Northwest Bend

Bend is roughly divided into its West and East sides by Highway 97. NW Bend consists of 4 neighborhoods: bordering downtown is Old Bend with its charm and character of bye-gone days, River West which surrounds Old Bend to the west, Summit West the western most developed area within the city limits and Awbrey Butte to the north.

NW Bend is home to many local favorites such as the downtown shopping area with its restaurants, bars, retail stores and services. Drake Park, which borders Mirror Pond in Old Bend, is the site for many festivals and events during the year. If charm and character are what you’re looking for, Old Bend and River West should be top of your list for walkable, character filled neighborhoods on the west side.

Bend is known for its parks and NW Bend is no exception boasting a total of 27 parks. The newest and one of the largest parks is Discovery Park in Summit West. Home to a 3 acre lake, Sports field, off-leash dog area and 20 acres of open space. Shevlin Park is full of Aspen trees and miles of winding trails along the river. It’s one of my favorite places to walk my dog on the warmest days of summer. Nature lovers will enjoy the Riley Ranch Nature Reserve which is home to many native plant species, migratory birds and wildlife.

NW Bend has much to offer the golf enthusiast with Awbrey Butte’s 2 golf courses, Awbrey Glen and River’s Edge. The Butte’s custom homes are built to capture amazing mountain views in all directions. If mountain biking is your sport, then you’ll want to head out Skyliners Rd to Phil’s Trailhead where you can enjoy over 11 miles of mountain bike trails. For hikers, Tumalo Falls is just 13 miles west of downtown Bend.

Bend’s west side has a more “forested” feel with Ponderosa Pines being the dominant trees compared to the east side’s Juniper trees and high desert landscape. Most visitors spend time on the west side of town with its quaint older neighborhoods, main street shopping & restaurants, large parks, proximity to hiking and biking trails and Mt Bachelor. Because of these nearby amenities, the median home price on the west side is about 40% higher than Bend’s east side. As of May 2020, the median home price in NW Bend was $750,000, while the city of Bend as a whole was $460,000 and the East side the lowest at $425,000.