Hiking the Misery Ridge and River Trail Loop, Smith Rock State Park, OR

• Distance: 4.5 miles round trip (AllTrails says 4, it’s definitely more)

• Elevation Gain: 1,050 feet

• Fee/Pass: Yes, Oregon State Park Pass

• Dogs Allowed: Yes, on leash

• Bathrooms: Yes

• Difficulty: easy/moderate

We spent MLK weekend in Bend for the second year in a row, but this time around we were a little bit more strategic with our planning for the weekend. We got into town late Friday night and hung out at our AirBnb (we stayed in the Old Mill District) before waking up early Saturday morning to head to Mount Bachelor to get in a solid morning of skiing. After skiing, we spent our afternoon hoping around from brewery to brewery before heading home to make dinner. Sunday, we woke up and I was itching to do a hike in the high desert, so a few of us headed to Smith Rock State Park. The day was absolutely beautiful with clear, sunny skies and temperatures hovering in the mid-60s. The hike is rated as moderate, however, I found it to be much easier than I expected with a short, but steep ascent at the beginning of the hike, then a descent followed by some really flat miles. Overall I highly recommend this hike! On a clear day, the views of the surrounding volcanic peaks are astounding, not to mention the park itself is beautiful with the winding river and sheer cliffs jutting out of the ground. For more information on this hike go here: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/oregon/misery-ridge-and-summit-trail-loop