About
Fort Rock Park is a recreational park in Sunriver, Oregon. Visiting here while staying in your Sunriver vacation rental is a great way to enjoy the outdoors in a clean and natural environment. If you’re just feeling like you could use some exercise or sunshine, head to Fort Rock Park and you’ll get plenty of both. I recommend this park for anyone who likes to get fresh air and sunshine. Whether you’re here as a couple, a solo traveler or a family, there’s something to amuse you at For Rock Park. I just enjoyed walking around the paved path and doing a little bit of people watching. This is just a lovely place to come for a picnic in the grass, or on a picnic bench, lie in the sun and read a book or practice your Tai Chi in the great outdoors. It’s a low-key destination that will make you feel like you did something really special, but all you really did was visit a nice, safe park.
Getting There
Fort Rock Park is located at 57525 East Cascade Road in Sunriver, Oregon. Getting there is super easy. From downtown you just take Beaver Road north, follow it around just shy of three miles, and the turn off for Fort Rock Park is on your right. It’s sad, but a lot of people who vacation in Sunriver miss out on this park. But at least now you know about it and, hopefully, you and your family can make an afternoon of it.
Parking & Info
Once you arrive, you’ll enter a large parking lot, where you’ll see a covered picnic pavilion complete with gas grills, and a refreshment shack. Don’t expect anything fancy in the refreshment shack. It’s just basic goods, like sodas, bottled water, candy and snacks. Still, it’s convenient if you want something cold to drink on the way back to your vacation rental. No matter what time of year you visit—even in winter with snow on the ground—Fort Rock Park is a fun place to be. The county keeps this park in pristine condition. The restrooms are clean and well-lit, and there are drinking fountains to fill up your water bottle.
The Park
Fort Rock Park doesn’t just have to be a one-day destination. If anyone in your vacation group is an avid tennis or pickle ball player, the park has very well-maintained courts. There are six courts, so it’s rare if you have to wait for a court. The only downside is that the courts aren’t shaded at all. When I came, I saw that one couple had brought a canopy with them and a couple of camping chairs to take breaks between sets. I thought that was a smart idea.
The outdoor picnic pavilion has propane grills, but you have to rent the approved tanks from the park, which you can do online. This is good if you plan on having a big outing or event at the park; not so much if you just want to grill a couple of hamburgers and some hot dogs for the family, because then it would e too big of a hassle. There’s a ton of green open space, and when I was there the ground was perfect and the grass was soft. We brought a big blanket and picnic basket and pretty much just watched the clouds roll past. We weren’t even bothered by any insects. There were a few people playing Frisbee and a group of women doing some kind of gentle exercise routine with their instructor. I am guessing that the locals use this park a lot, but not so many tourists, because, as I mentioned, not many tourists know this park exists right up the road from downtown Sunriver.
If your group is into playing hoops, there’s a nice basketball court and I did notice that the court was smooth, with no bumps. That surprised me because the park does get snow and freezing temps in winter.
There’s a massive playground with all kinds of equipment, like a merry-go-round, a tire swing, jungle gym and more. Again, though, it wasn’t shaded. On the plus side, the surface was some kind of soft material, so if your child had a fall, they’d probably be back up in no time.
What’s Nearby?
Fort Rock Park is only minutes outside of downtown Sunriver, so you’ll probably just want to head back into town to grab something to eat or drink. Depending upon the time of day, I recommend either Cafe Sintra or Lodge Kitchen for lunch and Big Belly Burgers and Brew for dinner. There’s a golf course nearby called Woodlands Golf Course. If anyone in your group wants to play, they could easily do so while the rest of the group enjoys the park.