Bend is a city in Deschutes County, Oregon, United States. The name Bend was derived from "Farewell Bend," the designation used by early pioneers to refer to the location along the Deschutes River where the town eventually was platted, one of the few fordable points along the river. It is the principal city of the Bend, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 52,029 at the 2000 census, though it has grown to over 70,000 as of 2006.
Bend is located on the edge of the Ponderosa pine forest on the west as it transitions into the high desert plateau, characterized by junipers, sagebrush, bitter-brush, and little water. Originally a logging town, Bend has become identified as a jump-off point for multiple outdoor sports; such as mountain biking, fishing, hiking, camping, rock climbing, skiing, and golf.
