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A large lake in the northeast corner of Oregon. Lake Name: Wallowa Lake Lake Coordinates: 45.31016, -117.20772 Lake Elevation: 4376' Access: Drive up/trail Distance: 0.41 miles (round trip) *can be accessed through various trails and driven up to Elevation Range: 4370' to 4442' Ascent/Descent: +66 ft/-77 ft Trail Type: In and out Outing Type: Day hike Permits/Fees: The south end of the lake is within Wallowa Lake State Park and there is a $10 day-use parking fee. Location: In

A collection of bird photos from my trip to Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in May 2026. Great-horned Owl, baby My family has been going to Malheur National Wildlife Refuge for generations at this point for bird watching and nature photography. I was pretty excited to go this year with my newer camera set up. All of the photos below are from various parts of the wildlife refuge except for the Great Horned Owls which were at the Pete French Historic Round Barn. Main areas to

A reservoir along Highway 20 in Harney County. Lake Name: Chickahominy Reservoir Lake Coordinates: 43.55104, -119.62282 Lake Elevation: 4279' Access: Drive up Permits/Fees: Campground has a fee, but day-use doesn't appear to. Note: Popular fishing location Location: Near Highway 20 in Harney County, Oregon, U.S.A. Administration: Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Date Accessed: May 25, 2026 Chickahominy Reservoir is right off Hwy 20, just a few miles west of Riley, OR. It has a

A historic round barn built by 19th century cattle rancher Pete French in Harney County. Name: Pete French Round Barn State Heritage Site Coordinates: 43.13265, -118.64249 Elevation: 4194' Access: Drive up Permits/Fees: None Note: There is a gift shop just a little ways before the round barn. Administration: Oregon State Parks Date Accessed: May 25, 2026 The Pete French Round Barn is a unique and historical landmark. It is more “out of the way” than the other historical struc

A historic long barn in Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Name: Historic P Ranch - Long Barn Coordinates: 42.82942, -118.88907 Elevation: 4194' Access: Trail Distance: 0.31 miles (round trip) Elevation Range: 4180' to 4202' Ascent/Descent: +8 ft/-8 ft Trail Type: In and out Outing Type: Day hike Permits/Fees: None Notes: There are more historic structures at P Ranch than just the long barn, but it is my favorite historic structure and the focus of this post. Location: Near Fr

A overlook with a view of Big Indian Gorge on Steens Mountain. Name: Big Indian Overlook Coordinates: 42.67298, -118.69107 Elevation: 7337' Access: Drive up/trail Note: There is a short trail to the overlook but the view of the gorge is visible along the whole "trail" and doesn't require hiking. Location: Along Steens Mountain Loop Road in Harney County, Oregon, U.S.A. Administration: Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Date Accessed: May 23, 2026 Big Indian Overlook is on the so

A short trail to an overlook of Little Blitzen Gorge on Steens Mountain. Overlook Name: Little Blitzen Overlook Coordinates: 42.67422, -118.69678 Elevation: 7181' Access: Trail Distance: 0.29 miles (round trip) Elevation Range: 7166' to 7253' Ascent/Descent: +77 ft/-66 ft Trail Type: In and out Outing Type: Day hike Permits/Fees: None Location: Along Steens Mountain Loop Road in Harney County, Oregon, U.S.A. Administration: Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Date Accessed: May 2

An unnamed viewpoint along Steens Mountain Loop Road with a great view of Big Indian Gorge. Name: Viewpoint 42.66966, -118.69391 Coordinates: 42.66966, -118.69391 Elevation: 7135' Access: Drive up Note: This is an unnamed viewpoint along Steens Mountain Loop Road Location: Along Steens Mountain Loop Road in Harney County, Oregon, U.S.A. Administration: Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Date Accessed: May 23, 2026 This unnamed viewpoint is right along the Steens Mountain Loop Rd

A lake along the north side of Steens Mountain Loop Road on Steens Mountain. Lake Name: Fish Lake Lake Coordinates: 42.73715, -118.64720 Lake Elevation: 7368' Access: Drive up Permits/Fees: Campground has a nightly fee Location: Near Steens Mountain Loop Road in Harney County, Oregon, U.S.A. Administration: Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Date Accessed: May 23, 2026 Fish lake is another lake I’ve been to multiple times over the years and never written on before. There is a ca

A lake along the north side of Steens Mt Loop Road on Steens Mountain. Lake Name: Lily Lake Lake Coordinates: 42.74601, -118.66471 Lake Elevation: 7272' Access: Drive up Permits/Fees: None Note: Lily Lake is located right next to Lily Lake Primitive Camping Area which has spots for dispersed camping. It's more rugged than the two campgrounds nearby. Location: Near Steens Mountain Loop Rd in Harney County, Oregon, U.S.A. Administration: Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Date Acc

A fishable reservoir in Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Lake Name: Krumbo Reservoir Lake Coordinates: 42.95518, -118.80637 Lake Elevation: 4209' Access: Drive up Permits/Fees: None Note: Popular fishing location, one of the few places in Malheur NWR to fish. Location: Along Krumbo Reservoir Road in Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon, U.S.A. Administration: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Date Accessed: May 22, 2026 We arrived at the reservoir mid-afternoon. We drove to

An overlook of the Blitzen Valley and Buena Vista Ponds in Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Overlook Name: Buena Vista Overlook Coordinates: 43.06368, -118.86699 Elevation: 4242' Access: Trail Note: There is the option of driving close to the overlook or hiking from the bottom of the hill up to the overlook. Location: In Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon, U.S.A. Administration: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Date Accessed: May 22, 2026 After having spent the morning b

A complete list of lakes in Siuslaw National Forest with links to the posts of the ones I've been to. Siuslaw National Forest is located in Oregon. According to the National Forest website , it is "one of only two national forests in the lower 48 states to claim oceanfront property." It includes forest and ocean shoreline. The national forest is broken into two ranger districts: Hebo Ranger District and Central Coast Ranger District - Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. H

A complete list of lakes in Ochoco National Forest with links to the posts of the ones I've been to. Ochoco National Forest is located in central Oregon. It includes part of the Blue Mountains and Ochoco Mountains. According to the National Forest website, the national forest is broken into three ranger districts: Lookout Mountain Ranger District, Paulina Ranger District, and Snow Mountain Ranger District (which is currently administered by Malheur National Forest and now ca

A hike to a quiet lake in Mount Hood National Forest. Lake Name: Dinger Lake Lake Coordinates: 45.1457, -121.8441 Lake Elevation: 4000′ Access: Road walk/unnamed "trail" Distance: 1.16 miles (round trip) * I ended up hiking a total of 1.56 miles since I tried going down the other road that dead ended. Elevation Range: 3957' to 4109' Ascent/Descent: +155 ft/-129 ft Route Type: In and out Route: Walking down an unnamed/unmarked "road" Outing Type: Day hike Permits/Fees

A hike to two lakes on the western side of Olallie Lake Scenic Area in Mount Hood National Forest. Averill Lake Access: Road walk & trail Distance: 4.61 miles (round trip) Elevation Range: 3624' to 4698' Ascent/Descent: +1044 ft/-1047 ft Route Type: In & out Route: Road walked up NF-076 to Red Lake Trail #719 and took trail to lakes (within heavily burned area — trail is not always easily visible and requires navigation) Outing Type: Day hike Permits/Fees: None Notes: Th

A backpacking trip to a lake in Eagle Cap Wilderness in Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. Lake Name: Echo Lake Lake Coordinates: 45.11682, -117.45345 Lake Elevation: 7227' Access: Trail Total Distance: 10.93 miles (round trip) Total Elevation Range: 5444' to 7317' Total Ascent/Descent: +1886 ft/-1896 ft Trail Type: In and out Trails: West Eagle Trail #1934 Outing Type: Backpacking Permits/Fees: Forest Service pass required for parking at trailhead. Free self-issue wilde

A reservoir for fishing along the Clackamas River near Estacada. Lake Name: Faraday Lake Lake Coordinates: 45.26546, -122.31659 Lake...

A north segment along the Oregon Coast Trail from Manzanita to Rockaway Beach. Rockaway Beach Segment 5 of the Oregon Coast Trail spans...

A small, marshy, unnamed lake along forest road 4620 in Mount Hood National Forest. Lake Name: Lake 45.05656, -122.10787 Lake...