Recreation, Wildlife, even a touch of history, in a natural setting make this
Southern Oregon getaway a great place to unwind.

Story by Carole Nielson
Northwest Travel September/October 1998

  Rocky Point Resort first appeared in southern Oregon history in the 1880s as Leavitt’s Point. It was a time when steamboats plied the waters of Upper Klamath Lake providing transportation to the growing population of settlers and logging companies clustered along the lake’s northern shore. 
   In July 1910 the steamer Klamath began transporting passengers to Rocky Point from Klamath Falls to meet the Crater Lake Stage Line, which provided automobiles to complete the trip to Crater Lake. This new, improved service allowed travelers to journey from Klamath Falls to Crater Lake in the record time of 12 hours! 
   Set amidst a stately stand of ponderosa pines and Douglas firs on the northern shore of Upper Klamath Lake, today’s Rocky Point Resort offers comfortable accommodations in beautiful, quiet surroundings. Guest facilities include four cabins with completely outfitted kitchens, five deluxe guest rooms with private baths, 29 RV hookups, and four lakeside tent sites.   A newly refurbished lodge houses an excellent restaurant and lounge with spectacular views of the lake. 
     Sunrises and sunsets are gorgeous here!  For something really special have dinner in the lodge when there’s a full moon. The windows of the dining room face east and when that big, yellow moon comes up over the lake you can actually hear the ‘Oohs and aahs.’ It’s so breathtaking it takes everyone by surprise!" 
   Covering an area of 133 square miles, Upper Klamath Lake is one of the largest lakes in the Pacific Northwest. The lake fronts on the Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge, a year-round haven for waterfowl and other wildlife. Bald eagles, beaver, otters, mink, raccoons, deer, Canada geese, trumpeter swans, and a host of other wild animals can be observed up close in this scenic area. 
     You can almost always see ducks and geese from the lodge.  During our lunch, a family of raccoons hungrily watched us through the dining room windows as we enjoyed delicious sandwiches and homemade soup. 
   Finding some of the area’s wildlife requires a bit of talent, especially with a rod and reel. Huge trout prowl Upper Klamath Lake.  The unofficial record rainbow caught here weighed more than 26 pounds. And it’s not unusual to see 15 and 17 pounders brought in.
   Although the lake is noted primarily for its record-size rainbow trout, in 1995 a 34-inch German brown was caught weighing a whopping 16 pounds, 4 ounces. 
   According to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Upper Klamath Lake produces a sturdy, natural fish population due to the big temperature swings from summer to harsh winters, high alkalinity, and huge algae blooms. The lake is full of nutrients and can produce trout 20 inches long in four years. 
    Dated August 11, 1992, an article told about Clarence Cole hooking a sturgeon estimated to weigh between 400 and 500 pounds. On the morning of August 2, 1992, Cole was fishing with a barbless treble hook and eight-pound test line when the huge fish hit. Several witnesses, including Denny Rickards former owner of Rocky Point Resort, watched as the fish made two leaps. 
     "I might not be telling this story, but we were lucky enough to get a picture of the fish jumping out of the lake," Rickards told reporter Jack Elbert. Rickards said the sturgeon jumped about 12 feet into the air and still had its tail in the water. After two hours and 21 minutes, the line broke and the monster got away. 
   It was later learned that the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife planted 221 sturgeons between 12 and 42 inches long in the lake in 1956. 
   In addition to fishing, Rocky Point Resort offers many other recreational opportunities. The Upper Klamath Canoe Trail, a bird watcher’s paradise, meanders 9-1/2 miles through marsh and open lake and can be accessed right in front of the resort’s boat dock. Sailing is another popular activity on the 29-mile long lake. The Sky Lakes Wilderness and Pacific Crest Trail are located minutes away. 
   Canoes, Kayaks, paddle boats, and motorboats can be rented at the resort, and marine gas is available dockside. Overnight and seasonal berths are also available for privately owned motorboats or sailboats. Hunting and fishing licenses and tackle are sold at the resort store. Immaculate restrooms, showers, and laundry facilities are available for resort guests. 
   The resort features a special romantic getaway package that includes overnight accommodations, iced champagne in the room upon arrival, a special dinner for two, and breakfast or brunch for two.  Plus a half day canoe rental for wildlife viewing in the refuge.
   Spring and early summer -- when baby ducklings, yellow goslings, and downy cygnets can be seen bobbing along after their parents -- are lively times at Rocky Point; autumn with shimmering yellow aspens set against the backdrop of evergreen forests is a camera buff’s delight. 
   A long, lingering sunset bathed sky and water in crimson and gold as Dan and I strolled along the lakeshore. Later in the lodge dining room, as we finished scrumptious cherry pie a la mode, a huge yellow moon rose over the mountains.  It was awe inspiring. 
   Carole Nielson has traveled extensively throughout western Europe. Her freelance articles have appeared in Country magazine and Oregon Farm and Ranch Living, Wildlife Conservation, Wild West, and Oregon Hunter. She is a school secretary in Shady Cove, Oregon. 
 

Getting There

   Rocky Point Resort is located at the northwestern tip of Upper Klamath Lake. From Klamath Falls, take Oregon 140 west. Turn right onto Rocky Point Road (about 30 miles from Klamath Falls). Signs clearly mark the way. Rocky Point Resort is located about 3 miles from the Oregon 140 junction. 
   From Medford, take Crater Lake Highway (Oregon 62) to Oregon 140. Turn east onto Oregon 140 (you can turn in only one direction). This scenic route takes you over the Cascades past Fish Lake and Lake of the Woods (about 50 miles). Turn left onto Rocky Point Road -- clearly marked by signs. Rocky Point Resort is located about 3 miles from the Oregon 140 junction. 

For more information contact Rocky Point Resort, 28121 Rocky Point Road, Klamath Falls, OR 97601 
(fax 541-356-2222, resort 541-356-2287).