The best route from Ponderosa Elementary School and Pine Nursery Park to Caldera High School traverses the east side of Bend from north to south. It also follows the North-South Bend Bikeway, currently in planning but with improvements scheduled to start in 2025. Parts of this route are suitable for all riders while only experienced riders should ride other parts. We’ll point out the difficult parts, where the route passes close to schools and parks, and preview the changes to come as the Bend Bikeways and the Butler Market Improvements are built out. This route description goes from north to south but it is easily ridden in both directions.
Pine Nursery to the Boyd Acres/Butler Market intersection
From the corner of Yeoman Rd and NE Purcell Blvd, ride south along Purcell Blvd. There are bike lanes on both sides of Purcell and the sidewalk on the east side of the street will turn into a multi-use path at Rock Park Dr. You’ll pass Ponderosa Elementary School to the east and Rock Park Dr is the entrance to Pine Nursery Park.
Move onto the multi-use path on the east side of Purcell at Rock Park Dr and continue south to the canal. Don’t cross the canal. Turn right across Purcell onto the path along the canal. Bend Parks and Recreation is improving this path…it is rough in places but most bikes should handle it.
At the first intersection, Brinson Blvd, turn left on the bridge across the canal and turn right at the traffic light on Butler Market Rd. If traveling north, it is best to cross both streets with the traffic light rather than using the left turn lane. Canal Row Park is on the west side of the street.
Butler Market Rd is a busy road with heavy traffic. The bike lanes on Butler Market will be significantly improved to be separated from traffic soon and will be suitable for all riders. But for now, this part of the route is best for experienced riders. When you get to the roundabout on NE 8th St, get up on the sidewalk through the roundabout.
Continue on Butler Market to Boyd Acres Rd. Turn left, using a two-stage turn crossing Boyd Acres with the light and then Butler Market. Travel south along NE Longfellow Ct.
Butler Market Rd to Juniper Park
Continue south on Longfellow Ct, turn left onto NE Shelly Way, right on NE Keats Dr, right on NE Majesty Dr, and finally, left onto NE 6th St. Sharrows at each intersection point the way in both directions. Plans are in place to place signs that will show the way along this route.
Travel south along NE 6th St. This is a Neighborhood Greenway with a 20 mph speed limit and speed bumps to slow traffic. Pass Orchards Park on the right. Hollinshead Park is a few blocks to the left (east). Turn left (east) on NE Seward Ave to reach Hollinshead Park.
Continue south along NE 6th St. There are crosswalks across both Revere and Olney, both of which will be improved with the Bend Bikeways Project. Bend Technical Academy (formerly Marshall High School) is one block west on Marshall Ave. At NE Greenwood Ave, press the pedestrian light button, wait for cars to stop and cross this very busy street. Continue one block south on NE 6th St, turn right on NE Irving Ave and left onto NE 5th St. At the entrance to Juniper Park, take the paved path that cuts across the southwest corner of the park to the parking lot at NE 6th St and NE Franklin Ave.
Juniper Park to Reed Market Rd
From Juniper Park, cross NE Franklin Ave at NE 6th St. This crossing will be improved by the Bend Bikeways project. Ride in the bike lane east along Franklin to the 8th St roundabout. Cross 8th St and turn south on the sidewalk on the east side of the street. Turn left onto the Coyner Trail at the community garden and continue south east on the Coyner trail. The Bend Bikeways project will be adding wayfinding signs to mark this route. Pass Bear Creek Elementary School and ride through Ponderosa Park to NE Wilson Ave and NE 15th St. Cross Wilson Ave at the roundabout and continue south in the bike lane or on the sidewalk along NE 15th St. There are good sidewalks and standard bike lanes on both sides of 15th St.
If you want to go to the Larkspur Center, cross 15th St at the crosswalk at Suntree St and continue to Larkspur Center on the sidewalk. If you’re continuing south to Alpenglow Park or Caldera High School, continue south. At SE Reed Market, take the ramp from the bike lane up onto the sidewalk. We recommend walking your bike across Reed Market at the crosswalk. (Same advice if you’re traveling north, but on the other side of the crosswalk.) The Reed Market and 15th St Improvements Project will be adding pedestrian crossing lights at these crosswalks someday. This is a VERY busy roundabout–use caution.
Larkspur Center to Murphy Rd
After crossing the Reed Market roundabout, continue south along SE 15th St. There are standard bike lanes on both sides of the street all the way to Murphy Rd, but there are sidewalks only from Reed Market to King Hezekiah Way. This is a busy road with fast traffic. North bound riders should pay particular attention when crossing the intersection at Ferguson Rd. Continue south to Murphy Rd.
Murphy Rd to Caldera High School (Knott Rd)
Cross Murphy Rd in the roundabout or on the sidewalk around the roundabout. Continue south along SE 15th St past Alpenglow Park on the right (west) and Caldera High School. Just south of Murphy Rd, there is a multi-use path on the west side of the road that is continuous all the way past Caldera High School. On the east side of the street, there is a nearly complete multi-use path with a few missing sections or sections of sidewalk. Both sides of the street have standard bike lanes. At Knott Road, this route ends abruptly. With new developments in this area, there will likely be improvements along Knott Rd in the future but nothing is planned now.
We hope you enjoy this route and look forward to the coming changes. Be careful on the busy streets along the route and at the busy intersections it crosses.
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