Barney Reservoir

[subterranean]

Just curious if anyone here has been up there, and if so, what's been your experience. It's part of the City of Hillsboro's water supply and looks like all Stimson Lumber logging roads for access. But after a bad experience of terrible crowds at Trillium Lake last weekend, I'm looking for a peaceful and less crowded place to escape to on a lake in the time we have remaining this summer, potentially to canoe and swim.

I'm from the Great Lakes region and I'm really missing the lake life. There are so few here in comparison and I'm struggling despite so many other positives for the region.

Do you think there are any bears or cougars in that area? Crazy hillbillies?

[MarkDaMan]

Lifelong Oregonian here and I've never heard about it. Probably a point in it's favor of being exclusive.

[eric cantona]

Originally Posted by MarkDaMan

Lifelong Oregonian here and I've never heard about it. Probably a point in it's favor of being exclusive.

I worked on some mitigation design work for Barney in the 90's. Never got to visit the site, though. I believe access is intentionally limited. Curious if that's my imagination.

[pdxf]

Not sure if this is helpful at all, but the area around Olallie Lake (just north of Mt. Jefferson) has quite a few lakes -- several accessible by road, and others short hikes in (This area is probably 2-3 hours from Portland). There are some pockets of lakes in the Southern Cascades in Washington, some near the Indian Heaven Wilderness and some really nice ones just north of Mt. Adams. There are actually quite a few lakes in the Central Oregon Cascades, but yeah, all of these may be a bit futher than what you're typically wanting to drive.