High Desert Food Trail
High Desert Food Trail
The High Desert Food Trail is a program of the High Desert Food & Farm Alliance under the Travel Oregon Food Trails. It is a self-guided adventure through Central Oregon for visitors and locals alike to experience the culinary and agritourism opportunities that make this region unique. The trail features 45 unique businesses including farms, ranches, restaurants, farmers markets, craft and beverage makers, and more, that will help you dive deeper into the high desert’s agricultural roots. With stunning landscapes to marvel at, artisan offerings to feast on, and resilient agriculture to experience, there is something for everyone!
Check out the High Desert Food Trail Business Directory for web-friendly browsing of participating businesses.
How to Experience the Trail
Choose your Adventure
Visit our itinerary options by scrolling down the page, or chose your own adventure. From breakfast and dinner to petting zoos and rhubarb festivals, there is something for everyone.
Download the Trail Map
Ride the Trail
Find a bike route that fits your needs, location, and abilities! We have created the following routes in partnership with Bend Electric Bikes. Find other routes they have created here.
- Downtown Bend (3.2 miles)
- Sisters (2.7 miles)
- Downtown Redmond (1.7 miles)
Find more Trails and Adventures
Socialize
EXPLORE AT YOUR PACE
This year-round, self-guided High Desert Food Trail is designed to be explored at your own pace — you are welcome to start and finish wherever you like. We encourage you to inquire at individual businesses about seasonality and hours of operation before visiting.
The working farms along this trail provide some of the most unique and engaging experiences. To ensure the best experience, keep in mind that farmers are inviting you to their property. Please be mindful of the farm animals, equipment and make sure to follow any site-specific rules. Central Oregon is hot and sunny, be sure to bring enough sun protection and water.
Your experience along the High Desert Food Trail should not end when you leave the area. Bring a taste of your journey back home to share with friends and family as a reminder of the bounty available in Central Oregon. Or ship a local food box that has lots of locally crafted products from many of the Trail partners.
SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE
Make sure to tag us on social media at #hdft or #highdesertfoodtrail
High season varies by business but is typically May – October. Seasonality of key products is listed below:
- Leafy greens: Mar – Dec
- Rhubarb: Jun – Sep
- Lavender: Jul – Aug
- Squash and zucchini: Jul – Sep
- Tomatoes: Jul – Oct
- Potatoes: Aug – Dec
- Pumpkins: Oct – Dec
Wondering what’s local? Look for the Get a Taste of This Place logo to identify high desert-grown, raised, and crafted foods or check out the local food directory at getataste.org.
Annual Events
- La Pine Rhubarb Festival | June
- La Pine Coop and Garden Tour | August 11th-13th
- DD Ranch Pumpkin Patch | October
- SunLife Farm & Ranch Lavendays | July 30th-31st
Stunning Landscapes
Sample handcrafted goodness with a view.
Sisters to Redmond
Kick off your day with a visit to Sisters Coffee Co. (21) for a specialty coffee drink, a house-made pastry and a slice of history — they’re the first coffee roaster in Central Oregon.
If you’re visiting the area on a Sunday between June and October, peruse the locally grown food and handmade crafts at the Sisters Farmers Market (20). Stick around to enjoy the live music and splash pad, which is a favorite among the kids. For lunch, head over to Boone Dog Pizza (19), a food truck that serves up wood-fired pies with seasonal ingredients like heirloom tomatoes. If you’re craving a good sandwich, stop into artisanal butchery and eatery Sisters Meat and Smokehouse (22) for its next-level tri-tip sandwich. Regional craft beer is on tap at both eateries.
Next head east to Faith, Hope & Charity Vineyards (9), where you can sip wine while looking out over stunning views of the Three Sisters. Learn how the winery manages to fight the frost and grow grapes that they transform into award-winning wine.
After you’ve had your fill of wine, end your day in downtown Redmond with dinner at Terra Kitchen (26), where plant-centric and sustainably grown ingredients take center stage. Consider staying the night at SCP Redmond Hotel (27). In addition to the hotel’s adventure, wellness and work-away packages, guests can enjoy the panoramic views of the Cascade mountains from the hotel’s rooftop bar — the only one in Redmond.
Photo: Rainshadow Organics
Artisan Offerings
Lift your spirits with high-desert inspirations.
Photo: L&S Farm and Garden
Tumalo to La Pine
Begin your trip with a lakeside overnight at The Suttle Lodge & Boathouse (6) in Sisters, where you can start your day with an alpine-style breakfast. Head south to Tumalo and fill your picnic basket with u-pick and farm stand goodies from Well Rooted Farms (30), , and locally sourced meats, snacks and libations from Schilling’s Garden Market (33). Enjoy a walk around the garden or shop the seasonal markets while taking in mountain views.
Before making your way south, tour the facilities and sample the creations of Crater Lake Spirits (33). Be sure to try the Prohibition gin, made with high-desert juniper berries.
For lunch try the burger at Bend’s Jackson’s Corner (42), which sources its ingredients from local farms and ranches, and partners with the city’s many quality craft breweries. If you’re visiting on a Wednesday between May and October, spend your afternoon meandering through the stalls at the Bend Farmers Market (37). Locally sourced gifts and products can be found year-round at Central Oregon Locavore (36).
Bend is known for its regionally inspired beer, so don’t leave without sampling The Ale Apothecary (43), which uses water from the Deschutes River as well as Oregon wildflower honey and grain from nearby Mecca Grade Estate Malt (1) in Madras.
End your day in La Pine, where you can sit back and relax on the outdoor patio of Legend NW Cider Company (44) and sample beverages made from Northwest apples. Stick around for the live music and a dinner of wood-fired pizza.
Resilient Agriculture
Experience high-desert ranching.
Warm Springs to Prineville
Start your day off by visiting Twisted Teepee (2) on the Warm Springs Reservation, where you can choose from menu items like huckleberry pancakes and Indian fry bread.
If you’re visiting on a Saturday in summer, spend your morning strolling past the local produce and artisan goods at the Madras Saturday Market (5) in the beautiful Sahalee Park. Then duck into New Basin Distilling Company (4) for a tour of the facility, and sample their spirits made from Opal Springs water and rye grown in Jefferson County.
The ranches in Terrebonne are worth the stop. Head over to DD Ranch (11), known for its pumpkin patch, hay rides and petting zoo. If alpacas are more your thing, stop by Crescent Moon Ranch (10), where you can pet and feed their herd (even the babies) while also sampling their fiber products.
In Prineville, SunLife Farm and Ranch (13) offers U-pick lavender, an apiary and 5 miles of hiking trails overlooking the Ochoco Mountains. Make sure to factor in a stop to L & S Farm and Garden (12), a farm store that offers homemade, canned, pickled and preserved goods including jams, jellies, syrups, seasonings and more.
End your day at the Wine Down Ranch (14), a working cattle farm with overnight accommodations including a tiny house, a bunkhouse and campsites. In addition to experiencing life on a ranch, the Wine Down is a great spot for hiking, biking, bird-watching and stargazing.
Photo: Bend Farmers Market
This program is supported in part by the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program [grant no. 2020-70017-32426] from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
Additional funding is provided by an Oregon Wine Country License Plates Matching Grant Program and:
