olallie lake

View from the resort check-in and store at Olallie Lake.
Just up the road from Olallie is little Monan Lake.






We took this trip up the mountain and down a treacherous road to Olallie Lake in the first stretch of August. Ryan was up by himself for a couple of days fishing then Naiya and I joined him later in the week. There had been a fire there some years ago and the resort and cabins were closed until this year. They're rustic with no electricity and no running water but they do have wood burning stoves and two queen beds (with real mattresses) as well as cold water taps outside and a table, dresser and usable counter tops inside. We determined that these few comforts made all the difference for comfort in "outdoor" vacationing. It's sort of like camping but you can easily stand up, your feet stay somewhat clean and the beds are very cozy (unlike deflating camping mattresses). Ryan caught fish trawling from the small row boat he rented, but mostly we just relaxed and went on some really lovely hikes. It was our favorite lake of the summer.
Olallie Lake is one of Oregon's cleanest with snow melt as its main source of water. While only 40 miles from Portland, there are few signs of civilization there and in the lake itself, no motor boating or swimming are allowed.