nicely and allows you to get in the groove.

The descent stretches out over seven blissful miles, with microberms rising up to meet every turn. You can either coast it or lay down sprints the entire way, whatever your legs allow. There are several intersections along the way but you’ll stay on Phil’s Trail the whole time, so navigation is fairly easy thanks to the well-placed signposts, another benefit of the trails in Bend. Phil’s is also a one-way trail so you’ll be able to roll with the flow all the way back to the trailhead. If you rode in from town, it’s a fun spin back to the innumerable coffeeshops and brewpubs for a well-earned replenishment of your glycogen stores.

Riding Season
The best riding is early spring through late fall but is highly dependent on the year’s snowpack. Late-season snowfall may quickly disappear and turn the trails prime; freeze-thaw conditions can wreck havoc and should be avoided. Local bikeshops know the current conditions and are happy to share ideas about where best to ride on a given day.