John Day River

September 15, 2024September 14, 2024

Back to the Canyon

We’ve managed to book regular stays at Cottonwood State Park and this week was September’s visit.

There is a quiet stillness to this spot that is very restful.

This cabin camping is just the ticket.

It starts with a couple hours drive up Highway 97 through a cross section of Central Oregon landscapes . . . forests to wheat fields, sage steppes to wind farms.

There is a great grassy spot in the day-use area

The day-use area allows us to plan a late lunch before the ‘official’ check in time.

A shady spot even in the heat of the day

We also managed to get in some fishing early in the afternoon.

Evening to sunset we mostly just sit in the shade of the cabin’s porch and sip cold beverages.

Though this time, the day was a bit too warm and we had to take advantage of the AC to endure the afternoon heat.

Outside urban light pollution, the star-filled skies require an early morning gaze.

There is coffee sipped to the sunrise over the John Day River and perhaps a morning try at Small Mouth Bass.

We’re usually packed and back on the road by noon.

It’s not a lot of time spent, but the value of place and peace of mind is huge.

We’ve got another stay reserved for next month and regularly check the reservation site to look for openings and chart the next stay.

August 4, 2024August 3, 2024

A Day Trip

At times these past few weeks, it seemed that all of Oregon was burning. So this week we attempted to see if that was true.

It’s not. At least not the entire state.

However, here in the high desert we are regularly covered in a plume of smoke.

We began our trip before dawn . . . an early start to a long loop route.

First stop, Cottonwood Canyon Day Use with enough time for some small mouth bass fishing.

This is one of our favorite spots,. Set in a canyon on the last few miles of the John Day, the river meanders across the northern third of the state.

Upstream, the John Day River, at Cottonwood Canyon SP

The morning was mostly smoke-free with cool morning temperatures.

Sharing lunch with local wildlife

The day use space at Cottonwood was empty and offered plenty of shade. We set up chairs and took in the quiet.

The next leg was east toward Service Creek, another point along the river.

This brought us to the western edge of a group of active wildfires, Lone Rock (137k acres), Monkey Creek (176k acres), and Courtrock (20k acres).

The turn south at Service Creek was literally the last piece of Highway 19 east still open.

There are always interesting bits of geology along Oregon highways

It was as far as we intended to go, but we did cross our fingers that we’d be able to get on State 207 and find a route to Mitchell.

By the time we’d pass Waldron Schoolhouse , the smoke had cleared and the traffic was light. We enjoyed the drive down to the Twickenham Road and the eastern border of Sutton Mountain.

At Mitchell we connected with Highway 26, and then took a short detour to visit the Painted Hills Unit.

We’ve been there numerous times, but this is a stop that is always worth the effort.

From there it’s back onto 26 over Ochoco Pass and dinner at the Tastee Treet.

A burger dinner on the Crooked River seemed a good way to end our day.

October 29, 2023October 27, 2023

A Game of Cards on the John Day

There are folks that aspire to primitive methods when camping . . that is not us.

We booked a cabin at Cottonwood Canyon State Park, roasted german sausages on a gas grill, and turned up the electric heater as the fall winds turned cold.

There are rock formations and sage, but very few trees.

Trails were hiked. Lines were wet and books were read.

However, every evening tables were pushed together and six of us engaged in a semi-friendly game of Contract Rummy. I never got all.

It’s interesting to me how many variations of rules there can be for such a simple rummy game. Our family has always played card games.

While this particular variation on rummy is ‘optimum’ for 4 people we’ve dealt hands to more than a dozen players after a large family meal.

The rules are simple enough for children to pick up. However, around the Schommer family table there might be rough language thrown about.

All in good humor, usually. And so it was this week when we met the Wilcox and Yecnys for a two day stay beside the John Day River.

Cottonwood Canyon and the John Day River

We’ve mentioned Cottonwood Canyon State Park before in this blog, but as with all good places there are frequent return visits.

The site is on a lower stretch of Oregon’s only un-dammed river, sitting on a flat between a couple of rock, sage and prairie grass covered hills.

The camp sites are spacious, so RV’s aren’t stacked like parking slips at Walmart. We always choose the cabins, they offer amenities like electric lights, heat and air conditioning.

I think this would be considered Glamping, and we love it.

Canyon walls hit with the first light of day

These two days the cabin also offered shelter from the winds, as well as a good space to sit six people for a meal and afterwards a game of cards.

A good time was had by all.

April 9, 2023April 8, 2023

Cabin Camping

I don’t think it would qualify for an Instagram post as ‘glamping‘, but this week we spent a couple of nights in a cabin on the John Day River.

Winter snowstorms still pester the Bend area, but at the park we enjoyed sunny days and mild spring-like temperatures.

Oregon State Parks offers overnight stays in cabins, teepees and yurts at parks all over the state. Most of these exist at coastal parks, however a dozen parks east of the Cascades have structured camping options.

Most importantly for us, there is always at least one cabin that allows pets.

Cottonwood Canyon SP has four “rustic” cabins available by reservation year-round. These two room units can sleep 8 people, have electricity to provide lighting, wall mounted heaters and an AC unit.

Cooking isn’t allowed inside, but there’s a gas grill, picnic table and fire pit next to each cabin.

A covered porch offers un-obstructed views east across a grassy flat, willow-lined river and the canyon walls.

Big Horned sheep in the canyon’s rocky hills

Our first morning was spent watching Big Horn Sheep graze on the rocky north face just above the campground.

Later in the day, we hiked up to the foot of that slope and the Pinnacles Trail Head. This trail and one on the opposite side of the river (Lost Corral Trail) follow the John Day for 4.3 miles around a couple of bends in the river.

Winter runoff made fishing impossible, but we managed to fill our time catching up on reading, watching wildlife, and relaxing.

Reservations are snapped up quickly, but we’ve managed to find a couple of open slots in the fall and hope to become regular visitors.

February 19, 2023February 18, 2023

Fishing for Small Mouth Bass

I may have mentioned adding a streamer box to our fishing sling pack. To fill that box, part of this week was spent at the tying bench working on streamer patterns. The other part was spent doing some on-river testing.

As this will require a laboratory we chose a small stretch of the John Day River.

River access to the John Day is a problem. There’s no shortage of fishable water if you have a boat … well, and a permit.

Winter water levels expose gravel and rock.

To gain wadeable access (a stream bank within walking distance of a safe parking space) we chose a spot 40 river miles upstream from the Columbia . . . a place called Cottonwood Canyon.

Cottonwood bridge and J.S Burres SP are more than just boat take-outs. Where OR 206 crosses the John Day River there is a fairly new state park. In it you’ll find walking paths paralleling a wide gravel bank positioned opposite perfect holding water for Small Mouth Bass.

As a bonus, picnic tables sit under shade trees on a grass lawn right next to day-use parking. Only downside … it’s a long drive.

Throwing streamers to the far bank in search of Small Mouth Bass

Bass are warm water lovers, be mindful that warm is a relative term. There are plenty of reservoirs and lakes in Central Oregon with good bass fishing. Unlike their large mouth cousins, Small Mouth Bass take to moving water.

As the John Day’s water temperature rose the small mouth moved in. At roughly the same time there was a notable drop in seasonal Steelhead run. To some, bass in the John Day is an invasion, but it’s not unlike the introduction of German Brown Trout to western waters.

Willows define a space between water and sage.

Like Brown Trout, Bass are hunters thus streamer patterns are effective. Presentation requires stripping line over holding fish.

I was successful this summer in bringing them to the surface and trust me, the hook up is a kick. However, as the water temperature drops so do the feeding lanes, which is pretty much river fishing in the winter; regardless of species. For this, instead of tiny bead head patterns on dual rigs, you swing weighted minnow patterns about the size of your thumb.

Winter on the Deschutes has Redside trout using folds in the current to hang out, while the river brings dinner.

Small Mouth Bass hold near the bottom waiting on small fish, their meal includes a chase.

Sunny days are as abundant as wind in this part of the state. Our visit was on a sunny day, perfect for a winter outing.

The trip didn’t include any catching, but there was a lot of casting. More trips have been added to our calendar, as well as more time at the tying vice.