Winter in Bend is a magical time when the city transforms into a snowy wonderland. Among the various winter activities that captivate locals and visitors alike, sledding takes center stage for fun. The rolling hills in town and snow-covered slopes of the Cascades become the perfect setting for a day filled with fun for both kids and adults.
In this blog post, we’ll explore our favorite sledding hills in Bend, where the crisp mountain air and stunning landscapes create an ideal backdrop for winter fun. Whether you’re a seasoned sledder or a first-timer, Bend’s inviting slopes ensure a memorable and thrilling experience in the heart of Central Oregon.
The Best Sledding Hills in Bend
Wanoga Sno-Park
Wanoga Sno-Park is the go-to spot for sledding in Bend. On a snowy weekend day, you can expect the parking lot here to fill quickly and the sledding hill to be full of Bendites and visitors rocketing down the hill.
Wanoga Sno-Park is located only 20 minutes from downtown Bend so it is a quick drive with a great payoff. The sledding hill is located on the East side of the snow park (turn left after you pull into the Sno-Park) although if that lot is full you can park in the west lot and scoot back down the road.
The sledding hill at Wanoga isn’t terribly high but you can still get a lot of speed on days when the snow has been packed down. Watch out on icy days though as the bumps can send you flying and several people each year end up in the ER with sledding injuries.
Our favorite part of the hill to take the kids is at the far eastern edge near the warming hut. The hill here isn’t as high so it doesn’t get tracked out as quickly and the risk of being hit by an out-of-control sledder is considerably lower.
We also love the warming hut here as it’s a great way to warm up the kids without having to pack into the car.
Al Moody Park
Al Moody Park is our favorite in-town sledding spot during those years when the snow hits Bend. The hill is steep enough to build up some speed yet isn’t so tall that it is too daunting for the kids during the trek up to the top.
To get there, park on the street along Daggett Ln and make your way across the field. There is also a playground to keep the little ones busy if they get tired of sledding.
“The Pit”
The Pit, as it’s known to the locals (and also to Google evidently), is a small green space on the SW side of town off Brookswood Blvd. The hills here are short but they circle the entire space so there is plenty of sledding room for everyone.
Expect this area to be full of neighborhood kids on a winter afternoon building jumps and racing down the short but sweet sledding hill.
I’m not sure this is a spot we’d go out of our way to visit, but if you’re in the area and looking for a quick sledding adventure, be sure to check it out!
Drake Park
Drake Park is the do-it-all park of Bend. In the summer you can run, bike, paddle, listen to music, or attend a festival. In the winter the park gets much quieter, aside from the occasional cross-country skier and kids sledding down the hill behind The Commons Cafe.
The sledding hill in Drake Park is the perfect height and length for families to in their sledding fix. Best of all it’s only a 30-second walk from the sledding hill to The Commons for post-sledding latte or IPA.
Hoodoo Tubing Park
If you’re willing to drive a little then there are some great sledding options up over Santiam Pass. If walking up hills to sled back down isn’t your thing then consider checking out the Hoodoo Tubing Park.
Tickets can be a little pricy if you’re going as a family ($25 – $35 per person) but you’re getting what you pay for in 800-foot-long groomed tubing lanes, high-quality tubes, and an automated tube tow back to the top after each run.
The view from the top of the tubing area is also one of the best in all of Central Oregon.
You can find more info on the Hoodoo website.
Santiam Pass Sno-Park
Located just across the highway from Hoodoo is the Santiam Pass Sno-Park. This area is hands down our favorite sledding in all of Central Oregon!
While the drive is a bit longer than going to Wanoga, the payoff of lower crowds, fewer tracked out runs, and a longer, steeper hill makes this area a ton of fun.
At the Santiam Pass sledding hill, there is usually a fast, tracked out run down the middle of the hill with a well-booted trail running along it. Beware with the little ones as this run is FAST and often has jumps built in at the bottom. It’s a great spot for people-watching as you’ll see some pretty epic wipeouts on the jumps on fast sledding days.
We usually take the kids off to the side of the main run and create our own tracks. On deep snow days, it’s easy to build in twists and turns and gentle run outs to keep everyone on their sleds.
Other Bend Sledding Areas We Don’t Recommend Visiting
There are a few sledding areas in Bend that have either shut down or sledding is prohibited due to unsafe conditions.
Mt Bachelor Tubing Park
The tubing park at Mt. Bachelor shut down for the 21/22 winter season and has not reopened since. We have no idea if they ever plan on reopening which is a bummer as their season runs a lot longer than the tubing season at Hoodoo. You can still find some good hills around here to sled but stay off the groomed runs.
Skyliner Sno-Park
Skyliners Sno-Park used to be a full-fledged ski area but that has long since been abandoned. In its place is a steep and relatively clear path that makes for amazing sledding. Unfortunately, this steep and narrow path has led to A LOT of sledding injuries over the years so the Forest Service has shut down the area to sledding.
This doesn’t stop some folks but we can’t recommend going there to get your sledding fix.