We stayed in Bend when we visited this park in August of 2024. It is about twenty-seven miles north of Bend on Highway 97 and took us about half hour to get there on a Sunday. The park being very popular, we decided to go early to beat the weekend crowd and make sure we got a parking spot.
Famous for rock climbing, Smith Rock State Park offers a unique and dramatic landscape, quite different from the surrounding area. This park has scenic views of deep river canyons, towering rocks, and miles of hiking trails. An easy walking trail runs along the Crooked River, which flows quietly through the park. This is a pleasant area, where you may see deer and birds.
We felt a little more adventurous on the day we visited the park and hiked up the infamous Misery Ridge to be rewarded with outstanding views in all directions. The hike up the front is a grunt but worth the effort. The .68 mile trail to the summit takes off directly across from the bridge. You will see some rock climbers after a series of small switchbacks.
The trail is a combination of gravel and wooden steps. Having hiking poles helped a bit on the climb.
On the way up, you will see rock climbers at various locations along the hiking path. Below picturs has some rock climbers near the Red Wall area.
Once at the summit, scramble up on the rock ridges. Look down and see the Crooked River as it winds around below.
Continue on the path for another 0.3 miles, and you’ll come to another great viewpoint. There is a park bench, from where you can relax and take in the beauty of the scenery in all directions including the iconic grinning Monkey Face rock. We saw some rock climbers in its mouth. Also, if you are lucky you may be able to watch slackliners traverse a rigged line to the Monkey’s mouth.
