Upper Klamath Lake
Nearly 30 miles long and up to eight miles wide,
Upper Klamath Lake
is the largest body of freshwater west of the
Rockies.The winds can shift on a
dime on Klamath Lake keeping the outcome of the
Wednesday night
yacht club races “up
in the air” to the end. Regattas draw sailors
from around the world. As shallow as eight feet
and as deep as 60 feet in a few isolated spots, the lake is host to
windsurfers, sailors, recreational boaters, fishermen and hunters.
The winds can shift on a dime on Klamath Lake
keeping the outcome of the Wednesday night yacht
club races “up in the air”
to the end. Regattas draw sailors from around the world.
A highly nutritious strain of blue green algae
(Aphanizomenon flos-aquae) flourishes in the lake. The tiny,
single-celled organisms thrive in the warm waters. Packed with an broad
array of micronutrients, the algae is harvested by local companies and
processed for sale as a food supplement.
Clean, blue rivers and a multitude of creeks and
springs feed the northern portion of the lake. The crystal clear water
around Pelican Bay is home to a vast population of rainbow trout. Fly
fishermen from around the globe catch - and release - some of the
largest trout on the continent. Resorts on the shores of Pelican Bay
attend to the needs of fishermen by offering meals, lodging and guide
services.
Canoe and kayak trails meander through the marshes and waterways of
Pelican Bay providing unparalleled viewing of waterfowl, otter, mink,
deer and bald eagles.
It’s hard to say which is more impressive,
the performances inside the building or the building itself. Once a
1940s movie palace, the stylish, art-deco performing arts center is a
landmark in Klamath Falls. The Ragland’s six-story tower,
brightly lit with neon, is a friendly beacon for travelers looking for
world-class entertainment. There’s always something happening at
the Ross Ragland. For more information or reservations, dial
541-884-5483.
Running Y Ranch Resort
What’s your pleasure? Golfing on
Oregon’s Number #1 rated course. Riding your favorite mount to
survey the cattle on this working ranch. Bicycling the many trails
throughout the resort. Canoeing the reed marshes along Upper Klamath
Lake. Or just sinking into an overstuffed chair in front of a massive
stone fireplace. The Running Y Ranch Resort, just eight miles west of
Klamath Falls, is surrounded by bird sanctuaries, wildlife preserves
and towering forests.
Named after the Klamath, Modoc and Yahooskin
Tribes, which were the original “settlers” of the Klamath
Basin, Kla-Mo-Ya Casino is located on Highway 97 just 25 miles north of
Klamath Falls. Gaming includes slots, blackjack, poker and bingo. Ample
parking, delicious food and friendly people will greet you upon
arrival. For more information or reservations, dial 888-552-6692.
Few state parks offer the recreational
opportunities of Collier Memorial. The campground is open from
mid-April through October and includes 50 full hookup sites, 18 tent
sites, hot showers, flush toilets, an RV dump station and plenty of
paved parking. The Williamson River and its Spring Creek tributary, two
of Oregon’s best trout fishing waters, are nearby. A short hike
from the campground leads to the Logging Museum and Pioneer Village. A longer, 10-mile hike connects Collier Memorial to Jackson F. Kimball State Recreation Site. The trail is open to hikers, bikers, cross-country
skiers and horseback riders. For more information, dial 800-551-6949.
Welcome to the OC&E Woods Line State Trail
– Oregon's longest linear park! This 100-mile, rail-to-trail
conversion is built on the old railbed of the Oregon, California, and
Eastern Railroad. The trail is open for all non-motorized recreation,
beginning in the heart of Klamath Falls, extending east to Bly and
north to the lush Sycan Marsh. From its beginnings as a railroad
carrying millions of board feet of timber and railcars loaded with
cattle, to its present cargo of recreational trail users, this railroad
line has always been on the move.
As of November 2002, the OC&E Woods Line State
Trail is paved from the Klamath Falls Trailhead to the small, rural
community of Olene. This makes a total of 8 miles of paved trail
surface where you can bike, jog, skate, and ride horseback. Here,
you'll experience the historic 1898 steel bridge spanning the A Canal
and imagine the feel of an old-time steam engine crossing its riveted
beams. From Highway 39, an unpaved trail emerges into a wonderful
mixture of ranch lands, rivers, and forested buttes. All the original
trestles are still in place, as well as unique engineering feats such
as the double switchback.
This trail section is more rugged and attracts
mountain bikers, avid hikers, anglers, equestrian users, and wildlife
watchers. From Beatty to the Sycan Marsh, trail users are in a national
forest, with its lofty ponderosa pines, lively streams, and Horse Glade
Trailhead camping. This section is host to the 400-foot-long Merritt
Creek Trestle. Cross-country skiers will be delighted to find snowfall
in the area is consistent. Sycan Marsh is an attraction for bird
watchers. Exploring the OC&E Woods Line State Trail is always an
adventure. For more information see this website: http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_230.php
Lava Beds National Monument is located
approximately 25 miles south of the Oregon/California border. It is
included on the Klamath County map because of its geologic and historic
ties to the region. For centuries, the Tulelake area was home to the
Modoc Indians. An attempt to forcibly remove Modoc Chief Captain Jack
and his 52 warriors from the Lava Beds led to a five-month standoff
with the U.S. Army. Battle sites from the Modoc War have been carefully
preserved. The National Monument has the largest concentration of lava
tubes in the continental U.S. – 426 caves in all. The region is
also known for its unusually high number of birds of prey and migratory
waterfowl.
The downtown Klamath Falls area has been the centerpiece of our community for more than a
century and it shows in the quality of old buildings and the care
we’ve taken to keep it spiffed up. The Ross Ragland Theater features nationally recognized entertainment, an art
gallery, and a conference center. Tours of historic buildings and homes
are available. Wonderful
shops and art galleries are
everywhere with room for more!
Our heritage is logging and agriculture and the
rich and colorful cultures that developed to support these industries. You will still see cowboys driving cattle down
rural roads (don’t honk, drive very slowly through); colorful
communities like Gilchrist with its uniquely decorated buildings and
the Czech settlement in Malin; sheep herding – there used
to be hundreds of thousands grazing rangelands from north to south;
special places where hard working people relax and cool off like
Bly’s hidden swimming hole and the high lakes of Gearhart
Mountain’s wilderness area. 350,000 visitors a year enjoy Collier
State Park Logging Museum, one of the best of its kind in the world!
Our newly developed Klamath
County Youth Sports Complex includes 3
baseball fields, 4 soccer fields, and one field house for indoor golf
and baseball practice plus one of the top three skateboard parks in the world. Almost completed is an indoor soccer
arena. Coming soon will be eight more multi-purpose baseball fields,
and an indoor aquatic center with two gyms!
For information on the communities of Crescent, Gilchrist, Crescent Lake,
Crescent Lake Junction or surrounding lakes, rivers and land contact:
North Klamath County Visitor Center
138351 Highway 97 North
PO Box 310
Gilchrist, OR 97737
541 433-2348
The Visitor Center in Gilchrist has information on
dining, lodging, outdoor recreation opportunities and attractions in
North Klamath County. If you find yourself on Highway 97 needing some
assistance, the friendly people in Gilchrist are there to answer your
questions!
