Central Oregon · Oregon
Parks & Recreation in Redmond: Trails, Facilities & Outdoor Life (2026)
Redmond surprises a lot of new arrivals. They expect a small high-desert town with a few ballfields and a municipal pool. What they find instead is a city that has carved — literally — a four-mile trail system through an ancient canyon running right through the middle of the city, connecting eight parks, a disc golf course, a skate park, a dog park, and an amphitheater. For a city of roughly 39,000 people, the outdoor infrastructure here punches well above its weight class.
What shapes Redmond's park landscape is a mix of geography and civic investment. The Dry Canyon — a basalt-walled geological feature that bisects the city — became the backbone of the entire recreation network rather than a liability to build around. Beyond the canyon, the city maintains 29 developed parks spread across 285 acres of open space, and the Redmond Area Park and Recreation District (RAPRD) manages additional facilities just outside city limits, including the aquatic center and the High Desert Sports Complex.
This guide covers the parks you'll actually use, the trail system worth knowing before you buy, the aquatic center, and the day-trip recreation that makes Central Oregon one of the most outdoors-accessible regions in the state.
| Park | Highlights | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Dry Canyon Trail | 4-mile paved trail, disc golf, dog park, amphitheater | All ages, daily recreation |
| Sam Johnson Park | Hope Playground (ADA), pavilion, tennis | Families, accessible play |
| American Legion Community Park | Baseball & soccer fields, performing arts amphitheater | Sports leagues, events |
| Centennial Park | Water feature, shade pavilion, fireplace, snack shop | Families, summer afternoons |
| Homestead Park | BMX pump track, bike fix-it station | Cyclists, kids on bikes |
| Quince Park | Enchanted forest playground, walking trails | Young families |
| Weigand Family Dog Park | Separate large/small dog areas, benches | Dog owners |
| Redmond SkatePark | Open 7 a.m.–9 p.m., bowls and street features | Skaters, BMX riders |
| Fireman's Pond | Fishing for youth (14 & under) and disabled anglers | Fishing, quiet time |
| Swim Center Park | Sand volleyball, basketball, horseshoe pits | Active adults |
| Bowlby Park | Softball fields, canyon access | Youth leagues |
| Umatilla Sports Complex | 3 softball/baseball diamonds | Competitive youth sports |
| Tetherow Crossing Park | Wade in the Deschutes, walking trails | Casual nature time |
| Stack Park | Shady picnic tables, peaceful atmosphere | Quiet breaks, no playground |
| Spudbowl Park | Canyon-adjacent greenspace | Dog walks, open play |
Location: NW 19th St. to Quartz Ave., Redmond, OR 97756
The Dry Canyon is the crown jewel of the entire Redmond park system — a paved trail running nearly four miles through a basalt canyon that connects eight distinct parks in a single continuous corridor. The southern end is anchored by manicured parks, playgrounds, sports fields, and a performing arts amphitheater; the northern half gives way to juniper-sagebrush wildland, where the maintained landscape transitions into natural habitat almost imperceptibly. The trail surface is wide and consistently flat (grades between 1–4% for nearly the entire length), making it genuinely accessible for strollers, wheelchairs, and casual cyclists as much as serious trail runners.
Best for: Daily walkers, cyclists, families, dog owners, and anyone who wants a workout without getting in a car.
Location: 333 SW 15th St., Redmond, OR 97756
Sam Johnson sits at one of the most active nodes along the Dry Canyon Trail, featuring a pavilion, picnic tables, tennis courts, and the Hope Playground — a fully ADA-accessible play structure that stands out as one of the more thoughtfully designed inclusive facilities in Central Oregon. Note that through late summer 2026, the pavilion and Kiwanis Field are not available for reservations due to active construction on the Central Dry Canyon Project. It's still a great daily-use park; just plan ahead for private events.
Best for: Families with young children, accessible outdoor play, canyon access.
Location: 850 SW Rimrock Way, Redmond, OR 97756
American Legion is Redmond's primary venue for youth baseball, soccer, and live outdoor performance — the performing arts amphitheater here hosts community events and concerts that draw residents from across the city throughout the warmer months. The park includes climbing rock features in the playground area and clean, maintained restrooms. For families arriving with school-age kids who want to plug into competitive youth sports quickly, this is where a lot of that activity is centered.
Best for: Youth sports families, concert-goers, community events.
Location: 725 SW Evergreen Ave., Redmond, OR 97756
Centennial is Redmond's best downtown gathering space — an urban park with an interactive water feature that becomes the default summer afternoon destination for younger kids, anchored by a shade pavilion, a fireplace for cooler evenings, and a small snack shop. It's compact, social, and positioned in one of Redmond's most walkable areas. Think of it as the town square more than a sports facility.
Best for: Young children, summer afternoons, community gathering.
Location: Near Canal Blvd. and US-97, Dogwood Ave., Redmond
Homestead is the most underrated park in Redmond for active families. The BMX pump track here is a legitimate facility — not just a dirt loop — and the bike fix-it station connects to the Homestead Canal Trail, giving cyclists a maintained off-street route. It's less crowded than the Dry Canyon corridor on weekends and worth knowing as an alternative when the main trail feels busy.
Best for: Cyclists, BMX riders, kids on bikes, families who want quieter trail access.
The Dry Canyon Trail stretches just under four miles from NW 19th Street to Quartz Avenue, paved end-to-end and wide enough for side-by-side foot and bike traffic without conflict. Access points are spread across the length — the Antler Avenue Access Point at roughly the midpoint is where you'll find the Weigand Family Dog Park, with separate fenced enclosures for large and small dogs and benches for owners. Further along, the nine-hole disc golf course sits adjacent to the dog park and draws a dedicated local following year-round.
What makes the trail genuinely impressive is how it transitions in character. The southern end near Sam Johnson Park is polished — sports facilities, playground equipment, pavilion space. By the time you reach the northern turnaround near the wastewater treatment facility at mile 3.8, the trail is winding through juniper and sagebrush with canyon walls on both sides, and you'd have no idea you're still inside city limits. That shift from civic park to high-desert wildland within a single unbroken trail is what separates the Dry Canyon from standard municipal greenbelts.
The Cascade Swim Center, located at 465 SW Rimrock Drive and operated by RAPRD, is Redmond's primary aquatic facility. The 25-meter lap pool is complemented by a spa, splash park, showers, and a full-size sand volleyball court sharing the grounds with Swim Center Park. Programming covers a wide range: lap swim, aqua wellness classes, swim lessons, a youth swim team, masters swimming, and water polo. The facility shares a parking lot with Redmond High School and is the most centrally located aquatic option in Central Oregon outside of Bend.
For field sports, the city maintains ten softball and baseball diamonds spread across Bowlby Sports Complex, the Umatilla Sports Complex at 3000 SW Umatilla Ave., Kalama Park, Kiwanis Field, and American Legion Park. RAPRD's High Desert Sports Complex adds a BMX track (the Smith Rock BMX program runs races Tuesdays and Fridays from March through October) and hosts adult softball leagues from mid-May through mid-August. The Redmond SkatePark at SW 15th and Antler Ave. is open daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and serves a consistent local skating and BMX community.
Redmond's outdoor lifestyle genuinely influences where homes hold their value strongest over time. Neighborhoods like Obsidian Trails and Canyon Rim Village tend to attract buyers specifically because of their proximity to trail systems and open space, and that consistent demand means well-priced homes in those areas move quickly — sometimes within days of listing. Even in Northwest Redmond, where newer development has expanded access to recreational corridors, buyers are finding that homes under $750,000 don't sit long when they check the right boxes for outdoor living.
That's exactly why connecting with a lender before you start touring matters more than most buyers expect. Getting pre-approved tells you your approval ceiling, but the more important conversation is about your complete monthly picture — property taxes, homeowner's insurance, any HOA dues, and how your loan structure affects what lands in your account each month. A comfortable payment and a maximum approval are rarely the same number, and in a market where the right home near a trail or park can be gone before the weekend, being fully prepared isn't just helpful — it's necessary.
| Destination | Distance from Redmond | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Smith Rock State Park | 9 miles north | World-class rock climbing, Monkey Face, Crooked River trail loop |
| Cline Falls State Park | 4 miles west | Deschutes River day-use, picnicking, tubing access |
| Tumalo State Park | 16 miles southwest | Campground, river swimming, family day use |
| Bend Park System | 25 miles south | Drake Park, Farewell Bend, extensive urban trail network |
| Ochoco National Forest | 30 miles east | Hiking, dispersed camping, wildflower meadows |
| Prineville Reservoir | 30 miles east | Boating, bass fishing, lakeside camping |
| Mt. Bachelor | 75 miles southwest | Skiing, snowboarding, summer lift access |
| Sisters Trail System | 35 miles west | Mountain biking, hiking, Three Sisters Wilderness access |
Local Expert Takeaway: The Dry Canyon Trail corridor is Redmond's most undervalued asset in the context of home buying. Homes within easy walking distance of any of the eight canyon access points command consistent buyer interest at resale — and buyers who skip over that geography to save $15,000 often wish they'd prioritized trail proximity from the start. If you're weighing two comparable properties, the one with canyon access almost always proves the stronger long-term hold.
Is Redmond a good city for outdoor recreation?
Yes — Redmond's outdoor infrastructure is unusually strong for a city its size. The Dry Canyon Trail alone offers nearly four miles of paved walking and biking through a scenic basalt canyon, and Smith Rock State Park is just nine miles away. Residents also have access to the Cascade Swim Center, multiple sports complexes, a BMX track, and a disc golf course, all within or adjacent to city limits.
What is the Dry Canyon Trail in Redmond?
The Dry Canyon Trail is a nearly four-mile paved path that runs through the center of Redmond, connecting eight parks in a single continuous corridor. It's flat and accessible for all fitness levels, with an off-leash dog park, disc golf course, amphitheater, sports fields, and natural juniper-sagebrush habitat along the route. It's widely considered the defining feature of Redmond's park system.
How does Redmond's park system compare to Bend's?
Bend's park system is larger and more developed, with more indoor recreation options and a broader urban trail network — but Redmond holds its own for a city of its size. The Dry Canyon Trail rivals anything Bend has in terms of a signature greenway experience, and Redmond's proximity to Smith Rock and the Deschutes River means day-trip recreation access is nearly identical. Families who prioritize outdoor lifestyle without Bend's price premium commonly find Redmond delivers most of what they're looking for.
Explore the full Redmond series: The Ultimate Redmond Relocation Guide · Is Redmond Safe? · Cost of Living in Redmond · Best Neighborhoods in Redmond · Redmond Schools & Family Life · Redmond Youth Sports · Redmond Parks & Recreation · Retiring in Redmond · 1031 Tax-Deferred Exchange in Redmond · Redmond First-Time Homebuyers Guide · Redmond Down Payment Assistance Guide · Moving to Redmond from California