West Bend Area Trail Closures

We are restoring the forest adjacent to the City of Bend to improve forest health, create a diversity of plant and wildlife habitat and to protect our communities and quality of life.

Historically in Central Oregon small wildfires or insect infestations occurred creating a forested of different aged trees, underbrush, and openings, which allowed a diversity of wildlife and plants to flourish and kept forests resilient to large scale disturbances. The goal of these projects is to restore a more resilient and healthy forest.

West Bend Area: Trail, Road & Area Closures (April 3, 2026)

The Forest Service is experiencing increased violations of trail closure areas. Trail closures are designed to keep the optimal amount of trail mileage open for recreationists during this work. However, if users continue disregarding the closures, the closures will have to be moved further out from the work area.

View larger version of the updated map below. 

West Bend Vegetation Management Project

We are restoring 26,000 acres of forest adjacent to the City of Bend to improve forest health, create a diversity of plant and wildlife habitat and to protect our communities and quality of life.

Historically in Central Oregon small wildfires or insect infestations occurred creating a forested of different aged trees, underbrush, and openings, which allowed a diversity of wildlife and plants to flourish and kept forests resilient to large scale disturbances. The West Bend Vegetation Management Project's goal is to restore a more resilient and healthy forest. For additional information go to deschutescollaborative.org.

Lex Project Area

The Lex Project area is within the Deschutes Collaborative Forest Project area landscape in which the Forest Service is restoring 11,900 acres of forest west of the City of Bend to improve forest health. Stand resiliency to fire, insect and disease can help create a diversity of plant and wildlife habitat and protect our communities and quality of life.

West Bend Trails Project

The West Bend Trails Environmental Assessment was signed in January 2025, and approves trail modifications, including reroutes, new trails, and route decommissioning to create a more sustainable trails network while minimizing resource impacts. 

Work is currently underway in partnership with Central Oregon Trails Alliance (COTA) and the Deschutes National Forest.

View the interactive West Bend Trails Webmap to see locations of planned work.

Decommissioning Unauthorized Trails

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Work is currently underway to close unauthorized trails in this area. Removing these routes restores critical habitat connectivity that provides opportunities for wildlife to travel across the landscape. Providing spaces where wildlife can avoid disturbance is essential in areas highly fragmented by roads and trails where heavy recreation use occurs. 

Road Closures

The project also includes closing a select number of roads. Some roads will be completely removed, while others will no longer provide driving access, but will remain on the landscape for future potential use. 

Trail decommissioning and road closures will help offset some of the wildlife disturbance associated with new trail additions throughout the project area.