Riding Horse Butte: Fun, Flowy Trails Just Outside Bend, Oregon

Q: 🗓️ When is the best time to ride Horse Butte?

Like Maston , Horse Butte tends to be rideable throughout the winter or at least early spring and late fall when most of Bend is snowy. I will mention that I rode Horse Butte in late April and the beautiful bluebird day turned into a massive hailstorm, so... be prepared for anything if you go in the shoulder seasons. Summer at Horse Butte is hot. If you ride then, I recommend trying to ride early in the morning or late in the afternoon and bringing lots of water.

Singletrack mountain bike trail through high desert at Horse Butte in Oregon

Horse Butte is one of several mountain biking networks around Bend, Oregon, but it stands out – at least for me – for its wide-open, high-desert feel. While most of Bend’s trails wind through Ponderosa pine forests, Horse Butte is one open and exposed with sagebrush-lined singletrack, big views, and a different kind of riding experience.

I’ve ridden Horse Butte a few times and while I’m not a hardcore XC rider, I do enjoy the miles here. The route options are limited (either a short 10-mile loop or longer 20+ mile rides), but if you’ve got the time and want to explore somewhere off the usual Phil’s loop, Horse Butte is worth checking out.

Read on for what to expect, how to plan your ride, and why it’s one of my favorite spots near Bend!

Quick Tips

For mountain biking at Horse Butte

e-bikes are NOT allowed
Trails are multi-use, so watch out for hikers and runners
There is no water here. Bring plenty with you.
Know your limits. The longer loops at Horse Butte are at least 20 miles with few/no options to bail or cut it shorter.
Be sure to check out Boyd Cave!

TWW Take

Please note that these are my personal opinions – you may argue otherwise! And if so, state your case (politely) in the comments 🙂

Fun-ness Factor

Trail Variety

Average Difficulty

Trail signs next to sandy singletrack trail through pine forest at Horse Butte in Oregon

Screenshot of Bend Mountain Bike Itinerary

4-Day Bend Mountain Biking Itinerary

Want help planning your trip? Download my 4-Day Bend Mountain Biking Itinerary! It includes my list of favorite trails, route recommendations for all levels, and tips on how to make the most of your adventure to Oregon. Grab it now!

Plan your trip!

Planning your ride at Horse Butte

Best trails to hit

As I mentioned above, route options at Horse Butte include a ‘short’ 10-mile loop or a 20+ mile day. I’ve done both and while the 20-mile day did feature some great views and a fun descent, I was definitely worked at the end.

Coyote Loop (beginner/intermediate)
Swamp Wells (beginner/intermediate)

Tip: Horse Butte is home to Boyd Cave, a cool lava tube with easy access down a ladder. Check it out on your ride!

Route recommendation

Horse Butte Loop (beginner+) – This is the most popular route for Horse Butte. It’s a mellow 10-mile pedal with minimal elevation gain/loss and not a whole lot of tech. Don’t let the ‘boringness’ of it put you off, though. It’s beautiful and has a surprising amount of flow!
Swamp Wells/Coyote Loop (intermediate with very good fitness) – If you want a big pedaly day, this ride is ok. There’s not much variety other than XC singletrack, but if that’s your jam, go for it!

Horse Butte Trails Map

Singletrack trail through pine forest at Horse Butte in Oregon — Horse Butte is very cross-country with miles of buff singletrack. There are a few short sections of minor tech

Prefer to shuttle? A lot of people end up shuttling Horse Butte because the long 10+ mile trails (Swamp Wells, Coyote Loop, and Arnold Ice Cave) do make great ‘descents’. You can park one car at the Horse Wells Camping area (high clearance 4×4 needed) and descend one of the three trails. I rode down Coyote Loop and thought it was pretty fun. I rode up Swamp Wells, which would be a good descent. I have not ridden Arnold Ice Cave.

Don’t want to shuttle yourself? Cog Wild offers a Newberry Crater shuttle where you can ride from the Crater Rim (you have to pedal up there first) all the way down to the Horse Butte trailhead. I haven’t done the shuttle, but I have ridden the Newberry Crater Rim and it is stunning!

Photo out over front of mountain bike handlebars onto singletrack trail with mountain range view in the distance — This was pedaling up Swamp Wells – it would be a great shuttled descent!

FAQs for riding Horse Butte

Horse Butte is about a 25 minute drive south of Bend, Oregon, near the town of La Pine.

No, e-bikes are not allowed at Horse Butte per Forest Service rules. Please respect this.

Here are the Google maps directions to the main parking area.

Like Maston, Horse Butte tends to be rideable throughout the winter or at least early spring and late fall when most of Bend is snowy.

I will mention that I rode Horse Butte in late April and the beautiful bluebird day turned into a massive hailstorm, so… be prepared for anything if you go in the shoulder seasons.

Summer at Horse Butte is hot. If you ride then, I recommend trying to ride early in the morning or late in the afternoon and bringing lots of water.

Singletrack trail through high desert sagebrush landscape at Horse Butte in Oregon with dark stormy sky overhead — A beautiful bluebird day turned into a hailstorm in just a few hours. Be prepared!

Need gear recs?

Head over to my gear closet! I’m always testing out new pieces of bike gear and if I really like them, they earn a place on this page.

See my gear favorites

The Horse Butte Trail system offers a different riding experience than other networks around the Bend area. It’s a high-desert environment with great views of the Cascade range and the potential to do big-mile days. You can also check out some cool caves like the Boyd Cave. I really enjoyed the 10-mile loop, but I would only recommend the 20+ mile routes to experienced riders with great fitness. Have fun!

Have you ridden Horse Butte near Bend, Oregon? What did you think of the trails there? Did you do a big-mile day or the popular 10-mile loop? Leave a comment below!

Riding Horse Butte: Fun, Flowy Trails Just Outside Bend, Oregon

Quick Tips