Sunriver: Sometimes it’s more fun to be where lots of people aren’t.  

Randal C. Hill

50plus Magazine

Summertime in the central Oregon village of Sunriver, located 17 miles south of high-desert Bend, means floating among the crowds down the gently flowing Deschutes River on a paddleboard, canoe or raft. Or golfing on award-winning courses, riding horseback on guided treks, walking or biking through towering pines and along 40 miles of paved trails beside the river.

Soon summer gives way to autumn clouds and cooler temperatures, and before you know it, winter is here. Summer revelers have gone elsewhere, making it the ideal time for winter adventurers to make the journey to partake in what the area offers bundled-up vacationers. Winter temperatures average in the low 20s, with an annual snowfall average of 49 inches, making Sunriver a snow lover’s paradise.

Developed on a World War II military training site called Camp Abbot, Sunriver is now a thriving tourist town, with a year-round population of about 1,000. The spectacular scenery includes the Cascade Mountains, one jewel of which is nearby Mt. Bachelor, a picturesque, 9,068-foot dormant volcano. Bachelor beckons winter adventurers each year, who flock to the site for great skiing (downhill and cross-country), snowboarding and tubing on 4,300 acres. Those who prefer less extreme sports enjoy snowshoeing, dogsledding or just relaxing by the fire at the lodge.

If dogsledding caught your eye, the folks at Oregon Trail of Dreams offer rides on genuine
Iditerod dog sleds, allowing visitors a chance to appreciate such beloved local mountain sights as the Three Sisters, Broken Top and Bachelor itself.

In addition to great outdoor adventures, Sunriver boasts beautiful local shops, friendly
brewpubs and eateries, luxurious hotels and vacation properties that truly feel like home.

Whatever your idea of a perfect winter getaway, the fun and beauty of Sunriver ensure that once you’ve visited, you’ll soon be back.