LaPine State Park, Oregon

Central Oregon Road Trip

Monday, May 16-20, 2022 

Cheshire to La Pine, Oregon

LaPine State Park

Site #: N114

Elevation: 4,236'

Distance: 156 miles

Duration: 4 nights

Cost: $26 per night + $8 reservation fee

Weather: A mix of sunshine and snow

LaPine (yes, it's one word, unlike the town, which is La Pine) State Park is near Bend, Oregon along the Upper Deschutes River. The park is nestled in a large forest of lodge pole and ponderosa pines, providing plenty of shade, which I'm sure is welcome during the hot summer months. There are plenty of trails (14 miles in all) within the park and along the river making it very easy to achieve my walking goals. I was surprised we didn't see very many squirrels or birds, but I did spot a couple of beautiful warblers near the river. It was still early in the season, so the park was very peaceful with several vacant sites. We were in the north loop, which seems to be a little more spacious than the middle or south loops, but overall, the entire campground is wonderful. I have a feeling it's very popular in the summer, full and bustling with families looking to get away.

Huge site!

We enjoyed relaxing in the warmth of the sun (mid-60s) on the first two days of our visit. We met up with another couple whom we met while on another road trip and enjoyed spending two afternoons catching up on each other's news. 

Dave, Ann, and Sierra

The weather was quite nice, although the nighttime temps dropped down to near freezing and our water hose froze on the first night. It didn't cause any problems and we simply unhooked it each night before going to bed. On our final day, shortly after my long walk along the bluff overlooking the river, we had a snow squall blow through just as Rod was getting ready to grill burgers for lunch. It was very pretty and didn't stick, but it was definitely cold! That night, the temps dropped down to 19 degrees. We knew it was going to be cold, so we opened cupboard doors and drawers, in addition to running the furnace all night. Again, no problems and no frozen pipes. Phew!

There is no WiFi in the park, but we were able to get a decent cell signal with both Verizon and T-Mobile. The shower facilities were clean and private (individual rooms) with plenty of hot water (and no annoying push button to keep the water flowing). We had full hook-ups and the dump station is located at the entrance of the park. 

We both fell in love with this state park and are eager to return. It's a 4 hour drive (225 miles), so I imagine we'll head back soon.