High Desert Food Trail, a self-guided culinary experience, in full swing for summer season
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The High Desert Food Trail was created by High Desert Food and Farm Alliance with Travel Oregon, Visit Central Oregon, and Oregon Food Trails. It is a self-guided tour of Central Oregon’s farms, restaurants, cafés, breweries, distilleries, and culinary experiences to taste your way through the region and have engaging, unique experiences with working area farms.
Launched in November of 2021, the High Desert Food Trail is one of many food trails throughout the state, but the only one east of the Cascades. Central Oregon is known for outdoor adventures, and one of the best ways to connect to the land is through food.
The High Desert Food Trail helps visitors and locals alike experience the culinary and agritourism opportunities that make this region unique. The trail features 45 businesses including farms, ranches, restaurants, farmers markets, craft food and beverage makers, and lodging. All of these stops along your journey will help connect you to the high desert’s diverse businesses, landscapes and cultures. Marvel at stunning landscapes, feast on artisanal offerings, and experience resilient agriculture. There is something for everyone on the High Desert Food Trail.
When asked about their experience as a business on the High Desert Food Trail, Adrienne Baumann, owner of Legend Cider Co., expressed excitement to be able to share their craft beverages with visitors and community members:
“At Legend Cider Co. we believe that helping our local community to grow and thrive is just as important as making great cider. HDFT has helped us highlight how special our little part of Oregon is by guiding visitors off the beaten path to their new favorite stop for a pint in South Deschutes County… We are honored to be in the company of other high-caliber small businesses and love that our guests have a curated list of great spots to find awesome local products. HDFT takes the guesswork out of your next quest for extra special local goods. See you on the trail!”
Trail visitors can choose their own path, or follow one of the three highlighted themes and itineraries —Stunning Landscapes, Artisan Offerings, and Resilient Agriculture. In addition, HDFFA has teamed up with their sponsor Bend Electric Bikes to offer bike routes in Bend, Redmond and Sisters. What better way to experience the trail than on an electric bike, savoring your surroundings with the wind in your hair? Visit hdffa.org/hdft to download the full trail maps and bike routes.
While the trail is open year-round, some businesses are only seasonally open to the public. With the summer season in full swing, now is a great time to look into one of these itineraries, or explore these self-guided journeys at your own pace.
Learn more about the High Desert Food Trail and find your adventure at hdffa.org/hdft. This project is funded by the USDA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program grant [grant no. 2020-70017-32426] from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
