August in Bend stirs up all sorts of magic. It brings hot, sun-filled days and nighttime temps tiptoeing toward chilly as autumn waits in the wings. Wild, breathtaking thunderstorms sweep through with (hopefully!) much-needed moisture, but they also bring lightning-sparked wildfires and smoky sunsets so dazzling you’ll gasp.

From stargazing to floating the river to hiking on high elevation trails, Mother Nature rolls out the red carpet for visitors lucky enough to see Bend in summer’s final full month. Here are the best things to experience this August in Bend!

Hit those high-elevation hikes

August is a great time to hike in Bend, especially with summertime faves along high-altitude trails off the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway when most of the snow has vanished. You’ll need a special permit for trails like Green Lakes and Tam McArthur. Don’t forget your forest pass, too, which you can now buy online and print out anywhere, including at the Bend Visitor Center. Now’s also an excellent time to tackle Tumalo Mountain, or pick a scenic loop trail like Lucky Lake or Blow Lake. With any hike, read up on the rules and plan ahead.

If securing a permit seems like a pain but you can’t shake your craving for a High Cascades hike, Mt. Bachelor has the solution. Thanks to a grant from Visit Bend’s Bend Sustainability Fund, The Evergreen Trail opened in 2024 as a mulit-use hiking and downhill bike trail spanning just under 4.5 miles from the West Village base to Pine Marten Lodge. I love taking a scenic lift ride to the top, followed by a tasty lunch (or a sunset dinner!) at Pine Marten Lodge and a breathtaking hike down to my car. Read up on your options to know what’s do-able for you. 

If mountains aren’t mandatory, the Deschutes River Trail includes endless options for trekkers of all levels. With its proximity to town, you can squeeze in a post-breakfast hike and be back to your hotel in time for lunch. And as always, practice Leave No Trace principles when hiking in Bend’s great outdoors. It’s a great way to ensure that your kids (and their kids, and their kids) can enjoy our pristine trails for generations to come.

Chill out in rivers and lakes

Finding a Bend hotel with a pool is a great plan for beating August heat. But do yourself a favor and extend your chillout plans to include a cooling soak in Bend’s natural bodies of water. Rivers and lakes around Bend make perfect spots to try standup paddleboarding and kayaking. Add an adrenaline rush to your adventure with a whitewater rafting adventure with Sun Country Tours.

While many parts of the Deschutes have dangerous stretches of water, for a more serene river experience, try floating the river as it ambles through the Old Mill District and downtown. The river shuttle runs daily in August to keep floaters circulating between the put-in and takeout. New for 2025, you can also hail a five-passenger electric golf cart by text to take you back to your car. How do you float the river in Bend? Check out this post for everything you need to know.

For other forms of water play, including canoeing, swimming, and surfing (yep, really!) follow the links on this page.

Dance like the geese aren’t watching

If you’re into outdoor music, you’re going to swoon over August in Bend. It’s our biggest month for concerts at Hayden Homes Amphitheater, and August 2025 has an insanely good lineup. Shows include:

• My Morning Jacket (Aug. 5)
• Whiskey Myers and Tedeschi Trucks Band (Aug. 6 and 7)
• LCD Soundsystem (Aug. 9 and 10)
• Rainbow Kitten Surprise (Aug. 11
• The Lumineers (Aug. 13 and 14)
• Trampled by Turtles and Shakey Graves (Aug. 15)
• Glass Animals (Aug. 16)
• Alabama Shakes (Aug. 17)
• Counting Crows (Aug. 19)
• Lainey Wilson, Ernest, and Kaitlin Butts (Aug. 21)
• Matt Rife (Aug. 23)
• Goo Goo Dolls (Aug. 29)
• Japanese Breakfast (Aug. 30)
• Chicago (Aug. 31)

And that’s not even all of them. Some shows may already be sold out, so make sure you check the Hayden Homes Amphitheater site to find the most up-to-date info. Trying to score tickets on third-party sites often results in heartache but you’ll often find “Verified Resale Tickets” on Ticketmaster—even for sold-out shows.

Craving free music in Bend? Catch a show on Thursdays in Drake Park with the Munch and Music series that’s been going strong since the early ‘90s. You’ll also find lots of live music at local hotspots like Flights Wine Bar and Silver Moon Brewing.

While Faith Hope and Charity vineyards may be on your radar for wine, they also have a robust roster of live music throughout August. Bring a blanket or a low-backed chair, but leave food and drinks at home––there’s plenty to purchase on site. Oregon Spirit Distillers also has free live music every Thursday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

If live theater is your jam, Bend’s only professional playhouse will be staging The Wolves, a Pulitzer-prize finalist for drama, from Aug. 8-24 at the Greenhouse Cabaret. Act early to snag seats for plays staged on the banks of the sparkling Deschutes in Drake Park. I’m particularly pumped for 2025’s Rock of Ages lineup on Aug. 15-16, which features a rock’n’roll love story between an aspiring rocker and a small-town dreamer fighting to save a legendary music venue at the tail end of the wild 1980s. Tickets go fast for these midsummer shows; get yours now.

Check Visit Bend’s event calendar to see what else is happening in August.

What should I do when it’s smoky in Bend?

Whether it’s thunderstorms, scorching temps, or wildfire smoke that chases you indoors, you can rest easy knowing there’s tons of fun to be found in Bend’s indoor spaces. From bowling alleys to bumper cars to indoor kart racing to indoor climbing gyms, Bend has plenty of fun stuff to do. When the weather won’t cooperate, check out this article.

Our faves? Make dinner reservations at one of Bend’s award-winning restaurants. Plan a fun family outing at the High Desert Museum or book a class at Freak’n Art and make your own pet portrait, botanical illustration, or even do some embroidery—all are great Bend souvenirs. To get the kids’ wiggles out, bounce around at Trampoline Zone or Mountain Air. If vintage video games are your jam, Vector Volcano is the spot to be.

Missing your feline friends back home? Stop by Playful Paws Cat Cafe for a vacation kitty fix, and who knows? You might just find an adoptable buddy.

Let’s chat about plans

It has happened: summer’s coming to a close and now’s when you need to get serious about your Bend summer vacation.

My annual birthday meteor shower (which apparently has a real name and isn’t held only for my birthday?) peaks each year around August 11-13. For prime viewing, head out to Pine Mountain Observatory or the Oregon Observatory in Sunriver, or stick closer to Bend with the Hopservatory at Worthy Brewing.

Want to enjoy Mt. Bachelor’s summer offerings like disc golf, ziplining, scenic chairlift rides, the downhill bike park, and the ultimate sunset dinner at 7,800 feet? Scope out their summer activities page, then book your plans before the season runs out.

Make sure you get tickets ASAP for fall staples like Little Woody (slated each year for Labor Day Weekend) or the 2025 Oregon Whiskey Festival happening Sept. 19-20 at Oregon Spirit Distillers? These go fast..

Feeling ready to rock August in Bend? I’ll see you out on the trails (or river, or brewery, or…just get out and enjoy, okay?!) Happy August, everyone! I hope you enjoy it in Bend.