The High Desert Museum is 10.7 road miles and 17 minutes from Sunriver, by Rome2rio. It covers 135 wooded acres with more than 100,000 square feet of exhibit space, live animals, and a café. Summer admission is $24 for adults, and a group of 10 or more gets 20% off. This page covers the posted hours and rates, and how a group of 12 to 30 spends a day from a house near Sunriver.
Updated October 2026 · First published October 2026
How far is the High Desert Museum from Sunriver?
The museum is 10.7 road miles from Sunriver, a 17-minute drive by Rome2rio. It sits at 59800 S. Highway 97 in Bend. Rome2rio measures from Sunriver, not from the estate, so the drive from the house is not a posted figure.
Confirm the museum's hours against your arrival and departure times before you plan it around check-in or check-out. For more trips from the house, see day trips from Sunriver.
High Desert Museum hours and admission for a Sunriver group
Summer hours, March 1 to October 31, are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; winter hours, November 1 to February 28, are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The museum's visit page, read on October 22, 2026, lists it as closed on Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. The phone is 541-382-4754.
| Visitor | Summer (Mar 1 to Oct 31) | Winter (Nov 1 to Feb 28) |
|---|---|---|
| General | $24 | $20 |
| Seniors (65+) | $19 | $17 |
| College students with ID | $19 | $17 |
| Children 3 to 12 | $13 | $12 |
| Children 2 and younger | Free | Free |
The museum says tickets never sell out, but it suggests buying ahead so arrival goes faster. A group of 10 or more gets a 20% discount with one person paying, and the museum asks groups with specific needs to contact it. Discounts do not apply to annual memberships.
Write the numbers in the group chat the night before. Decide who pays at the door, and whether one organizer buys the group rate for everyone.
What is inside the High Desert Museum near Bend
The site is large: more than 100,000 square feet of exhibit space on 135 wooded acres. Travel Oregon says the exhibits cover art, natural history, and the culture of the High Desert, including the history of the Plateau Indians. Exhibits change through the year, so a family that visited once may find something new.
A living-history sawmill sits on the grounds. The 1904 High Desert Ranch Sawmill has living-history characters who show how the work was done. The museum’s visit page lists current exhibitions and a calendar of events, so check it for your date.
The shop, Silver Sage Trading, sells books, educational toys, jewelry, and art. Send the youngest members there with an adult near the end of the visit, so the group does not stall at the shelves in the first hour.
Animals and the Raptors of the Desert Sky flight program
The museum has live animals that visitors can see up close: raptors, river otters, porcupines, and reptiles. In summer, birds of prey fly over the grounds in the daily Raptors of the Desert Sky flight program, per Travel Oregon. The museum posts the time on its calendar, and Travel Oregon describes the program as a summer feature, so do not plan a winter visit around it.
Plan the animal stops around the program time, and hold the sawmill and the shop for after the flights. Ask the museum how a group of 12 to 30 should arrive for the program.
The Rimrock Café and lunch near the High Desert Museum
The Rimrock Café serves salads, sandwiches, snacks, and more, many made with locally sourced ingredients, and the museum says it is open daily. Visitors who come only for the café or the shop, Silver Sage Trading, do not pay admission; tell the front desk. It is a snack-and-sandwich stop, not a sit-down dinner for 30. Eating your own food is allowed in designated areas only. A group that wants a full meal can eat back near the house instead.
The simple split is lunch at the café for those who want it and a late meal at home. The estate has a 12-foot dining table inside and four 8-foot picnic tables outside, and the kitchen has a Vitamix, a KitchenAid mixer, and a sous vide. For restaurants near Sunriver that take a large table, see where to eat near Sunriver.
Rainy-day and winter use of the High Desert Museum near Bend
The museum is a reasonable rain or snow day because it posts only three closure days. Central Oregon winters bring snow, and the Mt. Bachelor ski season gives other groups a reason to go uphill. A museum visit is the option for the family members who do not ski.
Be honest about the limits. Winter hours are shorter, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the museum does not say which animals are outside on a cold day. Dress for the weather, because the site is 135 wooded acres, and call before you drive the group over.
Winter road and snow details are in winter in Sunriver and Bend. If part of the group skis, the lodging plan is on Mt. Bachelor ski trip lodging.
A High Desert Museum plan for kids and grandparents from Sunriver
Keep the plan short and let the oldest and youngest set the pace. This version assumes the museum's hours allow it, and the museum confirms the times.
- Late morning: drive over in three or four vehicles, so the group arrives close together.
- First stop: the animals, timed to the raptor flights in summer.
- Midday: the Rimrock Café for those who want a sandwich or a salad, with a rest break for grandparents.
- Early afternoon: the living-history sawmill and one or two exhibits chosen in advance.
- Last: the shop, then a drive back to the house.
Back at the house, the evening needs no driving. The hot tub is covered and on the deck, the 6-hole disc golf course and bocce are on the property, and the dock sits on 450 feet of Deschutes River frontage. Everyone sleeps on site: the Lodge and the Cottage together have 11 bedrooms. More ideas for children are in Sunriver with kids.
Group logistics for the High Desert Museum from a house near Sunriver
A group of 12 to 30 should leave the house in no more than six vehicles. The estate has parking for up to 15 vehicles, so the caravan forms in the driveway. Drive slowly on Chief Paulina Drive, a shared dirt road with families and pets.
Ask the museum about arrival timing before you bring a party of this size, by phone at 541-382-4754. Parking is free, with a separate lot signed for RVs and buses. Dogs do not go onto the grounds; the museum offers free kennels in the lot, so a dog-owning group should plan for that. The museum also lists free same-day re-entry, free strollers and wheelchairs, and electric-vehicle chargers during open hours.
Where to stay near the High Desert Museum and Sunriver
Stay at Deschutes Riverfront Retreat, an 11-bedroom, 6-bath estate near Sunriver that sleeps up to 30, with a maximum of 24 adults. It is about ten minutes from Sunriver Resort and about 30 minutes from Bend and Mt. Bachelor. The six-bedroom Lodge sleeps up to 18 and can be booked on its own.
Every booking has a 2-night minimum, quiet hours run 9 PM to 8 AM, and the renter must be 30 or older. For multi-generation trips see multigenerational vacation in Sunriver, and for reunions see family reunion house near Sunriver. The rooms and floor plans are on the whole estate page.
Frequently asked questions
How far is the High Desert Museum from Sunriver?
Rome2rio lists it at 10.7 road miles and 17 minutes from Sunriver. The museum is at 59800 S. Highway 97 in Bend. Rome2rio measures from Sunriver, not from the estate.
Is the High Desert Museum open every day?
The museum lists it as closed only on Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from March 1 to October 31 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. from November 1 to February 28.
When are the raptor flights at the High Desert Museum?
Travel Oregon describes the Raptors of the Desert Sky flight program as a daily summer program. The museum posts the time on its site. It is a summer feature, so do not plan a winter visit around it.
How much does the High Desert Museum cost for a group?
Summer general admission is $24 and winter is $20, as posted on October 22, 2026. A group of at least 10 people gets 20% off with one person paying. Children 2 and younger are free.
Can we bring our dog to the High Desert Museum?
No. The museum does not allow pets on its grounds. It offers free kennels in its parking lot, and you check in at admissions to use one.
Can a group of 30 eat at the museum?
The Rimrock Café serves salads, sandwiches, and snacks and is open daily. It is not described as a large-group restaurant. Call the museum about a group of this size, or plan a meal back at the house.