Lake Owyhee offers visitors, hiking, swimming, boating, fishing picnicking, animal watching and historic sites.

A boat trip up the lake from the park is one of the many not-to-be-missed experiences in eastern Oregon. Look closely! Bighorn sheep and pronghorn antelope live here, as do golden eagles, coyotes,mule deer, wild horses and (rarely) mountain lions. Critters aren’t your game? Rockhounds and hikers are welcome to this wilderness paradise. Use the park as your base camp to explore the badlands of Oregon.

Vital stats: Food, marine fuel and ice are all available. All campsites are first-come, first-served. Two tepees are reservable by phone. When you rent a tepee, you get free use of a canoe. The campground offers 30 electrical sites and 10 tent sites (maximum site 55 feet). The park is open March – November.

: Climate in Eastern Oregon varies greatly with elevation. The higher elevations experience colder temperatures and higher precipitation than the lower elevations. The region is much more arid and experiences greater temperature variations than western Oregon. Much of Eastern Oregon is considered high desert, where in some areas annual precipitation is less than 10 inches. Summer temperatures often reach 90 degrees in the lower elevations. Winters can be bitterly cold here, although there is little humidity. The mountains can receive heavy snowfall. If visiting the region during the summer months be prepared for afternoon thunderstorms and chilly evening temperatures. Snow may be encountered on high country trails throughout the summer months.

Location: Lake Owyhee State Park is located in Eastern Oregon. It lies off OR 201, 33 miles southwest of Nyssa, near Owyhee Dam and the Oregon/Idaho border.

Contact Info: Oregon Parks & Recreation Department1115 Commercial Street NESalemOR97301-1002800-551-6949