Prineville Recreation Area, Oregon

 

We have been at the Jasper Point Campground in the Prineville Recreation Area for 6 nights. Sunday, August 2, would be our 7th and last. We have really enjoyed this place. We have a great site with a nice view of the lake out our side windows or from our loungers.

The only problem has been the heat during the day. We have exceeded 100 degrees many of the days we have been here. The amazing thing is that because of the dry high desert area, we turn off the AC about 10 each evening and by morning it is in the 50’s.

The lake is very low as they are in a drought like most of the west. We hear the lake is losing about 1 foot per day as they have to continue to irrigate the local crops.

There is still plenty of water to enjoy for boaters, but the ramp here at the campground is closed. The only problem for us getting in the water is the last few feet of the shore are very muddy, so we have chosen not to get the kayak out.

The area around the lake has some very interesting rock outcroppings that are clearly volcanic in origin.

There is the town of Prineville about 15 miles away. It seems like a nice little town nestled down in a valley between a series of Buttes. They have a nice green golf course, that I should have played, but didn’t.

There is a colony of White Pelicans that hang out across the lake from our campsite. It has been fun seeing them fly over and fish for their dinner.

I have also seen a Bald Eagle and countless other birds and other wildlife. The coyotes make quite a racket just as the moon is rising. The moon has been nearly full much of the time we have been here. The evenings have been a nice time to sit out and enjoy the sunset and moon rise.

We are now ready to move on. The funny thing is we are not sure of our next stop. We know we will be in Prosser, Washington to see my parents on the 5th, but we need one more stop between now and then. Our options are limited, so we may stay at a park we have stayed at before. We will see.

Oregon! I wanted to say a few words about this awesome state. We have visited much of this state and it has never ceased to amaze me. The diversity of the eastern high deserts contrasted with the amazing views along the coast and the mountains in between make Oregon one of my favorite states we have visited.

Now it is back to Washington. We have visited the eastern pine forests along the Pend Oreille and Columbia rivers and the arid farm land in the South East. We now go to the Yakama valley. Some of the most fertile farm land in the world. Home to some of the best apple orchards and grape vineyards you can find anywhere. The best news is I have my Mother and Father and my Aunt to act as tour guides as I get to know the area of my birth. I hope at the end of this journey to claim it as mine. Come back to see how that goes.