A fourth-generation Oregonian, Tawna Fenske can't get enough of hiking, SUPing, and savoring Bend's concert and culinary scenes. A USA Today bestselling romance author, Tawna has lived in Bend since 1997 and contributed to the Visit Bend blog since 2010.

There’s a phenomenon in Bend we call “false spring” where March and April tease us with warm temps, then giggle and scamper away in a flurry of late-season snowfall. Then May lumbers in with buckets of sunshine and a big, cocky grin, and says, “watch this.” 

May in Bend means blue skies and sun and standup paddleboarding in shorts and a tank top. May means sitting outside at your favorite Bend brewery and not needing a beanie and jacket. 

While we’ll still see some dustings of snow in the mountains—and trust me, you still want to pack that jacket and beanie—May knows full well that summer is right on her heels. She’s here to play, and you should be, too, with so much outdoor adventure to be found.

Here are the best things to see, do, and experience in Bend this May.

We’re still spring skiing

With all this chatter about summertime temps, it’s easy to forget there’s still plenty of snow to be found in the mountains. Since 2025 was another strong snow year, odds are good Mt. Bachelor’s lifts will keep churning until the end of May.

Offering 4,300 skiable acres and 3,365 vertical drop, Bachy’s season typically spans from mid-November through Memorial Weekend. Enjoy skiing and snowboarding under bluebird skies, or bust out the cross country gear to enjoy the longest groomed Nordic season in the nation. 

Bring on the seasonal produce

With farms around Oregon enjoying warmer temps and lots of hydration, the Bend Farmer’s Market springs to life in Brooks Alley above Drake Park. The market operates from May to October, offering everything from fruits to flowers to meats to baked goods and more. 

Hours typically run from 2-6 each Wednesday, though it changes occasionally due to rain, extreme heat, or wildfire smoke. It’s a great stop to fit in after a late lunch in Downtown Bend, and a wonderful way to grab goodies for your Bend vacation rental kitchen while supporting small regional farms.

Get your wildflower fix in the desert

If your mental picture of wildflower season involves gigantic fields of colorful blooms, you’ll want to recalibrate your brain to high desert settings.

Spring wildflowers in Bend aren’t the showy sort you’ll find on the rainy side of the mountains, but there’s something magical about the tiny desert blooms bursting through soft sand and lava rock in Central Oregon. Keep your eyes peeled for bitterroot blossoms, sand lilies, desert phlox, buckwheats, mariposas, and dime-sized goldfields when you’re out and about. 

Deschutes and Crooked River canyonlands are the perfect place to spot them, or plan a hike at Pilot Butte State Park or the Oregon Badlands Wilderness. One of my favorite spots to explore this time of year is Prineville Reservoir State Park, where the trail from there to Jasper Point offers an ocean of sweet sand lilies and desert phlox.

Speaking of fishing…

May is the best time to fish the Middle Deschutes between Benham Falls and Steelhead Falls, so get ready to bust out the flies. The bigger redsides, rainbow, and brown trout come out of their deep water lairs where they’ve been gobbling up leeches, crawdads, and smaller trout. They’re feeling fat and frisky and ready to dine on the surface for the legendary two-inch long salmon flies. 

The bugs themselves are a wonder to behold, even if you’re not into fishing. The males get helplessly windblown into water from trees and brush, while females slam their egg-laden bodies against the water’s surface to dislodge their progeny. The hatch moves gradually upriver from North to South during the month, so it’s a good thing to track for the fly fishing enthusiast or the amateur entomologist.  

Cheers to spring beers

Nothing beats cracking a cold one on the sunny deck of your favorite Bend Ale Trail. Lucky for you, spring’s when lots of Bend breweries bring out fresh new brews to perk up your patio sipping.

Funky Fauna—the masters of small-batch, farmhouse-style beers—reopened in April in Bend’s Central Business District, complete with popular vegan food cart Broken Angel slinging tasty plant-based fare nearby. This is a great spot to head if you’re craving Saison-inspired ales with the occasional hoppy IPA.

Another brewery I’m loving lately is newcomer Terranaut. They recently racked up a mountain of medals at the Best of Craft Beer awards, including a silver for one I’ll declare my official beer of Bend spring. Goat Beer is an experimental collaboration with San Simón (yes, that San Simón with the fabulous cocktails) and it’s a tasty cocktail-inspired ale with lime zest and juice, orange zest, rhubarb, and gentian root. Their cozy taproom on Bend’s eastside has a tucked-away, locals’ fave vibe I adore.

And since I’m still diggin’ hazys these days, I’ll put in a plug for Worthy Brewing’s hazy indie pale ale, Stratus. It’s bursting with tropical aromas of pineapple, mango, and citrus, with a 7.5% ABV that’ll knock your socks off if you’re slinging back more than a couple (ask me how I know).

Since spring is such a phenomenal time to take in the Bend Ale Trail, why not plan a guided adventure with Wanderlust Tours. They run beer-centric outings like their Brews & Views Sunset Hike, Brews & Views Paddling, and sometimes even Shoes & Brews snowshoe adventure if there’s still enough white stuff on the ground.

Looking for non-alcoholic beer? So many Bend breweries are slinging booze-free varieties, with Crux, Deschutes, Bridge 99, 10 Barrel, and Worthy offering some of my faves.

Bust out that bicycle

Cycling’s a year-round sport in Bend, but May brings drier trails and dwindling snowpack that opens up some higher-elevation hikes. Important sidenote: Stay off bike trails when they’re muddy so you don’t damage the tread and create tracks that’ll rattle the brain of every cyclist who hits them for next few months.

From road cycling to mountain biking, Bend’s bike scene has it all. Get a sense for all your options here. May is an especially good time to try gravel cycling, including specially curated rides on the Cascade Gravel Scenic Bikeway. 

Get ready for those gate openings

May means constantly watching for announcements from the Forest Service, Deschutes County, and local land managers to know when high-elevation roads and trails are opening. 

Keep a close eye on attractions like the Lava Lands Visitor Center and Lava River Cave as those attractions open for the season.

The snow gate on the Cascade Lakes Highway typically opens near the end of May, as does the one in the Newberry Volcanic National Monument. Want an up-to-the-minute answer on whether something’s open? Swing by the Bend Visitor Center on the corner of Lava and Oregon Ave. in Downtown Bend, or give them a call at 541-382-8048.

Time for Pole, Pedal, Paddle

The Pole, Pedal, Paddle is Bend’s quintessential, multi-sport relay race with six legs that include alpine skiing/snowboarding, cross country skiing, biking, running, canoeing/kayaking/SUPing, and a sprint to the finish. It takes place each May, and it’s a kick to be part of in any form.

Compete by yourself or with a team, or simply show up to watch the eclectic mix of hardcore athletes, multi-generational family teams, and competitors decked out in some of the wackiest costumes you’ve ever witnessed.

Time to get serious about Memorial Weekend

Memorial Weekend marks the unofficial opening of Bend’s busiest season. Diehard Bend fans sometimes set reservations a year in advance, so this isn’t the weekend to chance it on scoring a last-second Bend hotel or campsite. It pays to plan early, so browse the Visit Bend website to get the creative wheels turning for all your future lodging, dining, and Bend attractions like concerts happening at the Hayden Homes Amphitheater. James Taylor and Sting are currently on deck with May shows, with more concert announcements rolling in weekly.

Folks who were bummed by the cancellation of Bend Brewfest in the Old Mill District will be thrilled by the launch of a new beer festival in Drake Park called Brews and Beyond. It kicks off May 24-25, and promises to be a jolly good time.

Welcome to the front porch of summer in Bend, friends! Kick back, relax, and grab one of those beers I suggested. Cheers!