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Oregon State Parks

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Oregon
Central & Eastern Region
Prineville Reservoir State Park
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PRINEVILLE RESERVOIR STATE PARK
Need a place to play? Where you can enjoy nature viewing at its finest? This is a place where those weary of hectic schedules and jangling telephones can find peace, a place where life can be pondered from a different and unique perspective. Most of all, a place carefully designed and maintained for people -- for the mother and her baby out for a Sunday drive, for the father teaching his son how to fish, for the teenager who wants to get away for a bit, for the couple on a weekend camping trip, for the grandparents who just want to take it easy for a week.

Mountain waters flow out of the Ochoco Mountain Range, joining together to form the Crooked River. This river, confined by its canyon and the Bowman Dam, forms Prineville Reservoir.

The fishing can be good anytime at Prineville Reservoir. It supports rainbow & cutthroat trout, small & largemouth bass, catfish, crappie, and crayfish. The trout fishing experience is year-round, ice-fishing included in the dead of winter. Anywhere on the reservoir is suitable.

Bass, catfish, and crappie are more suited towards warmer water temperatures; May thru October. The upper reaches of the reservoir above Jasper Point and the Bear Creek tributary downstream from Prineville Reservoir State Park are known to produce fine fish. Fly fishing opportunities are best along the Crooked River above Prineville Reservoir and downstream from Bowman Dam.

For specific regulations, refer to the Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations.

So grab your pole and head out to Prineville. A place where, as the golden sun sinks slowly over the ridge and the fiery lake catches the last color reflections of red and green canyon walls, the silent hush of the deeply dark night ushers in the glorious canopy of a million stars; where slumber is deep and peaceful.
History of the Area
Located in central Oregon, the park was established following the construction of Bowman Dam on Crooked River. The dam's completion in 1961 resulted created a reservoir that is now known for its recreational opportunities.

The U.S Bureau of Reclamation built and manages this dam as part of their mission to manage water resources across Western United States. Initially intended for irrigation purposes, it soon became apparent that the area had potential beyond just agricultural support.

In response to growing interest from locals and tourists alike, an agreement between Oregon State Parks Department and US Bureau led to development into a public recreation site by mid-1960s. It officially opened up with camping facilities available around 1972 under management by Oregon Parks & Recreation Department (OPRD).

Over time additional amenities were added including boat ramps, picnic areas along with more campsites making it popular among outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy fishing or boating activities amidst scenic beauty offered by high desert landscape surrounding waterscape.

Today visitors can also explore wildlife viewing spots where they might spot mule deer or various bird species native to region while hiking trails offer panoramic views over lake against backdrop of rugged hillsides typical within High Desert environment found here at eastern edge Cascade Range foothills near town Prineville itself named after first merchant arriving back during pioneer days when westward expansion brought settlers out towards Pacific coast regions like these throughout latter half nineteenth century period onwards through today still drawing people seeking natural wonders such places provide them whether living nearby visiting from afar instead either way always welcome come see what makes special place indeed worth preserving future generations yet unborn may someday experience same joys those before have done so already since inception nearly six decades ago thus far continuing onward indefinitely long remains open accessible all wishing do likewise themselves too eventually perhaps even further down line history unfolds ahead unknown possibilities await discovery exploration adventure awaits anyone daring enough take chance embark journey destination unlike any other anywhere else world could ever possibly imagine let alone actually realize reality rather than merely dream about doing someday maybe even sooner than later depending upon circumstances dictate otherwise regardless outcome end result remains same: a unique destination offering unparalleled opportunities for outdoor recreation amidst stunning natural beauty.
FACILITIES AND ACTIVITIES OVERVIEW
BoatingLaunch Rampsyes
CampingPrimitiveyes
 Electric Sitesyes
 Water/Electric Sitesyes
 Full Hookup Sitesyes
Camping
The text describes six camping options in and around Prineville Reservoir State Park. The park's campground offers deluxe cabins, full-hookup sites, and tent camping with amenities like picnic tables, fire pits and restrooms. Jasper Point Campground is a smaller site on the east side of the reservoir offering primitive facilities including vault toilets but no showers or RV hookups. Bear Creek Cove Group Tent Site can accommodate up to 25 people for tents only; it includes water access as well as pit toilet facilities while Roberts Bay East & West Group Sites are designed specifically for larger groups (maximum capacity about 50) providing drinking water taps, flushable toilets along with easy lake access. Crooked River Wetlands Complex just outside town provides an alternative place to set up your tent if you're interested in birdwatching or fishing opportunities during your stay at this location not directly within Prineville Reservoir State Park itself . Lastly there is ample space provided by the park also for those who prefer traveling by recreational vehicle rather than traditional methods such as pitching a tent under open skies.


Location
Prineville Reservoir State Park is located near Prineville, Bend

Trails
1. Juniper Loop Trail: A 0.8-mile easy trail that offers scenic views of the reservoir and surrounding juniper forest.

2. Castle Rock Trail: This moderate, 3-mile round trip hike leads to a stunning viewpoint atop Castle Rock with panoramic vistas over Prineville Reservoir.

3. Owl's Roost Campground Trails: Several short trails around this campground offer gentle hikes through sagebrush flats and along the lakeshore.

4. Chimney Rock Trailhead - Lower Deschutes River Hike : An approximately 10 miles out-and-back hiking route offering beautiful river scenes; it is rated as difficult due to its length but has minimal elevation gain.

5 . Jasper Point Boat Ramp Area Trails - These are several interconnected paths near the boat ramp area at Jasper point which provide great opportunities for bird watching while enjoying lake views

6 . South Shore Access Road Pathway- It's an unpaved road running parallel to south shore of reservoir providing hikers opportunity for long distance walking or biking amidst serene natural beauty

7 . BLM-managed lands Surrounding Park- The park is surrounded by Bureau of Land Management (BLM) managed public land where one can find numerous unmarked trails leading into high desert landscape ideal for adventurous explorers who prefer off-the-beaten-path experiences

8 . Interpretive Nature Walks - There are occasional ranger-led interpretative walks in summer months focusing on local flora, fauna & geology giving visitors deeper understanding about unique ecosystem present here

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Area Campgrounds
Sun Rocks RV Resort
14900 SE Juniper Canyon Road
Prineville, OR
541-447-6540
Nearby Hotels
Booking.com

Directions
Prineville Reservoir State Park is located in Central Oregon, approximately 16 miles southeast of the city of Prineville. Here are directions to reach the park:

1. Starting from downtown Prineville, head east on NE Third Street.
2. Continue straight onto SE Juniper Canyon Road and follow it for about 10 miles.
3. Turn left onto SE Davis Loop Road and continue for another mile.
4. At the intersection with NW Lamonta Road, turn right and drive south for approximately 5 miles.
5. Take a slight left onto NE O'Neil Highway/NE McKay Creek Road (Highway OR-27) towards Paulina/Mitchell/Crane Prairie Reservoirs.

At this point, you have two options depending on which entrance you prefer:
Option A - Main Entrance:
6a: Stay on OR-27 South/NW Crooked River Drive until you see signs indicating "Prineville Reservoir State Park" or "Main Entrance."
7a: Follow these signs as they guide you into the main entrance area where parking lots can be found near various amenities within the state park.

Option B - Jasper Point Campground & Boat Ramp Entrance:
6b: After turning onto OR-27 South/NW Crooked River Drive at step #5 above,
continue driving southward along this road without taking any turns
for around an additional 8 miles until reaching Jasper Point Campground & Boat Ramp's separate entrance signposted accordingly.

Please note that there may be multiple entrances to different areas within Prineville Reservoir State Park; therefore following specific signage will help ensure arriving at your desired destination accurately while exploring all that this beautiful recreational site has to offer!

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Oregon State Parks

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