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Print Friendly MapMuch of Redmond's Dry Canyon Trail runs through a gentle valley, which becomes a deep coulee as the trail traverses north. The flat, paved pathway is lined with groves of juniper trees and tall grasses as it winds through picturesque rock cliffs. An interesting feature of the trail is its passage under the Maple Avenue Bridge with its wide, graceful arches. Along the way, a string of city parks provide ample rest stops, parking and access points.
While drive-in access and full-service trailheads can be found on the north and south ends, the most accessible trailhead is at Bowlby Park, about 1 mile from the trail's southern tip. From US Highway 97 in town, take SR 126 west for 0.85 miles to the park, which is on the right and adjacent to Redmond High School.
This is a smooth paved trail mostly flat great for skating or roller skiing. Lots of fun and usually not too crowded. The canyon walls are interesting but nothing incredible.
We were visiting the area and decided to check out the Dry Canyon Trail.
Rather than drive to a trailhead, we cycled the approximate 2.5 miles from the Expo RV Park where we were staying to the Quartz Avenue trailhead. The campground host recommended getting to the trailhead by taking Yew Avenue to Canal Road to Quartz Avenue. Canal Road has a bike lane. It was a good choice.
Although a short ride, we were impressed with the trail. It was a wide paved trail and in excellent condition. This flat trail and all its parks, sport fields,and disc golf along the way is an excellent example of what a city can do to provide outdoor facilities to its residents (and visitors)…not to mention the geological features along the trail. I would highly recommend this trail for those looking for a quick ride.
Very nice pathway running through the canyon in Redmond. It is wide enough for passing bikes, joggers, walkers and fog walkers - all share the trail. Often, you will see joggers and MTB bikes alongside the paved path using trails through the open areas or beneath the canyon walls. Early mornings are best as it does start to get crowded with all the various activities the trail area provides (pickle ball, softball, dog parks, basketball courts, etc). Overall, a well laid out and maintained city park system.
Nice wide path! Passes through several parks. On the North end I extended my ride on a very lightly traveled road. South end has a couple of neighborhood street crossings.
Beautiful to walk, bike or jog! Read the other reviews. This trail system is well marked with informative totems just about every half mile. Port a potty every mile and drinking fountains often enough. Morning shade is great in late June. Several parks South of the arches and there is even a disc golf course. Enjoy!
I rode this trail a couple weeks ago. It isn’t long, but it is in good shape and is a bit of a geological marvel - the canyon runs right through Redmond and the canyon is packed with many sports fields. There are many very well designed access points all along the trail - big stairs with bike channels on each side. It even has a short dirt section off the main trail. If you’re staying in or near Redmond I’d definitely recommend it.
We entered on the trail at south most end. Eight miles round trip, fairly flat. Nice way to see a geologic feature. Easy street crossings, all cars stopped even though we had the stop signs. We are beginner types and really enjoyed it.
The Dry Canyon is Redmond's premier outdoor recreational feature. Reclaiming a jumble of agricultural enterprises (including potato fields, hence the "Spud Bowl" moniker of the soccer field that you'll pass by) and a rehabilitated old city dump (where Redmond residents once tossed their garbage and old cars over the eastern canyon wall), Redmond has greated a wonderful resource for those that want a quiet, pollution free stroll/hike/bike for its citizens. The smooth, curving paved bike path is paralleled by some added features. A good part of the paved pathway has, contiguous to it, a graveled 2 foot wide path for those that prefer to run on dirt. While the paved part of the path general sticks to the center of the canyon, along the canyon rims is a separate developed dirt path for mountain biking and even horse back riding.
The terrain is what the locals refer to as "high desert": juniper, sage, grasses. The wild life, while not abundant, is there for the observant: yellow bellied marmots (aka "rock chucks"), magpies, scrub jays, a variety of hawks, mourning doves, stellar jays, mountain blue birds (rare), rare coyotes, deer, rabbits, mountain chickadees, juncoes, can all be spotted by the observant.
This is a safe path, I've been using it since it was a simple dirt trail fifteen years ago, and have never felt threatened in any way. Looking for a bit of refreshment? Exit the path just south of the Highland Underpass, head north a quarter of a block: Cibelli's Pizza, McDonalds, Starbucks, a frozen yogurt place, and a Ray's Grocery Store are all readily available.
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