Conditions report for camping, trails, fishing at Central Oregon rivers, creeks

Published 2:00 am Friday, July 31, 2020

RYAN BRENNECKE/THE BULLETIN FILE PHOTOA kayaker on the Deschutes River.

Cool off in a mountain creek or in one of Central Oregon’s beautiful rivers this weekend. Drop a line and see what bites or find a couple of trees to span your hammock between and let the gentle rush of the water relax your day away. Here are open trailheads and campsites near rivers and creeks, as well as current fishing conditions on them.

For a full list of conditions updated regularly, please visit centraloregonexplore.com

Hiking and Day Use Sites

Deschutes National Forest

Aspen Day Use: Open

Benham East Trailhead: Open; deadfall reported

Benham West Trailhead: Open

Besson Day Use: Open

Big Eddy Day Use: Open

Broken Top Trailhead: Open; access road is only recommended for high clearance and 4X4 vehicles

Canyon Creek Trailhead: Open

Chush Falls: Open

Cold Springs Day Use: Open

Devil’s Lake/South Sister Trailhead: Open

Dillon Day Use: Open

Fall River Headwaters: Open

Green Lakes Trailhead: Open

Head of Jack Creek Trailhead: Open

Head of the Metolius: Open

Lake Creek Trail: Open

Lava Island Day Use: Open

Lower Bridge Day Use: Open:

Lower Canyon Creek (West Metolius Trailhead): Open

Meadow Picnic: Open

Mile Camp Day Use: Open

Pacific Crest Trail: Moderate blowdown throughout with deep snow on higher elevations

Park Meadow: Open

Paulina Falls Picnic and Trailhead: Open

Pole Creek Trailhead: Open

Quinn River Day Use: Open

Rimrock Trailhead: Open

Slough Day Use: Open

Swampy Lakes Trail: Open

Ten Mile Trailhead: Open

Todd Creek Horse Camp: Open; likely snow free

Tumalo Falls Trailhead: Open

Whychus Creek Overlook Trailhead: Open

Whychus Portal (Lower Whychus Trailhead): Open

Ochoco National Forest

Black Canyon East (Formerly South Fork) Trailhead: Open

Black Canyon West (Formerly Dusty Camp) Trailhead: Open

Boeing Field Trailhead: Open

Cottonwood Trailhead: Open

Cougar East Trailhead: Open

Cougar West Trailhead: Open

Fry Trailhead: Open

Hammer Creek Trailhead: Open

Keeton Trailhead: Open

Line Butte East (Formerly Fawn Creek) Trailhead: Open

Line Butte West Trailhead: Open

Mascall Corral (Formerly Apple West) Trailhead: Open

Potlid North Trailhead: Open

Potlid South Trailhead: Open

Rock Creek Trailhead: Open

Scotty Creek Trailhead: Open

South Prong Trailhead: Open

Twin Pillars North Trailhead: Open

Twin Pillars South Trailhead: Open

Wildcat North Trailhead: Open

Wildcat South Trailhead: Open

Bend Park & Recreation Trails

Central Oregon Historic Canal Trail: Open; maintain social distancing

Deschutes River Trail — Awbrey Reach: Open; maintain social distancing

Deschutes River Trail — Old Mill Reach: Open; maintain social distancing

Deschutes River Trail — Pioneer Reach: Open; maintain social distancing

Deschutes River Trail — River Run Reach: Open; maintain social distancing

Deschutes River Trail — South Canyon Reach: Open; one way trail, closed to bikes, keep dogs leashed, maintain social distancing

Riley Ranch Nature Reserve Trails: Open; maintain social distancing

Sawyer Park Trails: Open; maintain social distancing

Shevlin Park Trails: Open; maintain social distancing

Oregon State Parks

Cline Falls State Scenic Viewpoint: Open; limited services; restrooms open 10 a.m.-7 p.m. daily and may close without notice

La Pine State Park: Open; reduced services; meeting hall and deluxe cabins are closed

Peter Skene Ogden State Scenic Viewpoint: Open

Smith Rock State Park: Open — limited services; no camping.

Tumalo State Park: Open; reduced services; showers open with reduced hours; yurts and group facilities are closed; day-use open 7:30 a.m.-7 p.m.

Camping

Note — annual campfire restrictions are now in place on portions of the Deschutes, John Day, White and Crooked Rivers as well as BLM land at Lake Billy Chinook. See centraloregonfire.org for more details.

Deschutes National Forest

Allen Springs Campground: Open; no water

Allingham Campground: Open

Camp Sherman Campground: Open

Candle Creek Campground: Open; no water

Cold Springs Campground: Open; no water

Crescent Creek Campground: Open; no water

Crescent Lake Campground: Open; water coming soon

Fall River Guard Station: Open; reservation only

Gorge Campground: Open; no water

Indian Ford Campground: Open; no water

Jack Creek Campground: Open; no water

Link Creek Campground: Open

Lower Bridge Campground: Open; water coming soon

Lower Canyon Creek Campground: Open; no water

McKay Crossing Campground: Open

Monty Campground: Open; no campfires

Ogden Group Campground: Open; no water

Pine Rest Campground: Open; no water

Pioneer Ford Campground: Open; water coming soon

Prairie Campground: Open

Riverside Campground: Open; no water

Smiling River Campground: Open

Soda Creek Campground: Open; no water, no campfires

Trapper Creek Campground: Open

Ochoco National Forest and Crooked River National Grassland

Allen Creek Horse Camp: Open

Big Spring Campground: Open

Biggs Springs Campground: Open

Cottonwood Campground: Open

Deep Creek Campground: Open

Elkhorn Campground: Campground: Open

Mud Springs Horse Camp: Open

Sugar Creek Campground and Day Use Area: Open

Whistler Campground: Open

Wildcat Campground and Day Use Area: Open

Wolf Creek Campground: Open

Wolf Creek Industrial Campground: Open

BLM — Prineville District

Big Bend Campground: Open

Castle Rock Campground: Open

Chimney Rock Campground: Open

Cobble Rock Campground: Open

Lone Pine Campground: Open

Macks Canyon Recreation Site: Open

Palisades Campground: Open;

Post Pile Campground: Open

Steelhead Falls: Open, no potable water

Stillwater Campground: Open

Cycling

East of Bend trails

Arnold Ice Cave, Boyd Cave Trail and Horse Butte Loop: Sandy and loose

Dry River Canyon: Closed to protect nesting raptors

All other trails riding well

Phil’s Trail Complex

Expressway, Lower Whoops, Marvin’s Garden, Ticket to Ride (North and South) and Upper Storm King: Sandy and loose

C.O.D. and Phil’s: Riding well with deadfall reported

All other trails are riding well

Wanoga Trail Complex

Duodenum: Riding well with deadfall reported

Dinah Moe Humm and Tiddlywinks: Sandy and loose

All other trails are riding well

North of Skyliner trails

Farewell, Lower Mrazek and Upper Mrazek: Sandy and loose

All other trails are riding well

Swampy Lakes trails

Lower Flagline, S.S.T., Sector 16, Swampy Lakes Loop, Swampy-Dutchman, Tumalo Ridge and Upper Flagline: Sandy and loose

Middle Flagline: Closed until Aug. 15 to protect elk habitat

All other trails are riding well

Cascade Lakes trails

Edison-Lava: Sandy and loose

Metolius-Windigo (Todd Lake): Riding well

Metolius-Windigo (Lava Lake): Riding well; deadfall reported

Mt. Bachelor

Last Chance needs new report

All other trails are riding well

Sunriver area trails

Black Rock: Sandy and Loose

Crater Rim, Elko Point and La Pine State Park: Riding well; deadfall reported

All other trails riding well

Prineville and Ochoco trails

66 Trails and Cougar Creek: Riding well; deadfall reported

All other trails riding well

Sisters trails

Green Ridge and Metolius-Windigo (Black Butte): Riding well; deadfall reported

Metolius-Windigo (99) and Peterson Ridge Tie: Sandy and loose

All trails riding well

Maston complex

All trails reporting sandy and loose conditions

Redmond trails

Dry Canyon: Riding well; deadfall reported

All other trails riding well

Fishing

Updated at 9 a.m. July 30.

Lower Deschutes (Pelton Dam to Columbia River): 4,170 cfs; rainbow trout, steelhead; current hatches — blue winged olive, midge, skwala, march brown, sulpin

Middle Deschutes (Benham Falls to Lake Billy Chinook): 3,670 cfs; brown trout, rainbow trout; current hatches — blue winged olive, midge, pale morning dun, sulpin, baitfish; Water and access conditions are good, no bait allowed, fishing for brown and rainbow trout on rapalas and spinners.

Upper Deschutes at Benham Falls: 1,644 cfs; brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout; fishing is fair to good on flies and lures, no bait allowed

Crooked River (below Opal Springs): 1,262 cfs; rainbow trout and mountain whitefish; fishing is fair for rainbows, no bait allowed

Fall River: No flow data available; brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout; fly fishing only; long leaders and 6-7x tippet and mid-day fishing is recommended

Metolius River: 1,360 cfs; bull trout, rainbow trout; fly fishing and catch and release only; fishing has been fair

Tumalo Creek: 14.9 cfs; rainbow trout

McKenzie River (at Clear Lake): 244 cfs

McKenzie River (near Belknap Springs): 719 cfs; rainbow and coastal cutthroat trout; current hatches — blue winged olive, midge, sculpin

All raptor closure have been lifted.

Fire danger is currently listed as Extreme in both the Deschutes National Forest and Ochoco National Forest.

Fire use restrictions are in place for lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management, the Deschutes National Forest and the Ochoco National Forest and the Crooked River National Grassland.

All open fires, wood stoves and charcoal briquette fires are prohibited except in the certain designated campgrounds. See the full list on centraloregonfire.org or in the full conditions report available online at centraloregonexplore.com

As of July 23, a level 3 Industrial Fire Precaution Level or Partial Shutdown has been issued meaning the use of power saws for personal or commercial cutting operations is prohibited until conditions change

As of July 22, Deschutes River access is closed due to safety concerns and to prevent further erosion to the river bank. The access point will be closed until further notice. For more information visit bendparksandrec.org

Marketplace