LaPine State Park Campground on the Deschutes River, Oregon

Looking for some fun things to do in and around LaPine State Park?
Hike or bike to Fall River Falls, or head to Newberry National Volcanic Monument where you can hike the Big Obsidian Flow or kayak Paulina Lake.

AMENITIES

• Flush toilets
• Drinkable water
• Free hot showers — welcome to camping at Oregon State Parks!
• Picnic tables and fire rings at all sites — make sure no fire ban is in effect
• Limited cell service
• Most campsites offer eletric/water/sewer hookups, some offer electric/water only, and a few are standard tent sites
• Paved parking pads
• Garbage & recycling services
• Dump station for RVs
• Ice for sale
• Firewood for sale — only when there is no fire ban in effect
• Camp hosts in each campground loop
• Off-leash pet exercise area

ABOUT THE SITES

• LaPine State Park Campgorund has 143 campsites. The sites are separated into three loops: north, middle, and south.
• LaPine State Park Campground is open year round. Only the south loop remains open for the full year, while the north and middle loops close for the winter.
• 82 of the sites include water, sewer, and 50-amp electricity hookups. These sites are located in the middle and south loops and typically cost $36 per night for Oregon residents and $45 per night for non-residents. Nightly fees are lower from October through April, when the water is turned off.
• 47 of the sites include water and 20-amp electricity hookups. These sites are located in the north loop and typically cost $34 per night for Oregon residents and $42 for non-residents.
• Seven sites are “tent” sites, with no electricity or water hookups. These are also located in the north loop and typically cost $24 per night.
• There are also five rustic cabins and five deluxe cabins. All are located in the south loop. Rustic cabins start at $58 per night, with higher rates for out of state visitors and summer stays. Deluxe cabins start at $101 per night.
• There is an extra vehicle charge of $10 per night. If you have a second vehicle in your site, you can pay this fee in advance or in person at the campground.
• Campsites are available for reservations online up to six months in advance. Book online on the Oregon State Parks reservation website.
• Advance reservations are highly recommended.
• Since LaPine State Park is so large, it’s not unusual to find a few last minute campsites available, but it’s still important to reserve online when you find a site. If you don’t, someone else could reserve it out from under you!

• Pets on leash are allowed in the campground. Some of the cabins also allow pets. A fenced off-leash pet exercise area is located near the campground.
• Campsites at LaPine State Park Campground range in size from somewhat small to spacious. Most of the largest sites are located in the north loop.
• Sites in the middle and south loops are packed together more tightly. These also happen to be full hookup sites and many are pull-through sites. I guess when you have a big RV you don’t need as much privacy!
• Most sites offer a mix of sun and shade.
• Our campsite, #136, was sizable with plenty of personal space. There’s just one neighboring site, #134, which was conveniently occupied by our friends during our stay. The site is surrounded by pines, which still allows a lot of sunlight to filter through. We were happy to find several good places to hang our hammocks.
• Hot showers are included at no extra cost. This is one of the great things about camping at an Oregon State Park — free showers!

FUN STUFF

• Go for a hike. LaPine State Park offers 14 miles of multi-use trails. We enjoyed a beautiful 5.5-mile loop hike to Fall River Falls starting from the campground.
• Ride a bike. Most of the trails at LaPine State Park are also open to biking. With little elevation gain, these well-maintained trails are a good option if you’re looking for an easy trail ride.
• Float down the Deschutes River. A boat ramp at LaPine State Park offers access to the river. We noticed several paddle boarders floating downstream as we hiked to Fall River Falls. Unfortunately, even with six nights at the park we never managed to get out on the river for ourselves. Hopefully next time! Please note that before you head down the Deschutes, you need to have a plan in place for where you can safely pull out. One option is to take a 2.5 hour float from LaPine State Park to Big River Campground. The river flows swiftly, so be prepared and always wear a life vest.
• Visit the clubhouse. Located in the middle loop, the clubhouse offers a protected place to hang out if the weather turns bad, and even includes a refrigerator and sink. A small selection of games and books is available. The clubhouse also hosts free wifi, although we found it difficult to use without a VPN since many sites were inexplicably blocked.
• Play on the lawn. A beautiful green lawn surrounds the clubhouse, and is the ideal spot for a game of catch or frisbee.
• Play at the playground. It’s small, but is a good place for young kids to blow off some steam. Find it at the south end of the north loop.

NEARBY & NOTABLE

• Newberry National Volcanic Monument offers a wealth of outstanding natural sights, and can easily keep you busy for days. Head east of LaPine State Park to visit the Paulina Lake area, where you can kayak (to hot springs!) and hike through the Big Obsidian Flow. Drive or hike to Paulina Peak for outstanding views, enjoy a picnic near Paulina Falls, or spend some quality time on Paulina or East Lakes.
• Lava Lands, another area within the incredible Newberry National Volcanic Monument, is located north of LaPine State Park Campground. It offers both hiking and biking trails, as well as a visitor center with ranger-led talks and a Junior Ranger program. With a little advance planning, you can also reserve a visit to Lava River Cave.
• Visit McKay Crossing to swim under a waterfall and hike to a natural waterslide. This area is a hidden gem, located only twenty minutes from LaPine State Park Campground just outside the Paulina Lake area of Newberry National Volcanic Monument.
• Sunriver is a popular Oregon resort located north of LaPine State Park. Even if you’re not staying at the resort, Sunriver’s paved bike trails make for an excellent outing. Our family enjoyed eating at the food trucks at Century Commons Taps & Trucks.
• The High Desert Museum, located just south of Bend, is one of the most popular destinations in the region, and for good reason. We enjoyed a thrilling raptor show, and spent hours wandering the outdoor and indoor exhibits. As my younger son said, “I thought it would be just a museum and boring, but it was actually pretty cool and interesting.” High praise from a nine-year-old!
• Bend, Oregon is the outdoor recreation capital of Central Oregon. It’s also the place to go for some of the finer things in life you don’t find out on the trail — high quality restaurants, breweries, and shops, for example. There’s a lot to choose from, and on our most recent trip we enjoyed an outdoor meal and beer at Crux Fermentation Project, elegant Thai food at Sen Thai Noodles & Hot Pot, and gelato at Bonta.

THE VERDICT

LaPine State Park Campground is one of the largest state park campgrounds in Oregon, but don’t let that deter you. It’s perfect for an extended stay while exploring this fascinating region. This is a place with amenities — flush toilets, how showers, and paved parking pads, to name a few. A large majority of sites even offer electrical hookups and water. It’s practically glamping!

As you have probably realized by now, this is no wilderness experience. But LaPine State Park Campground is nevertheless a relaxing place to surround yourself with ponderosa pine trees and breathe in the fragrant high desert air. We spent six nights in the north loop, and were impressed by how secluded our sight, #136, felt relative to the size of the campground. It was always quiet at night, a real boon if you are tent camping.

Of course, this feeling of relative solitude was enhanced by the fact that site #136 is set further apart from neighboring campsites than many others. The middle and south loops, which cater primarily to RVs, are more compact and the sites sit much closer together. Fortunately, with electricity provided, there is no generator noise. I biked through both the middle and south loops a couple of times during the day and found them to be pretty quiet, but I’m sure it varies.

The restrooms were kept consistently clean, and I appreciated that there was always soap available. Showers were decent, too — not the best camp showers I’ve ever experienced, but comfortably hot with good water pressure. I was happy to use the private shower rooms located in the north loop. The middle loop has showers as well, but they consist of a row of individual stalls in a larger room. I prefer the privacy of private shower rooms when available.

Of course, the real draw at LaPine State Park Campground is the location. There’s so much to explore within the park itself, and its proximity to Bend, Newberry National Volcanic Monument, and the Deschutes River and National Forest will keep you busy for days. Even with six nights, we barely scratched the surface. As is so often the case, we’ll simply have to plan another trip in the future…

After a long day of driving, we pulled into our campsite at LaPine State Park Campground as the sun was setting. Pink clouds streaked the sky above the pines, providing a little mood lighting as we set up camp for the night. Fortunately for us, we could wait until the next morning to do most of the work. After all, we were staying for six nights, and we had few plans for our first full day. As is typical for Central Oregon, cooler temperatures settle in overnight, and we enjoyed a peaceful sleep.

The next morning, we eased into the day with a leisurely breakfast, then got to work setting up the canopy and hanging the hammocks. The day was already warming up, so we decided to head out on a hike before the heat really took over. From our campsite, all we had to do was walk a few minutes down the road, and soon we were on the trail to Fall River Falls. Open to both hikers and bikers (not to mention horses), it’s a wonderful way to get to know LaPine State Park.

That evening, our friends arrived and set up camp at neighboring site #134. It was the perfect arrangement, as they were able to book one of the less expensive tent sites, while ours had electricity for our trailer. Although we typically do well using only solar power in summer, it’s a treat to be able to plug in our electric kettle, something we can only do with access to ground power. LaPine State Park Campground offers a wide range of accommodation options, as well as great information to keep campers in the know. I was especially impressed by the information kiosks located near the entrance to each campground loop.

The following day, our band of merry campers increased as my friend and her kids moved into campsite #135 across from ours. We continued to join together for meals and evening campfires (around the propane fire pit, as there was a burn ban in effect) at our site, which made a convenient hub.

Our explorations had expanded well beyond LaPine State Park by this time. We spent a couple of days getting to know Newberry National Volcanic Monument, taking in the sights on foot, by bike, and by kayak. Everyone even managed to make it to the top of Paulina Peak, braving the dizzying drive up a narrow gravel road. One friend left the campground earlier to do the trek on foot, and somehow timed his arrival at the summit to perfectly match ours.

Back at the campground, some of the kids hopped on their bikes or started water gun fights, while others opted for the decidedly calmer activity of plein air painting. There’s nothing like nature to inspire artists of all ages!

Finally, after nearly a week at LaPine State Park Campground, it was time to pack up. As usual, we were a little sad to say goodbye to our temporary home, but the Cascades were calling. Hopefully it won’t be too long before we make it back to LaPine. After all, there is still so much more to explore in this beautiful region of Central Oregon.