It’s July in Central Oregon, and this holiday weekend, many may be wanting some cool water to splash around in, fish, hike or just sit next to. If you’re not looking to go far from town, the Deschutes River is a great option. But if you are trying to beat the crowds and find your own little oasis, there are plenty of other options as well.
The weather looks a little unpredictable this weekend with a chance of rain and thunder, so always be prepared with a backup plan.
NOTES: Trails above 6,000 ft. are under deep snow. The snow line is around 5,200 ft. Most of the trails along seasonally closed highways and Forest Service roads remain open, but can only be accessed by hiking, snowshoeing, cross country skiing or snowmobiling due to snowpack. See forest websites for more details and restrictions.
Cascade Wilderness permits are now required for 19 trailheads for day use and all trailheads for overnight use in the Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Washington and Three Sisters Wildernesses from June 15 through October 15.
Deschutes National Forest
Cabot Lake Trailhead: Open; snow-free with moderate downfall to lake; deep snow beyond lake
Chush Falls: Open; snow-free to falls
Fall River Trail: Open; likely snow-free and clear
Head of Jack Creek Trailhead: Open; snow-free and clear; possible downfall
Metolius River Trail: Open; snow-free and clear
Jack Lake Trailhead: Open; patchy snow with possible downfall; Central Cascades Wilderness Permit required starting June 15
Jefferson Lake: Open; lower three miles snow-free and clear; unknown conditions beyond
Lake Creek Trail: Open; snow-free and clear
Lava Cast Forest Trailhead: Open; likely snow-free and clear; NW Forest Pass required
Lava Island Day Use: Open
Lava River Cave — Show Cave: limited capacity, gate may periodically close to help with attendance limitations; cave only open to the halfway point at the Sand Garden
Lower Canyon Creek (West Metolius Trailhead): Open; snow-free and clear
Lucky Lake Trailhead: Open; patchy snow with moderate downfall from trailhead to Lucky Lake; deep snow beyond Lucky Lake
Many Lakes Trailhead: Open; patchy and sometimes deep snow with possible downfall
North Twin Boating Area: Open; likely patchy snow with some downfall
Peter Skene Ogden Trailhead: Open; snow-free and clear; deep snow above McKay
Pole Creek Trailhead: Open; snow-free with moderate blowdown between TH and junction with Green Lakes Trail; snow and downfall beyond
Round Lake Trailhead: Open; snow-free with moderate downfall
Summit Lake: Open; snow likely with possible downfall
Sun Lava Trailhead: Open; heavy use on weekends; snow-free and clear
Suttle Lake Day Use: Open; snow-free and clear
Swampy Lakes Trail: Open; patchy snow with possible downfall
Tumalo Falls Trailhead: Open; site can get extremely busy, park only in designated areas or find another route to the falls. No dogs or stock allowed within the Bend Municipal Watershed; possible downfall and snow on upper portion near Bridge Creek
Whychus Creek Overlook Trailhead: Open; snow-free and clear
Whychus Portal (Lower Whychus Trailhead): Open; snow-free and clear
Alder Springs Trailhead: Open
Antelope Flat Reservoir: Open
Hammer Creek Trailhead: Open
Rock Creek Trailhead: Open
Walton Lake Trailhead: Closed
Bureau of Land Management
Lower Crooked River: Open
Steelhead Falls Trail: Open
Cline Falls State Scenic Viewpoint: Open
Cove Palisades State Park: Open; ABC (Deschutes) Campground, South and Middle Loops of E (Crooked River) are open, Lower Deschutes Day Use open, marina open
Jasper Point: Open; boats with motors are not advised due to low water; Prineville Reservoir, Powderhouse Cove and Jasper Point boat ramps closed
Prineville Reservoir State Park: Open; boats with motors are not advised due to low water; Prineville Reservoir, Powderhouse Cove and Jasper Point boat ramps closed
Smith Rock State Park: Open, look for the posted climbing closure signs in the Monument Area due to raptor nesting, park-wide ban on drones for raptor nesting season
Deschutes National Forest
Allen Springs Campground: Open
Allingham Campground: Open
Big Cove Boat-in Campground: no campfires
Big River Campground: Open
Blue Bay Campground: Open; no campfires
Bull Bend Campground: Open; no campfires
Camp Sherman Campground: Open
Candle Creek Campground: Open
Chief Paulina Horse Camp: Open
China Hat Campground: Open; no campfires
Cinder Hill Campground: Open
Cold Springs Campground: Open
Contorta Flat Campground: Open
Contorta Point Group Campground: Open
Cow Meadow Campground: Open; no campfires
Crane Prairie Campground: Open
Crescent Creek Campground: Open; no campfires
Crescent Lake Campground: Open
Cultus Corral Horse Camp: Open; no campfires
Cultus Lake Campground: Open
Devils Lake Campground: Open; no campfires
East Davis Lake Campground: Open; no campfires
East Lake Campground: Open
Fall River Campground: Open
Fall River Guard Station: Open
Graham Corral Horse Camp: Open; no water
Green Ridge Lookout: Open; no open availability; no campfires
Gull Point Campground: Open
Indian Ford Campground: Open
Jack Creek Campground: Open
Link Creek Campground: Open
Little Cove Boat-In Campground: no campfires
Little Crater Campground: Open
Little Cultus Campground: Open
Lower Bridge Campground: Open
Lower Canyon Creek Campground: Open
McKay Crossing Campground: Open; no campfires
Monty Campground: Opens Memorial Day; no campfires
Newberry Group Campground: Open
North Davis Creek Campground: Closed for the season due to hazard trees
North Twin Lake Campground: Open
Ogden Group Campground: Open; no water
Paulina Lake Campground: Open
Perry South Campground: Open
Pine Mountain Campground: Open; no campfires
Pine Rest Campground: Open
Pioneer Ford Campground: Open
Prairie Campground: Open; no water
Pringle Falls Campground: Open; no campfires
Quinn River Campground: Closed for 2022 due to hazard trees
Reservoir Campground: Closed for 2022 due to hazard trees
Riverside Campground: Open
Rock Creek Campground: Open
Scout Lake Campground: Open
Sheep Bridge Campground: Open
Simax Group Campground: Open
Sisters Cow Camp Horse Camp: Open; no campfires
Smiling River Campground: Open
Soda Creek Campground: Open; no campfires
South Shore Campground: Open
South Twin Lake Campground: Open
Sunset Cove Campground: Open
Three Creek Meadow Campground & Horse Camp: Open
West South Twin Campground: Open
Whitefish Horse Camp: Open; likely melted out
Windy Group Campground: Open
Wyeth Campground: Open; no campfires
Antelope Flat Reservoir Campground and Day Use: Open
Big Spring Campground: Open; no campfires
Biggs Springs Campground: Open; no campfires
Bingham Springs Campground: Open; no campfires
Cottonwood Campground: Open; no campfires
Cottonwood Pit Campground: Open; no campfires
Sugar Creek Campground and Day Use Area: Open
Walton Lake Campground: Open
Walton Lake Group Campsites: Open
Northfork, Met-Win — Happy Valley to Mrazek: Variable
All other trails riding well
Upper Flagline, Met-Wit — Flagline to Happy Valley, Flagline Access: Deep snow
Flagline Tie, Swampy/Dutchman: Variable
All other trails riding well
All other trails in deep snow
Blade Runner, FLT, Lava Flow Lower: Riding well
All other trails riding well
All trails under deep snow
McKenzie River trail closed from Tamolitch Trailhead to Fissell Boat Launch due to Knoll Fire
Frissell, Olallie: Deep snow
Castle Rock, King Castle, cKenzie River: Muddy
O’Leary Mountain: Variable
All other trails riding well
Updated at 10 a.m. June 30
Lower Deschutes (Pelton Dam to Columbia River): 4,880 cfs; redband trout, steelhead, whitefish; emergency closure from mouth to Pelton Dam in effect for all steelhead angling till Aug. 15; Trout fishing and retention remains open, and fishing reports suggest pretty good fishing out of Maupin
Middle Deschutes (Benham Falls to Lake Billy Chinook): 3,960 cfs; brown trout, rainbow trout; no recent report; artificial flies and lures only, no limit on brown trout
Upper Deschutes at Benham Falls: 1,580 cfs; rainbow trout, brown trout; anglers report good rainbow and brown trout fishing below Wickiup Dam
Crooked River (below Opal Springs): 1,140; rainbow trout and mountain whitefish; any trout over 20 inches are considered steelhead and must be released, bull trout must be released unharmed and reported to the USFW at crookedbulltrout@fws.gov, the water is currently low and dirty with plenty of aquatic vegetation in the channel
Fall River: Brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout; open to fishing all year; fly-fishing with barbless hooks only
Metolius River: 1,540 cfs; bull trout, rainbow trout; good fishing reported; fly fishing only upstream of Bridge 99, artificial lures and flies permitted below; catch and release only; public access to Wizard Falls Hatchery remains closed
Tumalo Creek: 11.70 cfs; rainbow trout
McKenzie River (at Clear Lake): 489 cfs
McKenzie River (near Belknap Springs): 282 cfs; rainbow and coastal cutthroat trout; fire cleanup still being conducted in the area, access may be limited; all nonadipose fin-clipped trout must be released; lures and artificial flies only
Crane Prairie Reservoir: 87% full; rainbow trout, brook trout, largemouth bass, kokanee; anglers report improved fishing with warmer weather
Wickiup Reservoir: 32% full; kokanee, brown trout, rainbow trout, largemouth bass; anglers should expect to see fewer kokanee this year following recent reservoir drawdowns; under low water conditions, boat ramps may be unavailable for launching large watercraft
Prineville Reservoir: 28% full; rainbow trout, small and largemouth bass, catfish, crappie, crayfish; trout fishing has been good near the dam, all boat ramps are closed due to low water
East Lake: Brown trout, kokanee, rainbow trout, Atlantic salmon
Paulina Lake: Kokanee, rainbow and brown trout; good fishing for kokanee and brown trout
Ochoco Reservoir: 25% full; rainbow trout, black crappie, smallmouth bass; water level is still extremely low and bank access is limited to walk-in only
Haystack Reservoir: 77% full; rainbow and brown trout, kokanee, largemouth bass, black crappie, bluegill and bullhead catfish
Lake Billy Chinook: Bull, brown and rainbow trout, kokanee, smallmouth bass; anglers in the Deschutes arm are seeing bull, brown and rainbow trout, while a few bull trout are being caught in the Metolius arm; for the remainder of the reservoir, harvest is limited to one bull trout over 24 inches under the daily trout limit; anglers can now keep five kokanee in addition to daily trout limit; no bag or size limits on brown trout and bass
North Twin Lake: Rainbow trout; good fishing reported
South Twin Lake: Rainbow trout; good fishing reported
Davis Lake: rainbow trout and largemouth bass; water level is low and it may be difficult to launch larger boats; fair fishing for largemouth bass; fly fishing only; fair fishing, catch and release for trout, no limit on size or number for warmwater fish;
Lava Lake: Rainbow trout; algae bloom; no road access due to snow; recent reports are mixed, should improve when the water quality does
Little Lava Lake: Rainbow trout, brook trout and whitefish; ; best methods are bait, lures and flies still-fished or trolled
Credit: Source link
