La Pine State Park is 2,333 acres of pine forest split by the Deschutes River, with 14 miles of multi-use trails, the Big Tree ponderosa, more than 120 campsites and 10 log cabins. Visit Central Oregon puts it about 8 miles north of La Pine, and it is open all year. This guide plans a day there from an 11-bedroom estate on the Deschutes near Sunriver that sleeps up to 30 and welcomes dogs.
Updated October 2026 · First published October 2026
La Pine State Park at a glance, from Sunriver
La Pine State Park is the closest state park to the house and the easiest one to do with children and dogs. Oregon Hikers lists it as the eighth-largest state park in Oregon at 2,333 acres, with the Deschutes River running through the middle. Visit Central Oregon puts it about 8 miles north of La Pine by Huntington Road, Burgess Road and Day Road, and Wikipedia puts the town about 5 miles from the park, so treat either as approximate. Rome2rio makes La Pine itself 16.5 road miles and about 25 minutes from Sunriver; none of the sources gives a drive time from Sunriver to the park.
The park is open year-round, and Oregon State Parks lists day use as open May 1 to October 31. Its page posts day-use hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. from September 1 to October 30, 2026, so plan to leave before late afternoon. It says a day-use parking permit is required and sold on site, and gives no day-use dollar amount. Visit Central Oregon lists no fee and Oregon Hikers lists $10, so confirm the price at the permit station. Campsites run $28 to $53 a night and cabins $48 to $120, as Visit Central Oregon lists them.
The Big Tree at La Pine State Park
The Big Tree is a ponderosa pine that Visit Central Oregon calls Oregon's largest, reached by a short paved trail from the Big Tree Day-use Area. Visit Central Oregon says it is believed to be more than 500 years old; Wikipedia puts it at almost 500 and says it is believed to be the largest ponderosa pine in the world. The tree's height and girth are left for the park's own sign.
A short paved trail suits strollers and grandparents. Note that the Big Tree parking area closes in winter, so from late fall the walk starts farther out.
14 miles of trails at La Pine State Park
The park has 14 miles of multi-use trails shared by hikers, mountain bikers and horses, and in winter more than a dozen of those miles are used for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. The long day is Oregon Hikers' Deschutes-Fall River Loop: 7.9 miles and 225 feet of gain from the McGregor Viewpoint Trailhead to Fall River Falls, rated moderate and open all year. Oregon Hikers lists an information kiosk with a trail map and a vault toilet at the Fall River day-use trailhead.
Oregon Hikers warns of rattlesnakes and ticks on the loop, and of mosquitoes along the Fall River stretch in spring and early summer. More riding, on bigger trail systems, is on mountain biking near Sunriver.
The Deschutes and Fall River frontage in La Pine State Park
Two rivers run through the park. The Deschutes runs through it with slow-moving water for paddling, shallow places for children to splash, and cooler pools for trout fishing, in Visit Central Oregon's description. Fall River, a 12-mile spring-fed stream, joins the Deschutes just downstream of the park, and Fall River Falls, a 14-foot step waterfall with a 75-foot lip, is inside the park boundary. The upstream fly-fishing water is on Fall River, Oregon.
This is the same Deschutes that passes the dock at the house, farther downstream. The Deschutes Day-use Area closes in winter.
Dog rules at La Pine State Park
Leashed dogs are permitted at La Pine State Park, and the park has a fenced off-leash dog area, which Wikipedia lists as a pet exercise area. Some of the 10 log cabins are pet-friendly, and Visit Central Oregon says dogs may be off leash inside some cabins. On the Deschutes-Fall River Loop, Oregon Hikers lists dogs as allowed on leash.
That makes the park the right outing for a group that brought several dogs to the house. Dogs are welcome at the estate for a pet fee once approved on your reservation; the details are on pet-friendly vacation rental near Sunriver.
La Pine State Park campground and cabins
The campground has more than 120 tent and RV sites, some with full hookups, at $28 to $53 a night, and 10 log cabins at $48 to $120. Some cabins are heated for winter stays, some are pet-friendly, and all the deluxe cabins plus one rustic cabin are wheelchair accessible. Camping and cabins run year-round, though some campsites close in winter.
For a group of 30, the cabins are an overflow idea rather than a plan: the house sleeps everyone across 11 bedrooms and two buildings, and the park is a day trip. Reservations for a big group are the one piece to settle early.
Winter at La Pine State Park
The park stays open in winter for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing on more than a dozen miles of trail, and for overnight stays in the heated cabins. The Deschutes Day-use Area and the Big Tree parking close for the season, and some campsites close with them. No Sno-Park permit is mentioned for the park on the pages opened for this guide; the Sno-Parks near Mt. Bachelor are a different matter, covered on winter in Sunriver and Bend.
A family and dog day at La Pine State Park from the house near Sunriver
Leave after breakfast with the dogs, the strollers and a cooler. Start at the Big Tree, a paved walk everyone can do, then split: the hikers and riders take part of the 7.9-mile loop toward Fall River Falls, and the families with small children go to the Deschutes day-use area for the shallow water. Lunch is at the picnic tables near the Fall River trailhead. The off-leash area runs the dogs before the drive back.
At the house, the river finishes the day. The private dock on 450 feet of Deschutes frontage is for floating, fishing subject to seasonal rules, and watching for herons; bring your own water toys and PFDs, since none are provided. Kids roam the three acres and the 6-hole disc golf course while dinner goes on the 12-foot dining table or the four 8-foot picnic tables. Quiet hours run 9 PM to 8 AM, and the covered hot tub ends the evening.
Where to eat near La Pine State Park
Pack a picnic; the pages opened for this guide list no food service inside the park. The Sunriver Country Store covers the last-minute items on the way out of Sunriver, and the full grocery run for 30 happens in Bend. Dinner is back near the house, where where to eat near Sunriver lists the places with big tables and pet-friendly patios. Make reservations for larger groups, especially on summer weekends.
Where to stay near La Pine State Park
Stay at Deschutes Riverfront Retreat, an 11-bedroom, 6-bath estate in the Three Rivers area near Sunriver that sleeps up to 30, with a maximum of 24 adults. It is about ten minutes from Sunriver Resort and about 30 from Bend and Mt. Bachelor, on the same Deschutes River that runs through the park. The six-bedroom Lodge sleeps up to 18 and can be booked on its own; the five-bedroom Cottage comes only with the full estate.
The two buildings sit side by side on three private acres with 450 feet of river frontage and a private dock, at the end of a dead-end road with 80 acres of trees on one side. Dogs, large dogs included, are welcome for a pet fee once approved on your reservation. Two pack-n-plays and six cots are on hand for the littlest travelers, with no linens for those.
Every booking has a 2-night minimum, the renter must be 30 or older, and occupancy limits are enforced because the home is on well and septic. Booking direct on this site saves the service fees that Airbnb and VRBO charge, and the live calendar on Book Now shows the current rate. For the reunion plan, see family reunion house near Sunriver; for rooms and floor plans, see the whole estate page.
What families with dogs said about the house
“Amazing and a must-see in person! This place is BEAUTIFUL and everything a family or group of friends needs to enjoy an extremely comfortable, welcoming, and true to Oregon experience! The landscape was gorgeous, the access to the river and dock were so fun, and the house and cottage we well equipped and clean for everyone that stayed! All of our guests couldn’t be happier, including the dogs. We can’t wait to plan our next trip back! We highly recommend this getaway for any family looking to share a special vacation together in an extremely warm, inviting and gorgeous space!”
Frequently asked questions
How far is La Pine State Park from Sunriver?
Rome2rio puts the town of La Pine 16.5 road miles and about 25 minutes from Sunriver, and Visit Central Oregon puts the park about 8 miles north of the town. The house is about ten minutes from Sunriver Resort.
Are dogs allowed at La Pine State Park?
Yes, on leash, with a fenced off-leash dog area and some pet-friendly cabins where dogs may be off leash inside. Dogs are allowed on leash on the Deschutes-Fall River Loop trail.
Is there a day-use fee at La Pine State Park?
Oregon State Parks says a day-use parking permit is required and sold on site, and its page gives no day-use dollar amount. Visit Central Oregon lists no fee, and Oregon Hikers lists $10. Confirm the price at the permit station.
Is La Pine State Park open in winter?
Yes. The park is open all year, with more than a dozen miles of trail used for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing and heated cabins for overnight stays. The Deschutes Day-use Area and the Big Tree parking close in winter, as do some campsites.