Park Pick: Enjoy the sun and stars at Prineville Reservoir
Jillian Fortner
PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) — Prineville Reservoir is a popular spot for daytime water recreation, but after sunset, the night sky steals the show.
In 2021, it became Oregon’s first International Dark Sky Park, honored for its clear skies and efforts to reduce light pollution. The park offers stargazing events, telescope viewings, and laser constellation tours for visitors.
“Dark skies have definitely been an increase for us,” said Park Manager Chris Gerdes. “When we had the drought, that was kind of our saving grace of having that Dark Sky designation, because we had a lot of people coming out for that versus the water.”
Three years ago, an historic drought dropped Prineville Reservoir to a record low of around 12% capacity. Gerdes says the water level right now is at 98%.
“This will be our third year in a row that our reservoirs filled out 100%,” said Gerdes.
Water recreation is picking up as summer approaches, with boating, kayaking, and fishing among the most popular activities.
The day-use area is free to visit, and year-round overnight camping is available if you want to extend your stay. If you’re planning to only come in for the evening, complete and place a Stargazing Permit on your vehicle dashboard.
Also, Prineville Reservoir will host a free BBQ from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 7th to celebrate State Parks Day.
That day, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department will waive day-use parking fees at 25 parks that charge for camping at tent, RV, and horse campsites.