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About The Bulletin. (Bend, OR) 1963-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 7, 2021)
PAGE 6 • GO! MAGAZINE THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2021 • THE BULLETIN THE OUTDOORS bendbulletin.com/gooutdoors Outdoor pick of the week: Pine Nursery Park The 159-acre park on Bend’s east side is a popular weekend walking route for many area residents. On New Year’s Day the park was brimming with families, dogs, disc golf- ers, kids on their bikes and rollerblades and even some pickleball and beach volleyball games commencing. The 1.4-mile Pine Nursery Park Loop is a paved path that surrounds the entire park. It’s a great, even and wide trial that is acces- sible from nearly every parking lot in the park. The trail passes under towering pine trees, through open fields and along the fishing pond all while offering occasional mountain views and a near constant vista of Pilot Butte. Recently, the Empire Avenue extension necessitated an underpass for pedestrian traffic to access the nearby canal trail mak- ing it easy and safe to visit the park from any direction. Skiing at Swampy Lakes — Makenzie Whittle, The Bulletin Mark Morical/Bulletin file photo Ben Swinehart, of Bend, skis near Swampy Lakes. BY MARK MORICAL • The Bulletin S wampy Lakes Sno-park, at about 5,800 feet in elevation just southwest of Bend, is known by wintertime outdoors enthusiasts. But for skiers, Virginia Meissner Sno-park just a few miles away seems to be more popular. One reason for those crowds is that the groomed trails at Meissner attract skate skiers, who require groomed trails for skiing. Swampy Lakes has few groomed trails, so the area attracts mostly classic skiers, who can cut tracks through deep snow. Swampy Lakes is popular among snowshoers. Miles and miles of well-marked trails, some designated for skiing and others designated for snowshoeing, radiate from the sno-park. Directions: From Bend, take Century Drive southwest toward Mount Bachelor. After about 17 miles, turn right at the sign for Swampy Lakes Sno-park. Parking: Sno-park permit required. ý Makenzie Whittle/The Bulletin Jeannie Whittle walks her dogs, a 4-month-old black lab named Sitka and basset hound named Lily, 11, around the paved path at Pine Nursery Park. Reporter: 541-383-0318, mmorical@bendbulletin.com MORE OUTDOORS COVERAGE Find places to explore, conditions, expert columns and outstanding features in The Bulletin’s new Explore Central Oregon section in Friday’s paper