Mirror Pond

Mirror Pond is an iconic section of the Deschutes River in Bend. It is well known, perhaps thanks in part to the beer of the same name by local Deschutes Brewery. Mirror Pond is located near the central downtown district of Bend, making it an easy and popular place to visit.

The best access to Mirror Pond is via Drake Park, off Northwest Riverside Boulevard. From here you can follow the paved walkway to a footbridge that crosses the Deschutes River, offering a fantastic view of Mirror Pond.

Mirror Pond isn’t a natural feature of the Deschutes, it was formed in 1910 by the construction of the Bend Water, Light & Power Company Dam (now known as Pacific Power's Bend Hydro Dam).

Despite its beautify, Mirror Pond acts as a settling basin for sediment naturally flowing down the Deschutes River. This requires the pond to be dredged every 20 to 30 years to maintain the pond’s form. Low water levels can also cause mudflats to appear on rare occasion, but the overwhelming odds are that Mirror Pond will be just as beautiful as ever during your next visit.