Haystack Reservoir in Central Oregon

Haystack Reservoir in Central Oregon is a favorite place for camping and fishing and boat races. It is located off Highway 97 between Redmond and Madras to the East at Jericho Lane.

 This is not the time of the year that most people camp here. You will find one trailer which is the camp host. This is a photo taken from the first camp site looking at the boat ramp taken from the west shore campground.  This campground used to be free but now a small fee is charged.

These photos show all the different patterns on the ice. The bottom one to me looks like someone was out on a snowmobile when it was so cold and lots more snow then now. I am not sure what makes all the patterns but I found them very pretty.

These two photos are the boat ramp, want to launch your boat. It looks like the ice is very thin right at the end of the boat ramp. Way to cold for me to want to go out a boat let alone breaking the ice ahead of me, I just don't like fishing that much.

At first you think that this picnic table is just a lonely place waiting for its summer visitors but when you look close it is a shelter for the birds to get to the grass and eat as the quail were all over under it when I first pulled up.

Two of the favorite camping spots, one of them has been used for a turn around so the snow has melted or maybe some brave campers or fishermen. The second one shows no use at all except for some deer tracks as they come down to water.

An Osprey (fish eagle) sitting in a tree, he was nervous when we stopped and took off for home. This Osprey nest is just down the road from where she was at. Most Osprey come back to the same nest for years. I know this one has been here for a long time. Birds use all kinds of things for their nests that they find and it looks like someone left an old blue tarp that they used in this one. Maybe she just wanted to decorate hers pretty...

Even the cows came out of the shelters to enjoy the wonderful sunshine today, they were like sun bathing and seemed to be enjoying every minute.

When you continue around Haystack Reservoir and make a left at the first major road to the East towards Cyrus Springs and Grey Butte Cemetery you will get to highway 26 and turn North for approximately one mile and turn East on Ramm's road and then take a left to the north at the first road off Ramms road you will come to this corral.

The corral off Ramm's road at about milepost 12 on Highway 26 towards Prineville you turn East on Ramms road and then take the first road to the left brings you to the back side of the wildlife refuge. You can walk in from highway 26 just before you get to Ramms road and walk back and they have some observation decks built for you to set and watch the birds.

Mt. Jefferson, the second largest mountain in Oregon and the one our county gets it's name from. Many legends from the Native Americans on Jefferson and Hood. The have some snow that lasts year around. When I grew up I could look out one window and see Jefferson and the kitchen window looked at Mt. Hood.  I love the mountains of Central Oregon and they provide many outdoor activities in all seasons.

 Another photo of Mt. Jefferson. I just love this mountain, can you tell?

This is another one right at the corral that shows the small pond wild refuge and you can see highway 26 at the base of the hill in front of Jefferson. You can walk in from either side but no observation decks on this side and if it is nesting season this side has locked gates where the wildlife is not disturbed.

This are photos of Mt. Hood from East of Haystack showing the community of Madras and Metolius. Mt. Hood is the tallest mountain in Oregon.  You can always tell Mt. Hood in Central Oregon from Jefferson as Mt. Hood comes to a peak and Mt. Jefferson has a very rugged top. If you look close you can see the Native American legend of the canoe loaded with supplies on top.

These are looking back at the Three Sisters and Mt. Bachelor towards the Southwest from Madras. I loved the way the fog was hanging around the bottom of the mountains.  Central Oregon has some of the best scenery in the world year around. It has very different seasons from spring through winter brings its own joys and beauty.

I hope you have enjoyed the sunny drive from Madras around Haystack Reservoir and back to Madras on the back roads. Get off the main highways and enjoy life at a slower pace.