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C ELEBRATING JEFFERSON C OUNTY 61
upclose experience on the Deschutes, consider making a
river float part of your vacation. There are several guides
in the region. The two Jefferson County put-in sites are
at the Warm Springs bridge area and at Trout Creek,
north of Gateway. A great day trip is the easy nine-mile
float between the two.
The Metolius River, with its headwaters from beneath
Black Butte near Camp Sherman, also provides a won-
derful fly-fishing experience: a fast, cold, beautiful river
rolling through the timber country. The hamlet of Camp
Sherman provides most every service you’ll need. The
Crooked River, which comes out of the Ochoco Moun-
tains flowing westward, is a great year-round fishery.
The Deschutes, Metolius and Crooked rivers merge
behind Pelton and Round Butte dams, making Lake
Simtustus and Lake Billy Chinook — which both pro-
vide outstanding deep, freshwater fishing. Another fine
lake fishing spot, Haystack Reservoir, about 10 miles
south of Madras off Jericho Road east of U.S. Highway
97, is a great place for warm water fishing.
Golf Mecca
Central Oregon is home to some of the best golf cours-
es in the state. Problem is, often by mid-fall, many cours-
es in Deschutes County are covered with snow. For golf
enthusiasts, thank goodnesss for Jefferson County and its
lower elevation courses. Golf can literally be a year-round
sport in Jefferson County (a few white-covered days
withstanding).
The Jefferson County-Warm Springs Reservation area
has three public golf courses, all of which have substan-
tially more play-available days than the courses situated
Golfer’s Paradise