Running alongside the Deschutes River on the northwest edge of Bend, the 184-acre Riley Ranch Nature Reserve features miles of trails through open grasslands, juniper and pine forests, lava flows, and riparian habitats. Even though Riley Ranch is within the Bend city limits, you’ll feel like you’re miles away in God’s country, surrounded by nature with dramatic views of the river canyon, distant Cascade Mountain Range, and an abundance of wildlife. There is a figure-eight loop trail that features 1.57 miles of gravel and soft surface above the canyon and a more rugged trail on 1.25-mile-long Canyon Loop. The figure-eight loop is made up of two smaller loops: Juniper loop and Sage Flats Loop. Both loops are under one mile. The trail that heads down the canyon rim is called Robin’s Run and links to the Canyon Loop.