Wallowa Lake State Park is one of the most popular state parks in Oregon. The lakes striking beauty, clean air and water are just a few of the many reasons people vacation here. It also is pretty calm lake, making it ideal for paddle-boarders, skiers, canoes and kayaks.
Wallowa Lake is a deep (299') mountain lake, which is very deep for a lake of its size. Being fed by snow-melt just a few miles away, makes it on the brisk side, at least until a few weeks of hot summer weather warms it. The locals joke that it was a glacier just 5 minutes ago.
The traffic on the water is light mid-week, and only gets a somewhat crowded on nice July and August weekends. The 4th of July is the busiest. Early mornings and evenings mid-week can seem like you have the lake all to yourself and when school is in, many times you do.
Boating: Wallowa Lake has two public boat ramps. The first one you arrive at is on the north end at the County Park and has a double boat ramp and tie-up dock. The second, at the south end, is located within the State Park just west of the Marina. The lake has few submerged hazards - the exception is the the inlet (south end) which can be shallow for hundreds of yards during high water in the spring and early summer. There are no fueling stations and on-water fueling is prohibited. So, be prepared to pull out.
Kayaks and other Paddlers: Early mornings and evenings can be glass-smooth and the wind usually doesn't pickup till 11 am. Even then, the wind is typically light. The clear water permits quiet paddlers the opportunity to watch fish swimming along the bottom. The Osprey regularly patrol and if your quiet and lucky you may witness this 'fish hawk' up close in action.
Swimmers: Like many mountain lakes the water is on the cold side till mid-summer. Also, if your swimming, pay attention to the breeze: if it's blowing from the water, it's typically much better for swimming as the warm upper layer gets pushed to shore. There are 2 protected swimming areas, one on the north beach and the other on the south end near the state park. The OMB provides flotation vests to borrow, in case you forgot yours.
Rafting: Wallowa County has access to some of the best whitewater experiences in the west. The Snake River is a class 5 dream for the adrenaline junkie in your group. If your not into that level of thrill, you can always book onto a jet-boat instead. Another great trip that's more of a paddle is the Minum to Grande Ronde. The trip usually requires at least an over-nighter, but your in a roadless area on a Wild and Scenic River so it's all part of the exceptional experience.