August 6, 2022

Cove Palisades State Park (Part Two)

Central Oregon Road Trip
Saturday, May 21, 2022 
The Cove Palisades State Park (Crooked River Campground) 
Sunny and 66 degrees

After being on the road for a week, this was a good day for some housekeeping. We washed windows, cleaned the grill, and vacuumed (yes, I travel with a cordless Dyson vacuum). It doesn't take long for the RV to get dirty, but it doesn't take very long to clean it, either. Once we were finished with our chores, we relaxed in the sun and had some lunch. Later that afternoon, I decided to check out the Wetlands loop, which is a short 1/4 mile "hike" and very easy. From there, I walked along the main road, which looks out over the river. 


Pretty dry for mid-May!

Looking down on the wetlands



Crooked River


From the Oregon State Parks Organization:
Violent volcanic eruptions, oozing lava and raging river torrents battered this region for millions of years, carving dramatic cliffs of volcanic basalt that tower some 500 feet above the water. What is now a lake was once a rocky, plunging canyon, dry and desolate but for the narrow, life-giving Crooked River. Native Americans battled the harsh terrain in order to fish, hunt and trade here. Pioneers attempted to homestead and farm in this inhospitable region--not many succeeded.

With progress came the need for the Round Butte Dam, built by Portland General Electric in 1964. The hydroelectric facility, co-managed by the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, generates approximately 800,000 megawatts of electricity per year for the Portland metropolitan area.


I watched over a dozen turkey vultures soar around this part of the canyon, but couldn't get a good shot, even with my telephoto lens. They were too fast for me! 

10 comments:

  1. What a beautiful place!

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    1. Thanks, Vicki. It's pretty in spite of being so dry.

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  2. Being in nature is so healing and relaxing. You are having such a great and beautiful time!

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    1. Helen, I love being outdoors and exploring new areas. This trip was actually back in May, but we're on the road again (Santa Rosa, CA) and will head out to Montana in September. Lovin' our RV travels!

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  3. Nice! The Crooked River area looks very scenic. Though the land looked dry for May. Oregon seems to be a treasure trove of great areas. So glad you explore it for us!

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    1. Susan, it's a prety area, but it's "high desert." Not quite as green as the coast, that's for sure!

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  4. Those views to the river are stunning! Really liked the way the cliffs look too!

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    1. Iliana, it would be fun to take a boat out on the river and look up at the cliffs. Very scenic area!

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  5. That river is gorgeous. So dry there, though. I remember going to the eastern side of Oregon and being surprised at how dry it is there.

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    1. Deb, I wish I knew how to fly a drone so I could get some video of the beautiful rivers and lake. It was very dry there, and we were there in May! I'm sure it's much worse (and a terrible fire risk) right now.

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