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Trip Report: Olive Lake cool enough to be refreshing, warm enough to feel like bath water
By: KM Collins
Olive Lake is a sub alpine oasis in the farthest reaches of the Blue Mountains in Northeastern Oregon. Many campsites are lakeside and have primitive beaches. In addition there is a large shared putin with a ramp and dock extending into the water. To get there, one must travel on a gravel road for upwards of an hour.
A quaint point of interest is the now defunct hydropower facility that previously used water from the lake to fuel the plant. In the late 1800s when the Blue Mountains were bustling with a gold rush, electricity was needed. With remnants and undertones of a gold rush gone by, the nearby town of Granite is also a great spot to check out.
Paddling on Olive Lake provides enough space for a 2-4 hour kayak trip. The perimeter of the lake, which also has a hiking trail, is about 3 miles in length. The path crossed the damn blockage and has several beautiful wood decks for crossing small streams and wetland areas. The path is tight and has several downed trees to climb over or crawl under.
Paddling at Olive Lake is glorious. Although motor boats are permissible, they are few and often only out at the best fishing hours. Because the lake requires quite a bit of travel on gravel roads, it is less trafficked than other lakes in Oregon, particularly central to Portland.
The water is crystal clear and often glassy.
Of particular interest is the “Lady of the Lake” mystery log located nearish to the dam. It is an old log standing on end and poking out of the water just a foot or two. When pushed down it disappears and after a few moments, pops back up. It is a novel and perplexing point of interest.
When I visited in early July, the wild flowers were busting, the ground cover was lush and green and the water was cool enough to be refreshing but warm enough to be welcoming. This lake is like heaven on Earth for an afternoon paddle and an overnight at the campground.
A final consideration is high elevation lakes for summer paddling may be preferred for their likelihood to have less smoke than waterways in low elevated or sink drainages. This year’s wildfire season started early and has only increased in intensity. Be sure to keep getting outside and avoiding smoke were possible!
