CROOKED RIVER VIA OTTER BENCH AND PINK TRAIL 4.4 miles with 656' elevation gain near Culver.  Otter Bench is a long, relatively narrow desert flat wedged two-thirds of the way up in the Crooked River Canyon. The trails stay on the bench for the most part, and there is very little elevation change, but two side trails (the  Lone Pine and Pink trails) go steeply down to the river bank. You will see a typical high desert landscape, with junipers and sagebrush as well as the basalt rimrock of the upper canyon edge most of the time. Occasionally, the trail gets close enough to the edge of a 370-foot vertical dropoff to the lower canyon, which is pretty impressive.

Meet at Village Bar and Grill parking lot at 8 am to carpool.

Bring: water, snacks, gas $ for driver Optional, hike poles, sunscreen, hat, baby wipes. $ for lunch afterwards optional.  No parking pass required.

We will need 2-3 drivers. I will already be in Bend. So we need drivers for 11 people. Let E know if you can drive and how many will fit comfortably. $2-3 from passengers to driver for gas please.  Drive from Sunriver to Crooked River Ranch approximately 1 hour.  E Faoro leads and Ellen MacLeod co-leads this hike. 

Click on the link below to rsvp and complete your waiver and emergency contact information.