Only 14 miles from Bend on the Cascade Lakes Hwy, Virginia Meissner Sno-Park offers cross country skiing and snowshoe trails for all levels. It has a short 1¾ mile trail loop for snow-shoers and a longer one that goes up to Meissner Shelter - 3¼ miles round trip.

 Meissner Shelter offers a place to rest and warm yourself by a wood stove. Because every shelter we've ever visited has had a fire burning, I naively thought the park rangers went around from shelter to shelter each day lighting wood stoves. Not the case. You may have to hunt for matches high on a ledge, as did the visitors who started a toasty fire right before we arrived at the Meissner Shelter.

Gary learned you shouldn't walk backwards in snowshoes.

I was snapping photos and turned to see him down, his snowshoes stuck deep in the snow. It was difficult to take this photo because I couldn't quit laughing (he didn't seem to think it was too funny).

The trail begins through the trees, but there are some expansive views as you climb further up the mountain.

Elevation: 5,350 feet in elevation, with a bit of a gain up to Meissner Shelter

Trail distance: 1¾ mile loop or 3¼ mile loop

Rated: Easy to moderate

Latitude: 43.98333    

Longitude: 121.52611

Directions: From Bend, head west on Century Drive (Cascade Lakes Hwy 46) toward Mt. Bachelor. Turn right into the sno-park, marked with a sign at mile post 14.

Fees: You will need a sno-park pass.