Phil’s Trail, Wanoga, & Swampy Sno Park: Bend’s Must-Ride Mountain Bike Zones

Singletrack trail through sparse forest in high desert near Bend Oregon

Bend, Oregon is packed with amazing mountain bike trails, but the most iconic is probably the Phil’s network right outside town. While it might not be the best riding in the area, it is fun and it’s got a unique history that helped shape Bend into the mountain bike destination it is today.

Brief history lesson: Phil’s is named after Phil Meglasson, a surveyor and mapmaker who started riding his bike in the late ’70s to make his job faster. That turned into exploring logging roads, then deer trails, and eventually carving out some of Bend’s very first singletrack.

Today, Phil’s and the surrounding networks—Wanoga and Swampy Sno-Park—offer dozens of miles of awesome singletrack. I’ve spent months pedaling these zones, and they remain some of my favorite places to ride in Oregon thanks to their flowy trails, beautiful forested landscapes, and strong local riding community.

In this post, I sharing everything you need to know about mountain biking Phil’s Trail and the networks higher up the slopes. Let’s ride!

Phil’s, Wanoga & Swampy: how they compare

Typically, I write about mountain bike networks individually, but since Phil’s, Wanoga, and Swampy Sno Park are so close to each other and all the trails interconnect, I’m grouping them together in this one blog post.

Phil’s

Phil’s is the closest trail network to Bend, with mostly mellow XC singletrack and just a bit of lava rock tech.

Wanoga

Wanoga sits above Phil’s and is best ridden as a shuttle, either with Cog Wild or by parking a second car at the Wanoga Sno Park trailhead.

Swampy/Dutchman

Swampy and Dutchman sit above Wanoga and offer more remote, backcountry-style riding with lush forests and big climbs—best done as shuttles but doable as loops if you’re up for the effort.

a map showing three different shaded zones on a map

Phil’s

Mountain biker riding bike down sculpted bermed trail

Wanoga

Log bridge with wood railing crossing backcountry river near Bend Oregon

Swampy/Dutchman

Quick Tips

For mountain biking at Phil’s, Wanoga, & Swampy

e-bikes are NOT allowed. Please respect this.
Trails are multi-use, so watch out for hikers and runners
Plan your routes, It’s very easy to accidentally do a 20+ mile day here. If you want to avoid type 2 fun, be sure to plan your route before you head out.
Remember where you parked your car. It’s also very easy to end up at a trailhead miles away from where you parked your car. Keep an eye on your maps so you don’t have to do bonus miles (and climbing) at the end.
Pack snacks and water. Bend is in the high desert and it’s quite dry. Be prepared with lots of water and snacks to keep you fueled.

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

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!

Mountain bike trail with natural log feature going up and over a rock on trail in Phil's network in Bend, Oregon — Phil’s is mostly mellow cross-country pedaling, but there are some more technical features if you seek them out like this log ramp on Grand Slam

Planning your rides at Phils, Wanoga, & Swampy

Best trails to hit

There are so many great trails and route options in this area. I’ve listed my favorite trails below as well as 3 route recommendations to help you get started.

Ticket to Ride (beginner – Phil’s)
Phil’s (intermediate – Phil’s)
Whoops (intermediate – Phil’s)
Funner (intermediate – Wanoga)
Tiddlywinks (intermediate – Wanoga)
Tyler’s Traverse (intermediate – Wanoga)
North Fork (intermediate – Swampy)
South Fork (advanced – Swampy)
Farewell (advanced – Swampy)

Note: these routes are JUST pedal-accessed routes. If you want shuttled route recommendations, head over to my Bend Mountain Bike Shuttles blog post.

Route recommendations

Phil’s Smorgasbord (intermediate) – This is one of my favorite rides in the Phil’s network. There’s a little bit of everything, hence the name Smorgasbord.
Storm King to Tyler’s Traverse (intermediate) – A good pedal in the Wanoga area. If you want to do the full Tyler’s Traverse, pedal up Funner to Tiddlywinks to Kiwa Butte Trail.
Tour of Tumalo Falls (advanced) – This is a beautiful ride with a backcountry feel. It’s a big climb!

Phil’s Trails Map

Mountain bike propped up against railing with waterfall behind at Tumalo Falls in Oregon — Pedal past the scenic Tumalo Falls on the Tour of Tumalo Falls loop!

FAQs for riding Phil’s, Wanoga, & Swampy

Yes! There are mostly flat bike paths and urban trails from Bend out to Phil’s. That said, you’ll be adding a few more miles (there and back), so make sure you have a ride plan and don’t bite off more than you can chew.

No, e-bikes are not allowed at Phil’s, Wanoga, or Swampy. The US Forest Service has banned all electric bikes on non-motorized trails in Oregon.

Do both! I like to pedal Phil’s, but shuttle anything from Wanoga or Swampy. Cog Wild offers daily shuttles during the summer or you can set up your own shuttle if you have two cars.

Bend does get snow in the winter, so these trails are typically only rideable in Spring, Summer, and Fall. Also note that the higher up you go (Dutchman Flats = the highest), the later in the season the snow will melt.

When I visited in July, the snow was just beginning to melt up at Dutchman Flat (granted that was a high snowfall year) and it wasn’t fully rideable until August.

Phil’s, which is at the lowest elevation, will typically start to melt out in May.

I hear you. I’m not a hard-core XC rider either. That being said, I do love the trails around Bend. They are smooth, buff, and fast, but they’re also well-built and fun. If you want to skip the most XC riding, focus your rides up in Wanoga and definitely do the Tour de Tumalo Falls route.

Photo out over handlebars of mountain bike onto snowy and muddy singletrack trail — Not quite melted out in late April…

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

I’ve spent a lot of time exploring the trails around Phil’s, Wanoga, and Swampy/Dutchman Flats, and while I don’t think I would want them as my ‘home’ trails (I like a bit more tech!) they are super fun, beautiful, and definitely worth a few days, or even weeks.

All of these trails can be accessed by pedal-power, but I do recommend spending at least a day or two on the shuttle bus so you can cover more ground. Keep in mind, though, that you’ll still be pedaling plenty even with the lifts!

What questions do you have about Phil’s, Wanoga, and Swampy/Dutchman Flats? Have you ridden then? Leave a comment below!

2 Comments

Tracey says:

January 15, 2025 at 1:26 pm

Thanks for your info, we were planning a trip (4 couples) in September. 2 of us have e-bikes however and I see they aren’t allowed in some areas. Can you tell me where they are allowed and if you recommend them? Thanks!

1. Becky Timbers says:
  
  January 15, 2025 at 3:57 pm
  
  Are you looking to ride in Oregon? Bend is very anti- e-bikes… Oakridge is e-bike friendly, though and Post Canyon in Hood River is as well. It’s hard to recommend a place when I don’t know what you like to ride or what you skill levels are…

Phil’s Trail, Wanoga, & Swampy Sno Park: Bend’s Must-Ride Mountain Bike Zones