Oregon's Wallowa Lake popular with campers, recreationalists

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.

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.