Benham Falls
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Benham Falls is a waterfall in Oregon, at a modelled elevation of 1,252 m. Tumalo Mountain stands 2,370 m to the west-northwest, 12 miles off. The nearest named place is Dillon Falls, a waterfall 1.3 miles away. Cascade Lakes passes 3.6 miles off.
The story
Benham Falls are rapids of the Deschutes River located between the resort community of Sunriver and the town of Bend, Oregon, United States. With a pitch of 22.5°, they are rated Class 5 for watercraft, and are the largest falls on the upper Deschutes. The falls were created by the eruption of nearby Lava Butte approximately 6,000 years ago, as the lava flow dammed the Deschutes, forming a lake known as Lake Benham. The river eventually flowed over the dam, draining the lake and thus forming Benham Falls. Around 1885, J. R. Benham attempted and failed to file a land claim near the falls, though they were later named for him. Today, there are forest roads connecting Benham Falls to Lava Butte, Lava River Cave, and Sunriver Resort. A footbridge connects the forest road to an easy-to-navigate trail near the river and falls. The shady area has much wildlife and flowers. Because of this, the area also has mosquitoes. The United States Forest Service has established a few lookouts over the gorge for viewers. Hikers and mountain bikers who continue on this trail pass Dillon Falls, Lava Island Falls, and eventually, the city of Bend. Benham Falls is relatively easier to see compared to the falls downstream, because it is not surrounded by lava flow from Lava Butte, but surrounded by forest. Because of its location, it is also much more popular. Benham Falls is also in the Deschutes National Forest and the Newberry National Volcanic Monument. Benham Falls Recreation Site and Benham Falls West Recreation Site are located nearby.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Wikidata Q37912, referenced by the OpenStreetMap record.
How to reach it
- 3.6 mi off the Cascade Lakes, National
- 20.8 mi off the Oregon Outback, National
- 25.4 mi off the McKenzie Pass-Santiam Pass, National
Overlooks nearby
- Arlies Rock/North Gateway Information Viewpoint · 4 mi
- Vista Butte Sno-Park · 10 mi
- Three Sisters Viewpoint · 30 mi
- Windy Point · 30 mi
Named places within 25 miles
- Green Mountain: 2.3 mi
- Lava Butte: 3.2 mi
- Huntington Butte: 3.6 mi
- Camp Abbot Buttes: 5.5 mi
- Pitsua Butte: 5.5 mi
- Fort Rock Park: 3.4 mi
- Paulina Park: 4.1 mi
- Mary McCallum Park: 4.3 mi
- Besson Commons: 4.8 mi
- River Rim Park: 5.9 mi
- Mountain Bike: 5.4 mi
- "Chicken": 6.0 mi
- Gilded River: 7.3 mi
- Mt. Bachelor Compass: 7.9 mi
- Sound Garden: 7.9 mi
- Dillon Falls: 1.3 mi
- Tumalo Falls: 10.1 mi
- Double Falls: 10.9 mi
- Fall River Falls: 11.5 mi
- Upper Tumalo Falls: 11.7 mi
- Kiwa Springs: 3.7 mi
- Coyote Spring: 5.9 mi
- Cold Spring: 9.5 mi
- Jack Pine Spring: 9.8 mi
- Farewell Spring: 11.5 mi
- Cinder Cone Natural Area: 5.6 mi
- Pinewood Natural Area: 9.8 mi
- Larkspur Natural Area: 9.9 mi
- Simonson Natural Area: 10.4 mi
- Magill's Landing Natural Area: 10.5 mi
- Lava Lands Visitor Center: 3.4 mi
- 1904 Miller Family Ranch and Sawmill: 4.1 mi
- Bob the Bend Rock: 9.8 mi
- High Desert Activity Center: 23.3 mi
- Redmond Caves Recreation Area: 24.4 mi
- Power lines cliff: 7.7 mi
- Cougar Buttress: 9.5 mi
- Look Out Point: 10.3 mi
- Tam McArthur Rim: 15.8 mi
- Frank T. Johns: 9.6 mi
- Veteran's Memorial: 9.8 mi
- Peace Statue: 10.0 mi
- Terrence Hardington Foley: 10.6 mi
- Miller's Landing Community Garden: 9.0 mi
- Franklin's Corner Community Garden: 10.0 mi
- Petersen Rock Garden: 19.7 mi
- The High Desert Museum: 4.0 mi
- Deschutes Historical Museum: 9.3 mi
- Meadow Day Use Area: 4.2 mi
- Beach Day Use Area: 19.6 mi
- Paulina Hot Springs: 16.7 mi
- Millican: 24.9 mi
Summits around it
The highest named summits within 13.9 miles of Benham Falls. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.
| Summit | Bearing | Elevation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tumalo Mountain | WNW 292° | 2,370 m | 12.3 mi |
| Tot Mountain | W 278° | 2,309 m | 13.8 mi |
| Kwolh Butte | W 274° | 2,242.718 m | 13.2 mi |
| Shoulder Butte | SSE 152° | 2,133.295 m | 13.5 mi |
| Sheridan Mountain | W 260° | 2,100.072 m | 13.9 mi |
| Pilpil Butte | SE 139° | 2,078 m | 13.9 mi |
| North Kawak Butte | SSE 148° | 2,023 m | 12.9 mi |
| Vista Butte | WNW 292° | 2,017 m | 9.9 mi |
When to go
Light through the year
| Date | Sunrise | Golden hour | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 07:10 | 18:40 | 19:18 |
| June solstice | 05:24 | 20:08 | 20:53 |
| September equinox | 06:54 | 18:27 | 19:05 |
| December solstice | 07:38 | 15:44 | 16:31 |
Local time (America/Los_Angeles).
Climate normals
Months averaging 50–80 °F: Jun–Sep.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg °F | 30 | 32 | 37 | 41 | 49 | 55 | 63 | 62 | 55 | 45 | 35 | 28 |
| Precip in | 2.9 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 2.4 | 3.2 |
1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Sunriver, 4 mi away.
Months at or above the year’s average flow: May–Sep — fullest in Jul, leanest in Nov.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean cfs | 906 | 967 | 1,028 | 1,306 | 1,750 | 1,947 | 2,075 | 1,940 | 1,662 | 1,150 | 850 | 881 |
USGS monthly mean discharge at gauge Deschutes R AT Benham Falls NR Bend, OR, under a mile away — the nearest gauge, which can sit on a different stream.
Where this comes from
Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.
OpenStreetMapWikipediaWikidataOpenStreetMap element node/265682843
Day trips start here
- Bend · 10 mi
Take the scenic way to Benham Falls.
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