Lake Michigan is pretty awesome. But you know what, it is cold. Like jump in, jump out, polar bear frigid. Lake Superior? Yeah sure, lives up to its name. But it is BFE, near absolutely nowhere, and not a good microbrewery within a three hour drive. Lake Erie is polluted and Lake Huron forgettable.
I rest my case, Central Oregon! From the crystal blue water of Hosmer Lake to the wild times of Billy Chinook, the Cascade Lakes (and their nearby companions) are greater than the Great Lakes. Brimming with trout for fishermen and placid coves for Zenning-out standup paddleboarding, each lake is unique, its own special personality far, far more robust than an individual snow flake. For our Great Outdoors Issue, our Summer Adventure Team (SAT) visits the region's lakes, and reports back on the best places to kayak, standup paddleboard, wakeboard, fish and, whew, at the end of the day, sleep in a cabin.
Puddle-jump through the feature's many lakes here.
