Lost Lake Resort & Campground | Hood River, Oregon
The Lake
Lost Lake is located on the north side of Mt. Hood, this is a place of slow morning walks, watching sunsets, counting stars and discovering a special part of both yourself and nature's splendor all over again. Lost Lake offers great fishing, hiking, bike trails, or plenty of reasons to do nothing at all.
The Fish
Lost Lake supports a popular rainbow trout fishery. Legal-sized rainbow trout are stocked in the spring (March-May). Larger (approx.14 inch) trout are stocked in mid-June. Trophy trout (approx.18 inches) are stocked in mid-September. Surplus hatchery winter steelhead are stocked when available from December to February. These fish average about 6-8 lb.
The Resort
Lost Lake Resort has seven rustic cabins with electric lighting, cooking facilities, wood stoves, and rustic furniture. There is no plumbing in the cabins. All lodge rooms have kitchenettes, bathrooms, and double size futons. RV and tent sites are available on a first come, first serve basis. Lost Lake is home to 120 camp sites but only take reservations for cabins & lodge rentals.
Season
Lost Lake Resort & Campground is normally open Early May to Late October. Weather Permitting.
Details
Lost lake's Resort is situated on the shores of Lost Lake, 3,100 feet up the slopes of Mt. Hood. A dormant volcano whose loftiest areas are home to eleven glaciers, Mt. Hood is Oregon's highest peak at 11,245 feet. Nestled into this scenic splendor, the Resort offers a general store, located in the new Lodge. One day only fishing licenses, gift shop items as well as ice and your favorite beverages are available.
Lost Lake Resort Lodge
Lost Lake Fly Selections
Lost Lake starts fishing well from the time it opens in late spring. This early season is a great time to catch some of the larger hold over fish or that elusive brown trout. When it first opens most of the fish are found through out the lakes shallower water (5’ to 15’). Best fly fishing techniques would be fishing streamers like brown or black size 8 or 10 wooly buggers and leach patterns on a slow sinking line. You will also get some mayfly hatches once in a while that can give you some good top water action; this gets better as you get into summer. Best mayfly top water patterns would be: Parachute Adams #14, Tilt Wing Callibaetis #14 or #16 and a Callibaetis Cripple #14.
The first hot days of late spring or early summer triggers the large black carpenter ants to hatch and fly. The fish go nuts over these ants and you have to have them when they are on the water so be prepared! Ant patterns are fished on the surface and the best flies are #10 or #8 Black Flying Ant patterns.
Through the summer the heat effects the fishing a little more, you will find good dry fly fishing early and late in the day. The best patterns are, Parachute Adams #14, Tilt Wing Callibaetis #14 or #16, Callibaetis Cripple #14 & Gray Elk Hair Caddis #14 or #16. During the day the fish are driven deeper due to the heat. Best fishing is done around the drop offs to deep water. Fish these areas with a sinking line with at black or brown wooly bugger or leach size #8 or #10
The Giant Yellow Mayfly or a.k.a. HEX hatch is one not to miss. This hatch starts around July 10 to 15 and can last up to a month. These mayflies are big and the fish key in on them. The bugs hatch at dark so you want to start fishing the Hex Nymphs #6 about 6 in the evening around the muddy bottom areas of the lake. Right at dark you will see the adults starting to hatch. The best adult patterns are size #6 or #8, I prefer emergers and cripples. You can only fish one hour after sunset in Oregon so do not fish much after dark. - The Gorge Fly Shop Team
Directions
The Resort is just 85 miles from Portland by way of Hood River. Take interstate 84 east up the Columbia River Gorge to Hood River, then drive southwest to Dee and follow the signs to Lost Lake. Also, from Portland you can take Mt. Hood Highway 26 to Zig Zag, turn left onto Lolo Pass Road and follow the signs to Lost Lake. This is a truly scenic route to the lake but it does have 4 miles of gravel road over the pass.
First Timers...
Things to keep in mind for first time visitors
- No cell phone service, service can be found just outside the park.
- It says "Rustic Cabins", these cabins are probably older than you.
- Cabins have no plumbing.
- No flush toilets unless you have a lodge room.
- It cost's $7.00 per vehicle to enter the park.
- It's 144 turns up lost lake rd. It costs $$ to haul merchandise / food.
- Water is pumped out of the lake and filtered. Shower tokens cost $4.00.
- You can not reserve tent or R.V sites: first come, first serve.
- If your planning on staying over night. | Get there early!
- Don't forget to check out the view of Mt. Hood!
- Notice: Lost Lake does not allow motors of any kind.
Keep in mind Lost Lake is about a 45 minute drive from Hood River, so grab some extra flies, maybe a corn dog or two and your favorite beverage because 144 turns on Lost Lake Rd. alone, you may need it.
Above Photos Courtesy of Lost Lake Resort
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