While local ski areas have begun opening, some areas of Central Oregon will see fair weather this weekend. So whether you are a snow bunny or a sun seeker, areas to the north of Bend should whet any adventuring appetite.
Remember, the weather can change quickly in many locations, always be prepared to turn back and know your limits.
For a full list of conditions updated regularly, please visit centraloregonexplore.com
Hiking and Day Use Sites
NOTE: Many of the trails along seasonally closed highways and forest service roads remain open, but can only be accessed by hike, snowshoe, cross country ski or snowmobile. See Forest websites for more details and restrictions.
Deschutes National Forest
Bear Valley Trailhead: Open
Black Butte Trailhead: Open
Black Crater Trailhead: Open
Cabot Lake Trailhead: Open
Canyon Creek Trailhead: Open
Chush Falls: Open
Cold Springs Day Use: Open
Head of Jack Creek Trailhead: Open
Head of the Metolius: Open
Jack Lake Trailhead: Open
Jefferson Lake: Open
Lake Creek Trail: Open
Lava Camp Lake Trailhead: Deadfall reported in areas
Lower Black Butte Trailhead: Open
Lower Bridge Day Use: Open
Lower Canyon Creek (West Metolius Trailhead): Open
Millican Trail Trailhead: Open; clear as far as Trout Creek Tie with heavy deadfall reported beyond
Park Meadow: Open; moderate deadfall on tie trail to Tam Rim
Pole Creek Trailhead: Open
Rockpile Lake: Open
Round Lake Trailhead: Open
Scout Lake Day Use: Open
Sisters Cow Camp: Open
Sisters Mirror Trailhead: Open
Sisters Tie Trailhead: Open
Suttle Lake Day Use: Open
Tam McArthur Rim Trailhead: Open
Whychus Creek Overlook Trailhead: Open
Whychus Portal (Lower Whychus Trailhead): Open
Ochoco National Forest
Alder Springs Trailhead: Open; access road closed to motor vehicles
Baneberry Trailhead: Open
Barnhouse Trailhead: Open
Black Canyon East (Formerly South Fork) Trailhead: Open
Black Canyon West (Formerly Dusty Camp) Trailhead: Open
Boeing Field Trailhead: Open
Coffeepot Trailhead: Open
Cottonwood Trailhead: Open
Cougar East Trailhead: Open
Cougar West Trailhead: Open
Cyrus Trailhead: Open
Fry Trailhead: Open
Giddy-Up Go Trailhead: Open
Gray Butte Trailhead: Open
Green Mountain North Trailhead: Open
Green Mountain South Trailhead: Open
Henderson Flat OHV Trail System: Open
Henderson Flat Staging Area: Open
Keeton Trailhead: Open
Kelsey Trailhead: Open
Line Butte East (Formerly Fawn Creek) Trailhead: Open
Line Butte West Trailhead: Open
Lookout Mountain Lower Trailhead: Open
Lookout Mountain Upper Trailhead: Open
Mascall Corral (Formerly Apple West) Trailhead: Open
Mother Lode Mine Trailhead: Open
Payten Trailhead: Open
Potlid North Trailhead: Open
Potlid South Trailhead: Open
Rim (Formerly Apple Middle) Trailhead: Open
Rimrock Springs Trailhead: Open
Rock Creek Trailhead: Open
Round Mountain North Trailhead: Open
Round Mountain South Trailhead: Open
Scales Corral Trailhead: Open
Scotty Creek Trailhead: Open
Skull Hollow Trailhead: Open
South Prong Trailhead: Open
Steins Pillar Trailhead: Open
Tam-A-Lau Trailhead: Open
Trail Crossing Corrals Trailhead: Open
Twin Pillars North Trailhead: Open
Twin Pillars South Trailhead: Open
Wildcat North Trailhead: Open
Wildcat South Trailhead: Open
Willamette National Forest — Three Sisters Wilderness Area
McKenzie River Trail: Partially open
Tamolitch Blue Pool: Open
Bureau of Land Management
Huntington Wagon Road: Open
Redmond Caves Recreation Site: Open
Scout Camp Trail: Open
Steelhead Falls Trail: Open
Trout Creek Trail: Open; please respect private lands bordering trail
Oregon State Parks
Cline Falls State Scenic Viewpoint: Open; expect reduced services; restrooms are closed, portable toilet is on site; maintain social distancing and wear a mask
Cove Palisades State Park: Open for day-use and lake access; all campgrounds and cabins are closed for the season
Peter Skene Ogden State Scenic Viewpoint: Open
Smith Rock State Park: Open — limited services; no camping.
Tumalo State Park: Open; expect reduced services; group facilities are closed
Ski areas and snow parks
Updated 8:30 a.m. Dec. 3
Hoodoo: Open; 33.2-inch base, Hodag lift closed, all other lifts operating
Mt. Bachelor: Opens Dec. 7 for passholders only, opens for nonpassholders Dec. 11; 39-inch base
Deschutes National Forest
Junction Sno-Park: Open
Kapka Sno-Park: Open
Three Creek Sno-Park (Lower): Open
Three Creek Sno-Park (Upper): Open
Ochoco National Forest:
Bandit Springs Sno-Park: Open
Mark’s Creek Sno-Park: Open
Ochoco Divide Sno-Park: Open
Walton Sno-Park: Open
Willamette National Forest
Ikenick Sno-Park: Open
Santiam Sno-Park: Open
Camping
Deschutes National Forest
Allen Springs Campground: Open
Camp Sherman Campground: Open
Lava Camp Lake Campground: Open
Lower Bridge Campground: Open
Sisters Cow Camp Horse Camp: Open; no campfires
Ochoco National Forest and Crooked River National Grassland
Mud Springs Horse Camp: Open; no campfires
Whistler Campground: Open; no campfires
White Rock Campground: Open; no campfires
BLM — Prineville District
Barr Road North Staging Area: Open
Buckhorn Staging Area: Open
Macks Canyon Recreation Site: Open
Steelhead Falls: Open; no potable water
Cycling
Fatbike and winter trails:
The Radlands: Riding well; deadfall reported
Wanoga — 3 PSI, Wanoga — Outer Loop: Rideable snow
All other trials riding well
Prineville and Ochoco trails
Independent Mine, Lookout Mountain, Round Mountain: Deep snow; deadfall reported
New reports needed for other trails
Sisters trails
Lake Creek, Metolius-Windigo (Black Butte and 99 Lower) and Suttle Lake Loop: Riding well; deadfall reported
Metolius-Windigo (99 Upper): Deep snow
All other trails riding well
Maston complex
The Radlands: Riding well, deadfall reported
All trails riding well
Redmond trails
All trails riding well
Fishing
Updated at 8:30 a.m. Dec. 3
Lower Deschutes (Pelton Dam to Columbia River): 4,570 cfs; redband trout, steelhead, whitefish; trout will continue to be active and feeding throughout the winter, steelhead are dispersed throughout the lower 100 miles of this section
Middle Deschutes (Benham Falls to Lake Billy Chinook): 4,180 cfs; brown trout, rainbow trout; no recent reports, open year-round for trout, artificial flies and lures only; no limit on brown trout
Crooked River (below Opal Springs): 1,254 cfs; rainbow trout and mountain whitefish; only fish downstream of Bowman Dam to Lake Billy Chinook; whitefish should be spawning and anglers have good success fishing egg patterns
Metolius River: 1,260 cfs; bull trout, rainbow trout; 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; river is closed to fishing above Allingham Bridge until May 22, 2021
McKenzie River (at Clear Lake): 280 cfs
McKenzie River (near Belknap Springs): 748 cfs; rainbow and coastal cutthroat trout; current hatches — blue winged olive, midge, sculpin; river access may be limited due to the Holiday Farm Fire.
Ochoco Reservoir: 13% full; rainbow trout, black crappie, smallmouth bass; trout fishing should start increasing with lower temperatures; ramp still likely unusable due to low water levels
Haystack Reservoir: 84% full; rainbow and brown trout, kokanee, largemouth bass, black crappie, bluegill and bullhead catfish; reservoir is back to winter levels, boat ramp remains open through November
Lake Billy Chinook: Bull, brown and rainbow trout, kokanee, smallmouth bass; Metolius arm is closed until spring, no recent reports for rest of lake
Credit: Source link