Situated fifteen miles south of the town of Prineville, 3,030-acre Prineville Reservoir was formed when Bowman Dam was constructed across the Crooked River in 1961. The lake attracts many anglers—trout fisherman do best in the cooler months; in the summer, fishing for small and largemouth bass, catfish and crappie picks up. Prineville is also popular with skiers and wakeboarders seeking a little respite from the central Oregon sun.

On the northeastern edge of the reservoir, you’ll find the Prineville Wildlife area, which affords excellent bird watching in the summer months (including golden eagles, prairie falcons and Brewers blackbirds) and a chance to observe mule deer in the winter. Some boaters will make their way to Prineville Reservoir along Route 27, a beautiful road that hugs the lower Crooked River—a favorite trout stream for fly fishers. Fully equipped campsites are available on the lake; rustic sites along the Crooked River.

Courtesy of “Boating in Oregon” by Oregon State Marine Board