Bend Park and Recreation District has modified operations due to COVID-19.
Parks and trails remain open with temporary use & social distancing rules.
Playgrounds, sport courts & skateparks closed.
All facilities closed:
including Juniper Swim & Fitness Center, Bend Senior Center, The Pavilion, Art Station, District Office and Park Services.
Spring & summer recreation programs adjusted.
166 SW Shevlin Hixon Dr, Bend, OR 97702
5 am to 10 pm
Welcome to the Bend Whitewater Park. Located in the Deschutes River near the Old Mill District in Bend, Oregon, this in-water amenity offers a variety of river recreation opportunities including tubing, kayaking, and surfing.
The park is made up of three distinctly different channels:
Bend Whitewater Park is owned and operated by the Bend Park and Recreation District (BPRD). This river recreation park was conceived of through a partnership between Bend Park and Recreation District and the Bend Paddle Trail Alliance in 2007.
Prior to the redevelopment of the riverbed in 2014-15, floaters and paddlers had to exit the river before the Colorado Avenue dam to avoid entanglement in dangerous dam under-structure. It was impassible to migrating fish.
Tenacious dedication, community support through a 2012 bond measure, general fund tax revenues, grants and private contributions resulted in this project.
For safety, please abide by the following:
The following activities are prohibited at Bend Whitewater Park:
Unsafe or illegal behavior may result in exclusion and/or citation. Learn more about Bend Park and Recreation Rules and Guidelines.
WARNING: The Deschutes River is wild and may present hazards not easily recognized. Always exercise caution when recreating in the river. Recreate at your own risk. No lifeguard on duty.
Each summer thousands of residents and visitors gather friends and family and share the popular Deschutes River floating experience beginning in the Old Mill District and ending at Drake Park in downtown Bend.
Are you a whitewater kayaker, surfer or paddleboarder?
The Whitewater Channel of the Bend Whitewater Park is your destination! This center channel of the park has four wave features for emerging to expert whitewater enthusiasts. The features are created by twenty-six, underwater pneumatic bladders, natural and man-made riverbed conditions and dynamic river flows.
Bend Whitewater Park is a feat of innovation and engineering with complexities and seasonal variables keeping the river recreation operators – or wave shapers – busy year-round. Less than 1/10th of a degree in gate movement can mean the difference between good and world-class.
No other whitewater park compares to the versatility, complexity and overall functionality of the Bend Whitewater Park. The operational controls begin with 26 air bladders, or ‘gates’ that have been permanently affixed to the river bed to regulate critical habitat, and to shape whitewater waves for recreation. These gates can be manipulated in real-time from anywhere in the world by touchscreen controls.
What are the benefits of wave shaping?
The Deschutes River is dam-controlled and primarily serves water rights and irrigation needs. Bend Whitewater Park wave shapers keep water depth in Mill Pond seasonally stable, and even mimic natural seasonal flow changes. This work assists in providing critical habitat for the Oregon Spotted Frog, a species listed as threatened by the International Union of the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which reside in the marshes and wetlands in the Upper Deschutes River Corridor.
In addition, wave shapers manage flow going into the Fish Ladder to ensure that both juvenile and adult fish are able to travel through the channel successfully. During warmer months, tens of thousands of river recreationists use the Fish Ladder as a recreational feature. In 2018, 250,000 people floated through the Fish Ladder.
After these obligations are met, the wave shapers send the remaining water into the Whitewater Channel. This volume is highly variable throughout the year and is dictated by Oregon Water Resource Department and irrigation districts. While wave shapers can manipulate the volume and directionality of flow to some degree, the Deschutes River still has the last word.
Location – 166 SW Shevlin Hixon Rd (Directions)
The Bend Whitewater Park is located in the heart of Bend in the Deschutes River north of the Colorado Avenue Bridge. Viewing is available on the pedestrian bridge and on the east side of the river and at McKay Park.
Summer 2019 update: A 4-hour parking limit will go into effect on July 1, 2019 for on-street parking near McKay Park and Bend Whitewater Park. The temporary parking limits will occur on Shevlin Hixon Drive, Bradbury Way and neighboring streets to enable access for residents and patrons of area businesses as well as park users at McKay Park and Bend Whitewater Park. Signage will notify drivers and park users about the pilot program and four-hour parking limit. Ample parking during daytime hours is available a block away at the Park & Float, 1000 SW Bradbury Way. Overnight parking is not permitted on park district property. Learn more.
Jason’s Wave
Jason’s wave is the most down-river feature. It is a beginner to intermediate wave suitable for play boats, SUPs, and boogie boards. It is best suited for people learning whitewater sports or refining their skills.
Jason Mitchell loved nature, photography, snowboarding, traveling, guiding on the river and, most of all, family and friends. Jason was playful and enjoyed sharing his love of the river. Jason Mitchell: 1974 – 2010.
Kricket’s Wave
Just up river from Jason’s wave, this feature is an intermediate wave/hole for more advanced play boat maneuvers. It is best suited for people with some experience in whitewater conditions.
Kricket Serota was an avid outdoor and river enthusiast who loved riding horses, cross country skiing, walking with her dog, snowboarding, windsurfing and kayaking. Kricket’s passion was teaching others (especially women) to love river recreation. Kricket Serota 1966 – 2012
The Green Wave
The next upriver feature is the Green Wave. It is a green, glassy faced wave ideal for short board river surfing, SUP surfing and flat bottom kayak surfing. This wave is best suited for experienced river users.
Eddy’s Wave
Nearest the bridge is Eddy’s wave which is the largest in the series and best suited for the most experienced river users. It is an advanced, retentive wave/hole for advanced play boat maneuvers.
Eddy Miller was bigger than life. He wondered at the metaphysical and natural world and prided himself on knowledge of plants, animals and insects along the waterways. Eddy Miller: 1952-2009.
Recommended Safety Equipment:
Prohibited:
Unsafe or illegal behavior may result in exclusion and/or citation.
WARNING: The Deschutes River is wild and may present hazards not easily recognized. Always exercise caution when recreating in the river. Recreate at your own risk. No lifeguard on duty.
Click the current values for more in-depth conditions charts.
Information is at your fingertips!
Know before you go! Before you head down to the Bend Whitewater Park, check the updates here or on Facebook. These reports help you understand river flows and what activity/level each wave is set up for.
Please note that while the pneumatic bladders in the center channel of the Bend Whitewater Park allow us to manipulate the river to create waves and rapids, we do not control the flow of the river. This means a wave feature may be different than what is expected or intended without notice. We try our best to let you know when flows fluctuate and affect waves however, the Deschutes River is a natural body of water and can change.
Kayak Roll Session
Offered: Seasonally, spring, fall & winter
Come practice rolling your kayak in safety of the warm, water indoor pool. Please tape the end of your boat paddles. Program fee includes one person and one boat, additional people pay basic entrance fees. Space is limited to 12 boats, pre-registration is required.
WARNING: The Deschutes River is wild and may present hazards not easily recognized. Always exercise caution when recreating in the river. Recreate at your own risk. No lifeguard on duty.
Before you head to the river, check out our virtual tour! Experience the Deschutes River and the popular floating route through the heart of Bend that is enjoyed by thousands of people every summer.
Bend Park and Recreation District is committed to sustainability and river stewardship.
Vegetation and wildlife are integral parts of the Bend Whitewater Park and other parks along the Deschutes River. Bend Park and Recreation District is committed to sustainability and river stewardship. With approximately a quarter million river users each summer, everyone has a role in maintaining the Deschutes River as a special place.
The Bend Whitewater Park was built with this purpose in mind. When constructed and opened in 2015, the project:
Tumalo Creek Kayak & Canoe launched a Citizen Stewardship Green Tube initiative to take care of the Deschutes River. From the Park & Float, next to the Pavilion on Simpson Ave. and Bradbury Way, a complimentary tube rental* is offered in exchange for floating with a special green tube and utilizing a rubbish collection kit. *One per group.
Learn more at tumalocreek.com.
Help keep the Deschutes River clean and free from debris. Secure your belongings and make sure trash goes in bins.
Each summer more than 1,500 lbs. of trash are collected at one clean-up event. Please do your part to reduce what is left behind.
Want to be involved beyond your day on the river? Join the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council for Deschutes River Clean-up Day in late July. Volunteers remove weeds, debris and garbage from the river and riverbanks.
For more info: enjoyprotectrespectdeschutes.org
The Fish Ladder has both rapids and rocks so you’ll want to be prepared with the right equipment. Durable tubes, whitewater kayaks and whitewater paddleboards are suitable for the Fish Ladder. Flatwater kayaks, flatwater canoes, flatwater paddleboards and pool loungers should not be used in the Fish Ladder.
For floaters, it’s advised to use a durable tube that can handle contact with rocks as well as river turbulence. Avoid using pool toys, pool loungers and other items not specifically designed for whitewater or contact with rocks.
Yes, the Fish Ladder is a very different experience from the relaxing floating in the flat water section of the river. You must be an active participant and paddle through the series of rapids to have fun and successfully navigate the section. If you don’t want to get splashed or flipped, please exit the river before the Colorado Ave. bridge, walk a short distance to the McKay Park beach, and re-enter the river for more flat-water floating.
The hydraulics in the Fish Ladder can lead to a tube stalling in the same place until the river user paddles out of the spot or until another river tube bumps it free. The best advice is to remain calm, paddle your arms or to hold onto a friend’s hand or handle of another tube to increase momentum. If that doesn’t work, make your way to the riverbank and exit the river.
The middle channel is made up of twenty-three underwater, pneumatic bladders that fill and deflate with air to move in different angles to influence the shape of the river. Conditions will vary daily based on water flows and pneumatic influences.
Jason’s Wave: The first feature (furthest down-river) was designed for the beginner using a variety of watercraft.
Kricket’s Wave: The second feature was designed with kayaking in mind. As water levels vary, this feature could also be a great experience for stand-up paddleboarding.
Green Wave: This feature is being modified over the winter to improve the experience for surfers.
Eddy’s Wave: This wave (closest to the bridge) produces the largest wave and is best for advanced kayaking.
Filling and deflating the bladders is controlled electronically by the river recreation specialist using a tablet or from inside the control vault. Each time a bladder is manipulated, all other features are impacted. Feature conditions are also influenced by the river flow which occurs naturally as well as a result of the amount of water released from Wickiup Reservoir.
Be sure to check the Current Conditions page.
In addition, the Facebook page for Bend Whitewater Park has regular wave reports from the wave shaper. This is the best source for information about the whitewater channel for experts and should be consulted before heading to the park.
We are disappointed about the trash along the river and encourage all river users to secure belongings and dispose of trash in bins in our river parks. We increase trash collection in the summer and work closely with community partners and others about ideas for a broader community-wide discussion around this issue.
To conduct business at McKay Park and/or Miller’s Landing Park adjacent to the Bend Whitewater Park, there is a permit process that requires proof of insurance coverage. This is the process for sale, rental or promotions of merchandise or service; the provision of a paid service or program, instruction or training that includes use of dry land for anything more than quick transportation in or out of the Deschutes River.
The public is always welcome in our parks; therefore, a permitted business does not have exclusive use and business activity may not adversely impact general public use. See business use of a park for more information.
