Rowland Lake, formally named DeBois Lake, is so beautiful ! This little lake is so picturesque,…read moreespecially in the spring when the wildflowers are in bloom and growing along the slopes, framing the water. If you have driven along SR-14 four miles east of Bingen, then you have driven through Rowland Lake, literally, since the SR-14 and the train track cut through the lake! It makes for some pretty spectacular photo snaps! When you turn onto Old Highway 8 there is a small parking lot and a few areas where you can pull over to take in the scene. Further up the hill on Old Highway 8 is a pull off area for even better views from above. If you are heading to Catherine Creek area or Syncline Wines, you will pass Rowland Lake. It's worth pulling over for a few minutes to take in the beauty. The north lake is stocked with trout, both rainbow and broodstock. There are two fishing openers: the first is from the last Saturday in April through the Sunday before Thanksgiving.; the second is the Friday after Thanksgiving through February. People have also caught bluegill, crappie and largemouth bass. Check their website for details. There is a small boat launch area; electronic boats only. WA access pass is required if you are spending time here other than just pulling over for a few quick pics. I walked around, took pics, then headed to Catherine Creek.

With Horsethief Butte as the scenic backdrop, this lake is a relaxing spot for fishing & kayaking…read more Equipped with bathrooms & showers, a popular place for camping & RV sleepovers. Not naturally formed, flooded into existence by the Dalles Dam. Without a natural circulation of water, the summer creates toxic algae harmful to humans and fish. Warning signs are posted. A petroglyph trail is a highlight for all; in depth tour guide available by reservation. Boat launch access to the Columbia River.

Lovely piece of the Gorge. We've stopped by the lake portion and checked out the Petroglyphs before…read morewhile passing through, as well as briefly jumping onto a trail at the Butte. This weekend we got around to investing more time in the trails of Butte and it was pretty fun. The trails don't allow for a complete loop around the rock, as there's a block for restoration on the east side. But you can wander most of the way around the water side...up and around the rocks is really where's it at though. There are 3 access points to the top from the trails, and the bouldering up is loads of fun. Once atop you can roam all about and enjoy fabulous views from every angle. While the remainder of the trails at Butte are average, we found it pretty entertaining to climb around the rock portion. There's a decent amount of parking...Discover Pass required...as well at a vault toilet at the trailhead.

Scenic Fishing Spot…read more 5/5 Stars Not only is this place Beautiful but it is filled with fish. It is a great place to come with friends and family. It is safe and spacious.

Super clean & clear lake. Perfect for an afternoon outing on the beach or paddling on the water…read more Pretty large with a 12 mile walking/biking path circling the entirety of the lake. Day use areas are scattered all along the shore of the lake, very accessible from path. The rocks in the water are smooth, so less chance of cutting your foot. $10 parking fee 10 mph speed limit on water -- no wake entire lake

This visit we finally got to do some kayaking on Timothy while staying the night at Pine Point…read more It was a great weekend on the lake. Beautiful waters perfect for the kayak, fun hiking, a beautiful camp site, lots of adorable ducklings...and although a wildfire popped up within eyeshot, we got to witness planes working through the evening dipping into Timothy and ultimately taking the fire down. Yay! Although I've never seen so many employees at any campground, the grounds were kept pristine and every staff member encountered was friendly. No complaints, just fabulous fun at Timothy!

overrun. sketchy crowds. not a fan of this spot anymore. used to be way better years agoread more

So OK, the directions to get there might be a little iffy, and you might get a little lost along…read morethe trail if you haven't been there before, and your pack might be kinda waaaaaaay too heavy because you've never backpacked before, and the mosquitoes might be vicious little buggers, but WOW this lake is so worth it all. At 1.5 hrs from Portland, and only about mile in from the road, you can easily hike in for the day and hike out in the evening, but the best is when you can set up camp and stay for a while. First you go up, up, up the hill to the point where you can look to the left and see Timothy Lake (helloooo!) and then you hike down, down - watch out for boulders and fallen trees - to what I'm going to call the clearest, most serene lake in Northern Oregon. It's a fantastic place to bring a floatie and a book, or 25 of your closest friends. Want to see pictures? http://www.flickr.com/photos/spcilk/sets/72157621357976720/ Want directions?http://maps.google.com/maps?daddr=Buck+Lake,+Oregon+00070&geocode=Ccf3BpbjNOfeFfFWsAIdM2G8-A&dirflg=&saddr=portland,+or&f=d&sll=45.112376,-121.872067&sspn=0.006663,0.01575&ie=UTF8&z=9

I dunno, Yelp keeps telling me that I'm reviewing Little Crater Lake Campground, when what I…read moreactually want to post about is Little Crater Lake itself. Hello, Google Maps? Anyway, you DO have to drive through the campground to get to the excruciatingly small parking area for the Lil Crater trail, but the areas are separate things. Trail is less than a quarter mile walk to what proved to be a crystalline azure pool of water that looked at least 70 feet deep -- though I wouldn't know actual depth, I didn't measure it. Probably depends on the light of the day, but what we saw was magical; be warned that it is out of the way, on a pretty rough forest service road, so unless you're in the area, maybe not worth the drive.

Little Crater Lake is worth a stop if you're in the area. We stayed at the campground and hiked the…read morequarter mile to the lake several times. If possible, visit when the sun is overhead for the bluest water. When the trees shade the sun, the water is much less vibrant.

Host staff warm and welcoming. We stayed one night for July…read more4th. It was a last minute decision but I was able to find one ada spot available but it was right next to the restroom. People walking through the campsite at all hours of the night thinking it wasn't a site as it isn't clearly visible that it is. So if you don't want that don't get one directly next to the restrooms, but if you are a people person and enjoy talking that would be a great spot if you're disabled. This year for July 4th we found a better site a bit farther away because of my dog. There are lots of trees and great water access for fishing and swimming. A very family friendly place! On the day after July 4th, the local fire department goes through the campground and hands out stuff for the children. It was fun watching before we had to leave . This was a great place to camp to get away from the noise of fireworks too. I definitely will be camping here in the future! Cons: no showers and bring a roll of toilet paper with you in case there isn't any in the restroom in the middle of the night

Great campground. Lots of trees. Has a beach spot for swimming. Huge parking loar for boat access…read moreor extra parking. No showers though.

Wahclella Falls is my favorite easy hike near PDX. It's about 2 miles and is an out and back trail…read morewith a waterfall. It takes a little over half an hour to complete and has one of the most interesting waterfalls in the gorge.

On the list of No spend summer activities Hiking has to be my favorite especially if its in the…read morePNW . Not too far from Portland this hike is short and fun and it does award you with gorgeous views at certain points . We had a 5 year old with us who was easily able to do most parts of it . The waterfall is two tiered and the pool it falls into is perfect for a dip. The biggest challenge is the parking and we saw plenty of people get tickets .

8.1 miles, 1509 ft elevation gain, 2 hrs 33 minutes…read more The hike all the way to Tom, Dick, and Harry Mountain is definitely longer than the stated 8 miles on AllTrails. We did not have enough water and had to turn around a bit early at mile 4 (for a grand total of 8). Tom, Dick, and Harry Mountain was visible but I didn't want to risk my poor pup overheating on such a warm day. Not many other folks go past mirror lake or the initial mountain viewpoint so you might find you'll have this to yourself. The trail is very well maintained to mirror lake, and even has a few cute little bridges and stream crossings. After that, it can be quite narrow and bouldery though there are many beautiful wildflowers lining the trail. There were also a few mosquitos just after the lake so come prepared with bug spray. All I can speak for is the mountain viewpoint (since that's as far as we got) but it was worth the trek up there to see Mt. Hood, Mirror Lake, and Government Camp from that point of view.

Great Hike - but Beware! My rental car window was smashed along with a couple other cars…read more Sunglasses stolen. Cost of window and driving back down mountain in cold was worse than the lost glasses. Leave nothing in your vehicle!

Amazing walk around the lake other than the few trees across the trail that I'm sure will be…read morecleared.

We didn't have the best experience in Cabin 6. There was a pretty disturbing incident, and Trent…read moreWeseman, the manager told us he'd discount our stay, but wasn't available at checkout and changed his story when we finally talked to him on the phone. Read about the insect infestation under "Now for the bad." THE GOOD The staff at the resort are responsive and cordial--not overly friendly, but accommodating and professional. The boat rental manager is super friendly and helpful. The grounds are kept clean, pit toilets cleaned daily and have hand sanitizer. The showers are private and very nice. Hot water comes quickly. Cabins: Our cabin, #6, has 2 bedrooms, a fireplace, a nice wood table with 2 benches, a couch and a chair with a reading light. The kitchen has dishes, glassware, utensils, flatware, pots, skillet, and a baking sheet. Appliances include a microwave, toaster, coffee maker, a gas 4-burner range with oven. Both bedrooms have 2 windows, a comfortable bed for 2, a clothes rack with hangers, and plenty of electrical outlets. Bedroom 1 is slightly bigger with a nightstand. No nightstand in bedroom 2--very narrow space on both sides of the bed. See the Bad section for more. The lake: Beautiful swimming and boating--no motor boats, so that was nice. Gorgeous views of Mt. Hood from the middle of the lake and the day use areas (a 5-minute walk from the lodge). There is a great walk around the lake with a well-maintained trail. Now for the bad: The insect infestation : Cabin 6 has an unknown flying insect infestation every day around noon. It is not insignificant--there are hundreds. They crawl in from a crack around the fireplace and cover the windows and mantle. It is pretty disgusting and disturbing (see photos). Trent, the manager, offered us 2 rooms in the lodge, which have running water, a real bathroom with flush toilet and shower. However, they are dark and at the back of the lodge. The whole point of our trip was to be together with our friends playing games, visiting and sharing meals together. By the time we checked out the lodge rooms and got back to the cabin to figure out what to do, the bugs had died, so we swept them out and decided to stay in the cabin. They came back the next day too. Trent also offered us a boat rental for free, but we also declined it because we brought our own boat. We spent a lot of time talking with him about how to discount our stay, and he said he could discount us the price of a boat rental, and said "don't worry, we'll make it right." Trent wasn't there when we checked out, and when he finally called us back he reneged on his promise to "make it right." It's really disappointing to be lied to, and my husband wasn't going to get into a futile and heated argument with him. We paid $1087 for 3 nights, and when you have something like this happen you expect to be compensated somehow. The NOISE: In the lodge and cabin area the generator for the resort runs constantly and it is LOUD. You are never listening to nature--there is a constant humming/whirring from the generator. You can get away from the noise if you are further away from the lodge and cabins. The yurt areas are quieter, and there are camp sites far enough away from the noise. The view: Cabin 6 faces a huge graveled parking area--that is your view. Trees obscure the lake. Cabin 8, the largest, has a nice view of the lake. Food prep and cleanup (specifically for cabin 6): We arrived on Labor Day and the restaurant had stopped being open during the week. We brought our food, so it wasn't an issue. There isn't room to clean dishes in the cabin. We cooked 3 meals a day, every day. We had to set up a dish washing station on our outdoor table. I had brought a large pot, so we kept water warm on the stove. A note about the toilet/sink area: the only way to turn the water on and off is on the BACK side of the sink about 18" off the ground-take 2 people. Also--bring a bin to put your dishes in to carry up to the sink. A porch setup works as long as it doesn't rain. There's no room for an outside canopy. We won't be back.