Lava Cast Forest Road

I stayed here on a Friday night. This was an odd one. I turned down a path I thought might end up at a site to sleep I was very wrong, there were some warning signs I couldn't quite make out but they made me want to turn around immediately. I did not see any other cars so I really was not sure where I was supposed to stay. I ended up just pulling over on the side of the road that had enough flat land to park my car. I personally did not hear any guns shots like I read in other reviews, but I am not sure I was even in the right area. When I would up it was easy to leave, I believe I saw one car on my way out and it is located right off the highway so it was easy to get going Saturday morning.

That is right ladies and gentleman you too can camp at a gun range!

I love finding remote places in the woods to free camp. We rolled in here after dark and had to find our way in on a moonless night. We managed to find the spot but it wasn’t until the next morning when we stepped out the door and saw the ground covered in spent shell casings that we realized we had parked and slept on the gun range. It looks like an epic battle took place here with more shells than the ambush on Bonnie and Clyde. This is the life of a nomad.

The spot is quiet. No toilets but decent cell coverage.

I stayed right at the corner of 9720 and 9721 which was maybe 1/4 of mile away off Highway 97 at the Sunriver Century exit number 153. I parked in an almost perfectly flat spot. Nestled in the trees, kept temperatures down air conditioner never turned on in July. Heat not needed either maybe 45-50 at night. Light highway noise if your trying to listen for it but if your inside with doors and windows closed even during 5 o clock still light noise. 12 minutes to Bend Walmart. 11 to La Pine and 5 to SunRiver. 2 Bars ATT LTE no booster needed. Some traffic headed in an out other campers and trailers this is a great location if you do a lot of stuff in town and travel from home base to other points in the day. Forest Rangers rode by at least twice a day if not more because of them riding roads towards Lava Cast and such felt perfectly safe. Nice sunsets and sunrises in between trees in the Deschutes Nation Forest will for sure be back!

Certainly not a very Beautiful spot as far as NFS camping goes but a very efficient location. Full solar access at the gravel pit and 4-6 good hours of sun across the street in the trees. Paved road all the way to this location, aprox. 1 mile east of Hwy 95 with access from north or south and only 2.5 miles from a Starbucks - grocery - and restaurants in the village center of Sunriver resort community. 20 minutes to Bend. Locals do use this location for OHV and shooting but the NFS truck also came through 3 of the 4 days we were there so felt very safe - as opposed to some reviews and comments (about homeless) of other locations close to bend. (Did not know how to score "noise" -- is 1 good and 5 Bad or opposite ? --- it was nicely quiet at night ! ! )