B2 THE BULLETIN • FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021
CONDITIONS REPORT
Visit High Desert areas and sno-parks
Central Oregon is warming up and what better
open vistas of the High Desert areas.
little shade making them perfect for a late-winter stroll.
Plus, this weekend we spring forward with daylight
saving time beginning early Sunday morning, giving
us all a little more sunshine to explore in.
Remember, March weather can change quickly, so
always go prepared.
For a full list of conditions updated regularly, please
visit centraloregonexplore.com
HIKING AND
DAY USE SITES
OREGON
STATE PARKS
• NOTE: Many of the trails along
seasonally closed highways and
Forest Service roads remain
open, but can only be accessed
by hiking, snowshoeing, cross
country skiing or snowmobiling
due to accumulating snowfall. See
Forest websites for more details .
• Cline Falls State Scenic
Viewpoint: Open; expect reduced
services; restrooms are closed,
portable toilet is on site; maintain
social distancing and wear a mask
• Cove Palisades State Park:
Open for day-use and lake access;
Crooked River Campground
(E Loop) is open; Deschutes
Campground and moorage slips
will open May 14.
• Fort Rock State Natural Area:
Open; day-use hours 8 a.m,-8 p.m.;
rock scrambling closed in
southeast area to protect nesting
falcons
• Jasper Point: Open; boat
ramp closed due to low water
conditions; camping is closed for
the season
• Peter Skene Ogden State Scenic
Viewpoint: Open
• Prineville Reservoir State Park:
Open; expect reduced services
• Smith Rock State Park: Open
— limited services; no camping;
climbing closures to protect
nesting raptors in place until
August; parkwide drone ban is
in effect.
Ochoco National Forest
• Alder Springs Trailhead: Open;
access road closed to motor
vehicles
• Cyrus Trailhead: Open
• Gray Butte Trailhead: Open
• Hammer Creek Trailhead: Open
• Rimrock Springs Trailhead:
Open
• Scales Corral Trailhead: Open
• Skull Hollow Trailhead: Open
• Tam-A-Lau Trailhead: Open
Bureau of Land
Management
• Badlands Rock Trail: Open
• Black Hills ACEC: Open; climbing
and geocaching are prohibited
• Chimney Rock Trail: Open
• Christmas Valley Sand Dunes:
Open
• Cline Buttes Recreation Area:
Portions of Deep Canyon, Fryrear,
Maston and Jaguar Road are
closed through Aug. 31
• Crack-in-the-Ground: Open
• Derrick Cave: Open
• Flatiron Rock Trail: Open
• Fossil Lake ACEC: Open; motor
vehicles and fossil collecting
prohibited
• Green Mountain: Open
• Huntington Wagon Road: Open
• Lost Forest: Open; vehicles
restricted to designated roads only
• Lower Crooked River: Open
• North Fork: Open
• Oregon Badlands Wilderness
Tumulus Trail: Open
• Redmond Caves Recreation
Site: Open
• Scout Camp Trail: Open
• Steelhead Falls Trail: Open
• Trout Creek Trail: South side
of trail, including Trout Creek
climbing walls, is closed through
Aug. 31
Smith Rock
climbing
closures
Mark Morical/Bulletin file photo
• Kapka Butte Sno-park: Open; 42-
66 inches; good conditions; area
roads closed to highway vehicles
through March 31
• Meissner Sno-park: Open; 24-
36 inches; good conditions; area
roads closed through April 1 ; no
dogs; lodge currently closed
• Skyliner Sno-park: Open;
unknown snow depth, access road
closed for the season; road is now
a ski/snowshoe trail
• Swampy Lake Sno-park: Open;
42-66 inches; good conditions; no
dogs; area roads closed through
March 31
• Vista Butte Sno-park: Open; 42-
60 inches; good conditions; area
north of parking area closed to
snowmobiles, use Kapka Butte or
Wanoga
• Wanoga Snow Play: Open; 36-48
inches; good conditions; expect
heavy use; pack out broken sleds
and all trash; shelter is closed
• Wanoga Snowmobile: Open; 36-
48 inches; good conditions; area
roads closed to highway vehicles
through March 31, 2021; shelter
is closed
• Newberry (Six Mile Sno-park):
Open; 2-6 inches; poor conditions
due to low snow.
• Newberry (10 Mile Sno-park):
Open; 18-30 inches; fair conditions,
low snow around sno-park; road
beyond park closed to vehicles for
the season
• Three Creek Sno-park (Lower):
Open; 2-6 inches; marginal
conditions due to low snow
• Three Creek Sno-park (Upper):
Open; 14-18 inches; good
conditions; Forest Service Road 16
is plowed by may have icy ruts
• Walt Haring Sno-park: 8-10
inches; good conditions
SKI AREAS
AND SNOW
PARKS
• Updated 8 a.m. March 11
• Hoodoo: Open; 96.7 inch base;
Hodag lift and Autobahn Tubing
Park are closed
• Mt. Bachelor: Open; 109 inch
base; First Rays lift is closed
• Willamette Pass: 65 inches at
lodge; rentals and tickets must be
reserved online in advance
Deschutes National
Forest
• Crescent Lake Sno-park: Open;
10-12 inches; fair conditions with
low snow
• Crescent Junction: Open; 10-12
inches; fair conditions with low
snow
• Dutchman Flat Sno-park: Open;
72-96 inches; good conditions,
limited parking and no overnight
camping; 40-foot max length limit
for vehicle/trailer combination;
expect heavy use
• Edison Butte Sno-park: Open;
30-48 inches; fair conditions; area
roads closed to highway vehicles
through March 31
Ochoco National
Forest:
•
•
•
•
Bandit Springs Sno-park: Open
Mark’s Creek Sno-park: Open
Ochoco Divide Sno-park: Open
Walton Sno-park: Open
Willamette National
Forest
•
•
•
•
tion with Forest Road 4615
and the junction with Phil’s
Trail
• Phil’s Trail between the junc-
tion with EXT and its western
terminus at the junction with
Pine Drops
• Upper Whoops
• Lower Whoops
• Skyliners
•
•
•
•
•
Gold Lake Sno-park: Open
Ikenick Sno-park: Open
Little Nash Sno-park: Open
Maxwell Sno-park: Open;
Mountain View and South
Maxwell shelters are closed
Potato Hill Sno-park: Open
Ray Benson Sno-park: Open; 54-
66 inches; good conditions, expect
heavy use
Salt Creek Sno-park: Open
Santiam Sno-park: Open
Waldo Lake Sno-park: Open
LA PINE
FRIDAY
Friday 3/12
To protect nesting
raptors, the following
climbing routes are
closed: Cajun Cliff,
Victoria Tower, Little
Three Fingered Jack,
Puddy’s Tower, The
Monument, Anglin’s
Buttress, French Tent
Rock, First Kiss Area
north of Monkey
Face and Smith Rock
Group NE Face (both
towers, above 100
feet).
The Canyon Trail
near the bald eagle
nest is restricted to
groups of four or less
and noise must be
kept to a minimum.
See smithrock.
com/seasonal-clo-
sures for more infor-
mation.
Bend’s Mark Johnson rides along the River Trail at Smith
Rock State Park.
Trail closures west of Bend
Beginning Jan. 28 the fol-
lowing trails are closed from
Monday to 3 p.m. Fridays (ex-
cept for federal holidays) due
to timber harvesting and for-
est restoration work:
• Lower Whoops
• Pine Drops
• EXT
• Storm King from the junc-
• The Pavillion: Public skating by
reservation only. Open skating
session times vary, see website for
details; $12 adults, $11 older adults
(60-79) and students, $10 youth and
honored citizens (80 plus), children
under 3 with a paying adult are free,
$3 discount if you bring your own
skates, $6 per person for special
sessions; 1001 SW Bradbury Drive,
Bend; bendparksandrec.org/facility/
the-pavilion or 541-389-7588.
• Seventh Mountain Resort:
Reservations required. Open skating
sessions run 1 hour and 20 minutes
every two hours 10 a.m.-8 p.m.;
$15 adults, $12 children 7 to 18, $5
children 6 and under, $5 discount
for bringing your own skates;
Seventh Mountain Resort Ice Rink,
18575 SW Century Drive, Bend;
seventhmountainriverco.com/ice-
skating or 877-765-1501.
• Sunriver Village: Reservations
required for all skaters. Open skating
sessions run two hours long every
three hours noon-8 p.m. Monday
through Thursday; 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
Friday and Saturday; 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
and 2-5 p.m. Sunday; $15 adults,
$11 children 5 to 12, $3 discount if
you have your own skates; Sunriver
Village Ice Rink, 57100 Beaver Drive,
Sunriver; sunrivervillagefun.com/
sunriver-ice-skating or 541-593-5948.
The following Bureau
of Land Management
trails are now closed
through Aug. 31 to pro-
tect nesting raptors:
• Millican Plateau OHV
Trail System (Route 95
only)
• South side of Trout
Creek Trail including
climbing walls
• Cline Buttes Recreation
Area (portions of Deep
Canyon, Fryrear, Mas-
ton, Jaguar Road)
• Horny Hollow Trail
• Dry River Canyon
• For more information
visit blm.gov
Many of these places have sprawling openness with
• Bessie Butte Trail: Open
• Boyd Cave Day Use Area: Open
• Horse Butte Trailhead: Open;
mostly snow free and clear
• Pine Mountain: Open
Ice skating rink hours
Bureau of Land
Management
seasonal trail
closures
place to soak up some rays than by heading to the
Deschutes National
Forest
EVENTS
CAMPING
BLM — Prineville
District
• Barr Road North Staging Area:
Open
• Big Bend Campground: Open
• Buckhorn Staging Area: Open
• Castle Rock Campground: Open
• Chimney Rock Campground: Open
• Cobble Rock Campground: Open
• Lone Pine Campground: Open
• Macks Canyon Recreation Site:
Open
• Palisades Campground: Open
• Post Pile Campground: Open
• Steelhead Falls: Open; no potable
water
• Stillwater Campground: Open
• Central Oregon Sportsmen’s Show:
The annual outdoor sports and
recreation exhibition will be held and
include seminars, local and regional
business and more. Tickets must
be purchased in advance online;
12-8 p.m.; $5 to $12; Deschutes
County Fair & Expo Center, 3800 SE
Airport Way, Redmond; go.evvnt.
com/749221-2 or 503-246-8291.
Saturday 3/13
• CORK Saturday Long Run: A 5-8
mile group run will take place.
Runners must maintain social
distancing while running and masks
must be worn inside any building.
Limited to 25 participants; 9-11 a.m.;
Thump Roastery, 549 NW York Drive,
Bend; go.evvnt.com/749775-0
• Central Oregon Sportsmen’s Show:
The annual outdoor sports and
recreation exhibition will be held and
include seminars, local and regional
business and more. Tickets must
be purchased in advance online;
10 a.m.-8 p.m.; $5 to $12; Deschutes
County Fair & Expo Center, 3800 SE
Airport Way, Redmond; go.evvnt.
com/749222-2 or 503-246-8291.
caught on something slow and
tasty, steelhead fishing is done as
most fish are entering spawning
grounds in closed waters.
• Middle Deschutes (Benham Falls
to Lake Billy Chinook): 3,910 cfs;
brown trout, rainbow trout; water
is higher and clarity is good with
decent trout fishing; open year-
round for trout, artificial flies and
lures only; no limit on brown trout
• Crooked River (below Opal
Springs): 1,292 cfs; rainbow trout
and mountain whitefish; only fish
downstream of Bowman Dam to
Lake Billy Chinook; fishing has been
good but water remains low; any
trout over 20 inches are considered
steelhead and must be released, bull
trout must be released unharmed
and reported to the USFW at
crookedbulltrout@fws.gov
• Metolius River: 1,410 cfs; bull trout,
rainbow trout; consistent fishing
reported between Allingham
Bridge and Bridge 99 but access
may be difficult depending on
snow; fly fishing only upstream of
Bridge 99, artificial lures and flies
permitted below; catch and release
only; public access to Wizard Falls
Hatchery remains closed; river is
closed to fishing above Allingham
Bridge until May 22, 2021
• Prineville Reservoir: 40%
full; rainbow trout, small and
largemouth bass, catfish, crappie,
crayfish; trout fishing has been fair,
good for warm weather species
• Ochoco Reservoir: 19% full;
rainbow trout, black crappie,
smallmouth bass; trout fishing
should start increasing with lower
temperatures; ramp still likely
unusable due to low water levels
• Haystack Reservoir: 83% full;
rainbow and brown trout, kokanee,
largemouth bass, black crappie,
bluegill and bullhead catfish; west
side boat ramp is open
• Lake Billy Chinook: Bull, brown
and rainbow trout, kokanee,
smallmouth bass; Metolius arm is
now open but tribal fishing permit
required, kokanee fishing has been
excellent
CYCLING
Fatbike and winter
trails:
• Ben’s-MTB-Kent’s, Horse Butte
Loop, Horse Ridge Area: Muddy
• Wanoga — 3 PSI, Wanoga —
Outer Loop: Rideable snow
• Madras East Hills, Maston, The
Radlands: Riding well
East of Bend trails
• Dry River Canyon: Closed through
Aug. 31
• Coyote Loop, Has No Horse,
Horse Butte Loop, Horse Ridge
Area, Sand Canyon, Swamp
Wells: Muddy
• All other trails riding well
Maston complex
• All trails riding well
Redmond trails
• Cole Loop, Gray Butte: Muddy
• All other trails riding well
Madras East Trails
• Coyote Run, Valley of the Bones:
Winter mix
• Peek A Boo — Berm Mountain,
Wide Open: Muddy
• All other trails riding well
FISHING
• Updated at 8 a.m. March 11
• Lower Deschutes (Pelton Dam
to Columbia River): 4,900 cfs;
redband trout, steelhead, whitefish;
trout will continue to be less active
through the winter but can be
Sunday 3/14
• Central Oregon Sportsmen’s Show:
The annual outdoor sports and
recreation exhibition will be held and
include seminars, local and regional
business and more. Tickets must
be purchased in advance online;
10 a.m.-4 p.m.; $5 to $12; Deschutes
County Fair & Expo Center, 3800 SE
Airport Way, Redmond; go.evvnt.
com/749226-2 or 503-246-8291.
Tuesday 3/16
• Beginning Birding: Learn what tools
you might need, what parts of the
bird to look at, and where you might
want to go to get started; streaming
online; registration required; online;
go.evvnt.com/749732-1 or 541-330-
0017.
• Know Wild — Pollinator Pathway
& Native Bees of Central Oregon:
Learn how you can help pollinators
this spring and get acquainted
with native bees in this two-part
presentation with Basey Klopp
and Toni Stephan; 3-4 p.m.; online;
go.evvnt.com/749182-0 or 541-312-
1029.
Wednesday 3/17
• March Nature Night —
Restoration and Reciprocity:
This talk with Dr. Robin Kimmerer
explores the ecological and ethical
imperatives of healing the damage
done to our land and waters;
7-8:30 p.m.; registration required;
Bend; go.evvnt.com/749733-1 or
541-330-0017.
Thursday 3/18
• CORK Thursday Run: The weekly
3-5 mile run will take place. Runners
must maintain social distance on
the route and wear masks when
entering any indoor space. Limited
to 25 participants; 6-8 p.m.; Crosscut
Warming Hut No.5 Tap House, 566
SW Mill View Way, Bend; go.evvnt.
com/747360-0
SISTERS
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
FRIDAY
53°/20° 59°/27° 54°/27°
MILES
N
SATURDAY
0
SUNDAY
10
59°/29° 64°/36° 61°/29°
46
ELEVATION: 4,236 FEET
ELEVATION: 3,182 FEET
20
97
126
Lava Butte
Lake Billy Chinook
Deschutes River
BEND
FRIDAY
Newberry Volcano
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
57°/25° 63°/38° 58°/29°
ELEVATION: 3,623 FEET
REDMOND
FRIDAY
97
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
58°/24° 64°/31° 61°/30°
60°/28° 64°/34° 62°/31°
ELEVATION: 3,077 FEET
ELEVATION: 2,242 FEET
20
Sources: Accuweather, U.S. Geological Survey
Clarinda Simpson/Bulletin graphic
MADRAS
Smith Rock