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| Wallowa Lake |
Wallowa Lake is nestled among
the scenic beauty of the Wallowa Mountains in northeastern Oregon. The area is
sometimes known as the Oregon Alps or the Switzerland of Oregon.
The 3.7 mile long lake was
formed by glacial action. Its waters are pure and clear, allowing boaters to
see fish swimming on the bottom.
The lake and its facilities,
including campgrounds, boat launches and lodging, are located at the end of the
road that comes from nearby Joseph. It has a day use picnic area and floating
docks where boaters can alight for picnics. The lake and some of the facilities
are operated by the Oregon State Parks system.
The lake sits at more than
4,300 feet in elevation, which means it sometimes freezes over in winter. The
water warms up enough in the summer for swimming and water skiing.
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| Deer rest beside the highway to Wallowa Lake on a winter day. |
Wallowa Lake is popular with
wildlife visitors as well. It’s not uncommon to see deer roaming the
camp-ground, sometimes resting under travel trailer awnings to keep cool on hot
summer days. A pair of eagles nests on the south shore of the lake. Visitors
also may see elk, coyotes and bears; t higher elevations they may spot mountain
goats.
This family oriented
recreation area is located about 4-1/2 hours drive from Boise and six hours
from Portland.
