Coldwater Cove

Coldwater Cove is a Forest Service campground on the south end of Clear Lake in the McKenzie River Ranger District of Oregon's Willamette National Forest. It sits within a mix of maple, alder and Douglas fir trees, with views of the turquoise lake and the 3,000-year-old lava fields that surround it. On a clear day, the Three Sisters Mountains and Mt. Washington are visible. The campground has 34 sites, 31 of which are single and 3 multiple. Sites #7 and #10 are accessible. Each site has a picnic table and a campfire ring, and vault toilets and drinking water are provided. No hookups are allowed, so plan for a basic trip with no electricity or water connections. Summer is the most comfortable time to visit. Typical July and August highs reach about 76°F with lows near 42°F, according to averages from the Santiam Junction weather station about 5.6 miles away, which sits roughly 700 feet lower than the campground. Winter highs there average in the upper 30s. Fishing, canoeing and boating are popular around Clear Lake. Evening nature talks are held at the amphitheater in the Clear Lake Day Use Area, and a general store and restaurant are at the resort next door. Nearby, the Isaac Nickerson Loop for cross-country skiing and the Prairie View Loop hike are both about a mile away. Ice Cap campground is 1.3 miles off, and the McKenzie River offers paddling about 2.6 miles away.