Four miles down Forest Service Road 9702 from the Lava Lands Visitor Center [1] is Benham Falls. Give other cars a wide berth and plenty of following distance, as the road’s pumice and fine dust are hard on paint jobs and engines.
The road leads to a small picnic area in a grove of giant ponderosa pines on the bank of the Deschutes River. With tables, pit toilets, fire grills, and plenty of shade, this is a nice place for a picnic. Be sure to tote your own liquids, though, because there is no water.
The hike to the falls is an easy one-mile jaunt downstream. Take the footbridge across the river and enjoy your stroll past a spectacular section of untamed white water. While the water in the Deschutes is much too cold and dangerous for a swim, it’s ideal for soaking your feet a little after you’ve completed your hike.
Benham Falls was created when magma from Lava Butte [1] splashed over the side, flowing five miles to the Deschutes. When the molten rock collided with the icy water, the churning rapids and crashing waterfall were created.
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oregon/central-oregon/bend/sights/lava-lands-visitor-center