## Overview:

Central Oregon's Crooked Wild and Scenic River flows from the forested heights
of the Ochoco Mountains to the high desert near Lake Billy Chinook at its
confluence with the Deschutes River. The wild and scenic portion of the
Crooked river spans 61 miles in three reaches: the North Fork, the Chimney
Rock segment and the Lower Crooked River.

## Know Before You Go:

  * Nine non-reservable campgrounds and two day-use areas provide easy year-round access to the Chimney Rock segment south of Prineville, Oregon. 
  * Fires are prohibited annually from June 1 through October 15 in the Lower Crooked River segment. 
  * Accessible fishing platforms are available at Palisades and Chimney Rock campgrounds. 
  * A seasonally-open gate at Telephone Springs limits motorized access to the North Fork of the Crooked River annually from April 30 through December 1. 

## Point of Interest:

A world-class fishery is located below Bowman Dam along the Chimney Rock
segment. Fly fishers enjoy plenty of easy access along the adjacent Crooked
River Back Country Byway.  
  
For a different view, visitors can ride the 18-mile Crooked River Canyon
Scenic Bikeway from Prineville to Big Bend Campground. Designated in 2018,
this moderate route takes riders from picturesque farms to towering cliffs.

<h2>Overview:</h2>Central Oregon's Crooked Wild and Scenic River flows from the forested heights of the Ochoco Mountains to the high desert near Lake Billy Chinook at its confluence with the Deschutes River. The wild and scenic portion of the Crooked river spans 61 miles in three reaches: the North Fork, the Chimney Rock segment and the Lower Crooked River. 

<h2>Know Before You Go:</h2>
<ul><li>Nine non-reservable campgrounds and two day-use areas provide easy year-round access to the Chimney Rock segment south of Prineville, Oregon.
</li><li>Fires are prohibited annually from June 1 through October 15 in the Lower Crooked River segment.
 </li><li>Accessible fishing platforms are available at Palisades and Chimney Rock campgrounds.
 </li><li>A seasonally-open gate at Telephone Springs limits motorized access to the North Fork of the Crooked River annually from April 30 through December 1.
</li></ul>

<h2>Point of Interest:</h2>
A world-class fishery is located below Bowman Dam along the Chimney Rock segment. Fly fishers enjoy plenty of easy access along the adjacent Crooked River Back Country Byway.
 
For a different view, visitors can ride the 18-mile Crooked River Canyon Scenic Bikeway from Prineville to Big Bend Campground. Designated in 2018, this moderate route takes riders from picturesque farms to towering cliffs.

Fishing along the Crooked Wild and Scenic RIver.

Lower Crooked River's Chimney Rock Segment.

Fly-fishing on the Crooked Wild and Scenic River

Trees fallen in the canyon of the Lower Crooked River.

View of the Lower Crooked Wild and Scenic River

Lower Crooked River

Crooked Wild and Scenic River

Prineville Reservoir and Arthur R. Bowman Dam are features of the Crooked
River Project. Recreation at the 3,030-acre reservoir is located 15 miles
south of Prineville. Available species include largemouth and smallmouth bass,
rainbow trout, brown bullhead, and crappie. Season open year-round. Reservoir
acre feet and total reservoir capacity and cubic feet/second release rates for
rivers below Deschutes River Basin reservoirs and select river locations are
updated daily and graphically provided. Reservations can be made by calling
800-452-5687 or for general information call 800-551-6949 .

Prineville Reservoir and <a href="http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Arthur+R+Bowman+Dam" rel="nofollow">Arthur R. Bowman Dam</a> are features of the <a href="http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Project.jsp?proj_Name=Crooked%20River%20Project" rel="nofollow">Crooked River Project</a>. Recreation at the 3,030-acre reservoir is located 15 miles south of Prineville. Available species include largemouth and smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, brown bullhead, and crappie. Season open year-round. Reservoir acre feet and total reservoir capacity and cubic feet/second release rates for rivers below <a href="http://mac1.pn.usbr.gov/hydromet/destea.html" rel="nofollow">Deschutes River Basin</a> reservoirs and select river locations are updated daily and graphically provided.
Reservations can be made by calling 800-452-5687 or for general information call 800-551-6949 .

Bird's eye view of the park

Prineville Reservoir

The Millican Valley Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Trail System consists of lands
southwest of Prineville, Oregon along George Millican Road, extending south of
Highway 20. Trails and play areas are provided for Class I, II, and III off-
highway vehicles (OHVs), although other trail users can use these trails as
well.  
  
This trail use area provides year-round riding for Class I, II and III users
and includes 255 miles of designated routes, nine staging areas, and three
play areas.  
  
Trails in the Millican Valley are designated with varying difficulty levels to
allow visitors to choose trails according to skill levels and ensure a safe
and enjoyable experience.  
  
The Millican Valley OHV trails and facilities are managed by the Central
Oregon Combined Off-Highway Vehicle Operations, a partnership between
Prineville BLM, Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests and Oregon Parks and
Recreation (ATV Program). Many local ATV, OHV, and motorcycle clubs and
organizations also contribute to this program, and many volunteers have
donated long hours of hard work to make this a high quality riding area. Fees
from your ATV registration sticker make this possible!

## Know Before You Go:

Campfires are permitted, but please keep them small and don't leave them
unattended. High winds and dry conditions can fuel a wildfire even at unlikely
times of the year.  
  
**Spark arrestors are required** on your OHVs, year around and on chainsaws,
and generators from April 1 to October 31.  
  
Millican Plateau is open year round. North Millican and South Millican have
seasonal closures.  
  
**Safety:** The Millican Plateau area is remote and visitors should be
equipped to be self-sufficient. Riders should wear appropriate safety gear,
carry a first aid kit, and never ride alone. Most Forest Service and BLM
personnel have radios and can give assistance. There is a cellular phone
repeater on Grizzly Mountain and coverage is fair for most of the area.

The Millican Valley Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Trail System consists of lands southwest of Prineville, Oregon along George Millican Road, extending south of Highway 20. Trails and play areas are provided for Class I, II, and III off-highway vehicles (OHVs), although other trail users can use these trails as well. 
 
This trail use area provides year-round riding for Class I, II and III users and includes 255 miles of designated routes, nine staging areas, and three play areas. 
 
Trails in the Millican Valley are designated with varying difficulty levels to allow visitors to choose trails according to skill levels and ensure a safe and enjoyable experience. 
 
The Millican Valley OHV trails and facilities are managed by the <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/deschutes/recreation/ohv" rel="nofollow">Central Oregon Combined Off-Highway Vehicle Operations</a>, a partnership between Prineville BLM, Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests and Oregon Parks and Recreation (ATV Program). Many local ATV, OHV, and motorcycle clubs and organizations also contribute to this program, and many volunteers have donated long hours of hard work to make this a high quality riding area. Fees from your ATV registration sticker make this possible!

<h2>Know Before You Go:</h2>

Campfires are permitted, but please keep them small and don't leave them unattended. High winds and dry conditions can fuel a wildfire even at unlikely times of the year. 
 
Spark arrestors are required on your OHVs, year around and on chainsaws, and generators from April 1 to October 31. 
 
Millican Plateau is open year round. North Millican and South Millican have seasonal closures. 
 
Safety: The Millican Plateau area is remote and visitors should be equipped to be self-sufficient. Riders should wear appropriate safety gear, carry a first aid kit, and never ride alone. Most Forest Service and BLM personnel have radios and can give assistance. There is a cellular phone repeater on Grizzly Mountain and coverage is fair for most of the area.

No fees - Oregon State ATV Permit Required.

Millican Valley OHV Trail System

The United States Congress designated the Oregon Badlands Wilderness in 2009
and it now has 29,180 acres. All of this wilderness is located in Oregon and
is managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

The Oregon Badlands Wilderness holds a number of remarkable and exciting
landforms and geologic features. Most of the area includes the rugged Badlands
volcano, which has features of inflated lava. Windblown volcanic ash and
eroded lava make up the sandy, light-colored soil that covers the low and flat
places in these fields of lava. Dry River, active during each of several ice
ages, marks the southeast boundary between two volcanic areas—Badlands volcano
and the Horse Ridge volcanoes. Earth movements along the Brothers Fault Zone
have faulted and sliced up the old Horse Ridge volcanoes, but not Badlands
volcano. The Badlands formed in an unusual way. The flow that supplied lava to
the Badlands apparently developed a hole in the roof of its main lava tube.
This hole became the source of lava that built a shield volcano that we call
the Badlands (technically, a rootless shield volcano). An irregularly-shaped
pit crater at the top of the shield marks the site where lava flowed in all
directions to create the Badlands.

A variety of wildlife species inhabit the area including yellow-bellied
marmots, bobcat, mule deer, elk, and antelope. The southern portion of the
Badlands Wilderness includes crucial winter range for mule deer. Avian species
include prairie falcons and golden eagles.

You can also explore cracked volcanic pressure ridges, called tumuli, or walk
narrow moat-like cracks in the ground. Traces of human history are visible to
the careful observer. At 29,000 acres, the Oregon Badlands Wilderness
represents an outstanding example of ancient western juniper woodlands atop
Columbia River Basalts. Almost 50 miles of trails offer the visitor many
opportunities for hiking or horseback riding loops of various lengths.

As a designated wilderness, the Oregon Badlands Wilderness enjoys the highest
level of permanent protection!

**Leave No Trace principles:**

  1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
  2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
  3. Dispose of Waste Properly
  4. Leave What You Find
  5. Minimize Campfire Impacts
  6. Respect Wildlife
  7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors

**Regulations:**  
Motorized equipment and equipment used for mechanical transport are generally
prohibited on all federal lands designated as wilderness. This includes the
use of motor vehicles (including OHVs), motorboats, motorized equipment,
bicycles, hang gliders, wagons, carts, portage wheels, and the landing of
aircraft including helicopters, unless provided for in specific legislation.
In a few areas some exceptions allowing the use of motorized equipment or
mechanical transport are described in the special regulations in effect for a
specific area. Contact the agency for more information about regulations.

The United States Congress designated the Oregon Badlands Wilderness in 2009 and it now has 29,180 acres. All of this wilderness is located in Oregon and is managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

The Oregon Badlands Wilderness holds a number of remarkable and exciting landforms and geologic features. Most of the area includes the rugged Badlands volcano, which has features of inflated lava. Windblown volcanic ash and eroded lava make up the sandy, light-colored soil that covers the low and flat places in these fields of lava. Dry River, active during each of several ice ages, marks the southeast boundary between two volcanic areas—Badlands volcano and the Horse Ridge volcanoes. Earth movements along the Brothers Fault Zone have faulted and sliced up the old Horse Ridge volcanoes, but not Badlands volcano. The Badlands formed in an unusual way. The flow that supplied lava to the Badlands apparently developed a hole in the roof of its main lava tube. This hole became the source of lava that built a shield volcano that we call the Badlands (technically, a rootless shield volcano). An irregularly-shaped pit crater at the top of the shield marks the site where lava flowed in all directions to create the Badlands.

A variety of wildlife species inhabit the area including yellow-bellied marmots, bobcat, mule deer, elk, and antelope. The southern portion of the Badlands Wilderness includes crucial winter range for mule deer. Avian species include prairie falcons and golden eagles.

You can also explore cracked volcanic pressure ridges, called tumuli, or walk narrow moat-like cracks in the ground. Traces of human history are visible to the careful observer. At 29,000 acres, the Oregon Badlands Wilderness represents an outstanding example of ancient western juniper woodlands atop Columbia River Basalts. Almost 50 miles of trails offer the visitor many opportunities for hiking or horseback riding loops of various lengths.

As a designated wilderness, the Oregon Badlands Wilderness enjoys the highest level of permanent protection!

Leave No Trace principles:

<ol>
	<li>Plan Ahead and Prepare</li>
	<li>Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces</li>
	<li>Dispose of Waste Properly</li>
	<li>Leave What You Find</li>
	<li>Minimize Campfire Impacts</li>
	<li>Respect Wildlife</li>
	<li>Be Considerate of Other Visitors</li>
</ol>

Regulations: 
Motorized equipment and equipment used for mechanical transport are generally prohibited on all federal lands designated as wilderness. This includes the use of motor vehicles (including OHVs), motorboats, motorized equipment, bicycles, hang gliders, wagons, carts, portage wheels, and the landing of aircraft including helicopters, unless provided for in specific legislation. In a few areas some exceptions allowing the use of motorized equipment or mechanical transport are described in the special regulations in effect for a specific area. Contact the agency for more information about regulations.

Oregon Badlands Wilderness

Ochoco Dam and reservoir are major features of the Crooked River Project.
Ochoco Dam, a hydraulic-fill structure on Ochoco Creek east of Prineville,
Oregon, was constructed immediately after World War I as part of the Veterans
Farm Settlement program undertaken by the state of Oregon. The left abutment
of the dam is an alluvial fan and the right abutment is a slide mass
consisting of fine earth and rock. The dam is 125 feet high with a crest
length of 1,350 feet. The State Parks located on both the Prineville and
Ochoco Reservoirs are among the most heavily used in Oregon. Ochoco Reservoir
has 8 miles of shoreline. Available fish species include rainbow trout and
brown bullhead. Season open year-round. Reservoir acre feet and total
reservoir capacity and cubic feet/second release rates for rivers below
Deschutes River Basin reservoirs and select river locations are updated daily
and graphically provided.

<a href="http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Ochoco+Dam" rel="nofollow">Ochoco Dam</a> and reservoir are major features of the <a href="http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Project.jsp?proj_Name=Crooked%20River%20Project" rel="nofollow">Crooked River Project</a>. Ochoco Dam, a hydraulic-fill structure on Ochoco Creek east of Prineville, Oregon, was constructed immediately after World War I as part of the Veterans Farm Settlement program undertaken by the state of Oregon. The left abutment of the dam is an alluvial fan and the right abutment is a slide mass consisting of fine earth and rock. The dam is 125 feet high with a crest length of 1,350 feet. The State Parks located on both the Prineville and Ochoco Reservoirs are among the most heavily used in Oregon. Ochoco Reservoir has 8 miles of shoreline. Available fish species include rainbow trout and brown bullhead. Season open year-round. Reservoir acre feet and total reservoir capacity and cubic feet/second release rates for rivers below <a href="http://mac1.pn.usbr.gov/hydromet/destea.html" rel="nofollow">Deschutes River Basin</a> reservoirs and select river locations are updated daily and graphically provided.

Crooked Wild and Scenic River

Overview:

Know Before You Go:

Point of Interest:

Directions

Stay Limit

Reviews

Nearby Parks

Prineville Reservoir

Millican Valley OHV Trail System

Oregon Badlands Wilderness

Ochoco Reservoir