Awbrey Butte - Sylvan Park - Bend Parks & Recreation

Distance: 1/4 mile
Summit Elevations: 4,230 feet
Elevation Gain: 150 feet
Access: Paved

For highpointers with kids, there's nothing better than a summit in a city park. Awbrey Butte is the highest point in Bend, Oregon, and an exclusive neighborhood named after the hill in which the community is built upon. The butte may have golf courses, tennis courts, luxury homes and clubhouses, but the highest point was the prestige I was looking for. Some Google earth recon reveals that a park on the north side had close access to the summit area. On the ground explorations quickly found the summit communication site fence line did not encompass the highest point. My kids easily beat me to the top of this one.

Drive to the NW corner of Bend, follow a map to get yourself to the parking area in Sylvan Park.

From the south end of Sylvan Park, find the Summit Sylvan Trail which connects Sylvan Park to Summit Park. When you reach the communication site fenceline, go off trail up the hillside to the summit, which is in view from the trail. Once on the summit plateau, look for the highest rock pile. You should find it between the fenceline and the water tower.

Sylvan Park Playground

Leaving the trail and heading to the summit, just over the ridge

Have a picnic and play some tennis with your highpoint

Trailsign for the Summit (park) Sylvan (park) Trail

Pine trees between the trail and the summit

Communication equipment on the summit ridge

Looking toward the water tower from the summit rocks

Above: Topo Map of Awbrey Butte before it was all developed Below: Road map with trail shown to the summit