The Cove Palisades State Park

Wetland Nature Trail Loop: This flat ¼-mile trail in the Crooked River Campground loops through an ongoing wetland restoration project at the site of a 2015 wildfire.

See our Recreation Guide for a map of the park including hiking trails and paddling routes.

Best Places to Hike at The Cove?

More than three miles of hiking trails are available around the campground and day-use areas near the Deschutes River. Traveling over gentle hills and shallow gullies, these trails are perfect for those family strolls and quick trips to and from the lake. View points and rest stations are featured at various locations. This is also a great spot to explore the park in a different light and take a night hike.

The Tam A Lau Trail is an expierence of a lifetime. Tam-A- Lau translates to big rocks on teh ground. The hike is a total of six miles round trip from the campground or seven miles from the Upper Deschutes day-use area trailhead. From the trailhead to the top of the high platue the trail gains 600 feet in elevation and is moderately strenuous. On the way up you will pass through areas that are rich in wildlife and unspoiled native vegitation; as well as three unique geological formations. At the top, the trail makes a 3.5 mile loop around the Peninsula, which affords spectacular views of the high Cascade Mountain peaks and the Deschutes and Crooked River Canyons.

The Wetlands Nature Trail is an easy, flat, quarter mile - loop trail. This manmade wetland area was built in 2001 to mitigate local runoff issues by installing a cattail filtration system before running into Lake Billy Chinook and stablize healthy fish populations. In addtion to this, the area provides habitat for a variety of wildlife, including red-winged blackbirds, and an outdoor classroom for local students to use for hands-on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathmatics (STEM) projects. Projects to date inlcude fire restoration, a hydroelectric paddlewheel, bluebird monitoring, a bat structure that can house up to 1,200 bats and a monarch waystation. In 2015 a 280-acre wildfire burned through the area; since then, there are impressive examples of primary and secondary successive growth.

The Crooked River Rim Trail offers fantastic views of Crooked River, The Island formation and views of the Cascade Mountains to the west and Round Butte to the north. Popular in the spring for wildflowers and all year for geology enthusiasts and photographers. Accessable year round, 1 mile in length each way, moderatel difficulty, the trailhead is located at the Ranger booth in the Croooked River Campground and makes its way up to a scenic overlook along Mountain View Drive. To lengthen the hike, you can make your way around to all four overlooks along a paved, typically low-use, roadway.

When hiking at The Cove, remember to always take water, check the weather before you go, wear sturdy hiking shoes, dress in layers, stay on the trail at all times, keep dogs on leash and have a great time! Fall and winter is a great time to hike at The Cove. Use caution on the Tam A Lau Trail when wet, the mud can be slippery.

See our Boaters’ Guide for more information.

Paddling

From fall to spring, the Crooked and Deschutes rivers provide 30 miles of flat-water paddling. Paddlers of all experience levels can explore the 6-mile Crooked River Water Trail on the Crooked River arm of the reservoir. Experienced paddlers will enjoy the solitude on the two-mile stretch south of the bridge.

Where can I find information on boat/watercraft rentals?

Lake Billy Chinook is home to The Cove Palisades Resort and Marina, the mecca for houseboating, water skiing, and fishing in Central Oregon! Click on the link above for more information.