Floating the Deschutes River, a popular summer activity, brings thousands of locals and tourists to Bend

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) --  Floating the Deschutes River is a go-to summer activity for locals and tourists alike. It's starting to heat up again on the High Desert, and people have found the solution to cooling off, floating the river, a popular way to spend your time.

Nathan Bregel said Tuesday, "This is just our family vacation for the summer. So we brought kids back from school. And now we're just having a nice week enjoying, Central Oregon."

The Bregel family, visiting from Forest Grove, started their fun-filled day at Riverbend Park. It'll take about two hours for a trip to Drake Park. 

Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, about 250,000 visitors and locals will float the Deschutes.

Bend Park and Recreation District Community Engagement Director Julie Brown tells us more about those numbers.

"On any given day, that usually is about 3,000 to 4,000 people per day," Brown said. "On our highest day everm that we did have last summer, it was almost 8,000 floaters in one day."

Bregel said, "I think it's one of the tourist things to do - the excitement of being on the water and enjoying that sort of quiet time."

 Trail counters for the park district are situated in a few locations at the Bend Whitewater Park. They've been collecting data since 2018 -- gauging how many people float the river. 

Safety is a primary concern, with Tumalo Creek Kayak & Canoe offering free life jackets.

Brown added, "The more that you're looking out for the people that are in your party, as well as others, the safer it's going to be, and more enjoyable for everyone."

 The best time to start floating is in the mid-morning, or in the evening. Those time frames tend to be less crowded for floating.