Blue Bay

Summary

Blue Bay Campground is situated in Deschutes National Forest on the south shore of Suttle Lake. Popular activities include fishing, hiking, horseback riding, motorized boating and winter sports. Camping amenities include picnic tables, fire rings and grills, as well as vault toilets and drinking water. The area offers spectacular views of mountains, lakes and forests, as well as access to nearby wilderness areas.

Overview

Blue Bay Campground is situated in a diverse forest of pine and fir on the south shore of Suttle Lake in Deschutes National Forest. Its proximity to high alpine lakes, lush forests and towering peaks in nearby wilderness areas make it a popular destination for individual and group camping excursions.

Recreation

Popular activities in the area include hiking, fishing and motorized boating in the summer months, as well as cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the winter.

Numerous hiking and horseback riding trails can be accessed from the campground and in the surrounding area. The 3.2-mile Suttle Lake Loop Trail meanders through the developed recreation areas on Suttle Lake. The trail follows the wooded shoreline of the lake, providing opportunities for fishing or picnicking along the way.

For fishing, boats are most commonly used on Suttle Lake. Float tubes are adequate, and wading is possible in some areas. A few areas are fishable from shore. The lake sustains an excellent population of naturally reproducing kokanee, brown trout, whitefish and crayfish.

The campground has a shallow boat ramp area, and most campsites have easy access to the waterfront. Motorized and non-motorized boats are allowed on Suttle Lake.

Facilities

Blue Bay Campground offers standard sites that accommodate both tents and RVs, but no hookups are available. Picnic tables and campfire rings with grills are provided, as are vault toilets and drinking water.

Natural Features

Suttle Lake is surrounded by mixed conifer forest. Its waters are deep and clear, formed in a terminal moraine, deposited by glacial ice about 25,000 years ago.

Lake Creek flows eastward from Suttle Lake to the Metolius River. The clear, cold Metolius flows north from headwater springs through diverse coniferous forests and a volcanic landscape with extinct volcanoes, cinder cones, calderas and ancient lava flows.

Nearby Attractions

Visitors can explore wilderness areas, lakes, reservoirs, wild and scenic rivers and approximately 1,600 miles of trails that comprise nearly 2.5 million acres within the Deschutes National Forest and the adjacent Ochoco National Forest.