Detroit Lake - Mongold Wayside
North Santiam Highway,…read moreDetroit, OR 97342
44.7157° N, 122.1929° W (44° 42′ 56″ N, 122° 11′ 34″ W)
We visited Mongold Wayside on Sunday, August 23rd, during a time when Detroit Lake was noticeably lower than normal. See photos. The lower water level has changed how some of the recreation areas around the lake can be used, and Mongold was no exception.
When we arrived, two of the regular boat ramps were closed because the lake had receded beyond them. There is another boat-launch area around the corner that appeared to still be operating--we saw vehicles, boats and trailers coming and going--but we did not explore that section.
What we were very pleased to find was a dedicated canoe/kayak ramp that still reached the water.
The paved ramp is long and somewhat steep because of the current water level, but it was manageable. We unloaded our kayaks in the parking lot, attached the wheels to them and rolled them down to the lake. At the end of the day, rather than pulling everything back uphill, we were able to drive the truck down the ramp and load the kayaks near the water.
For anyone kayaking Detroit Lake during lower water levels, that access alone makes Mongold worth knowing about.
The parking area is large. On this particular Sunday afternoon, I would estimate only about 15 vehicles were there when we arrived, although the lot looks capable of handling many times that number. The restrooms were clean, and there was a working drinking fountain nearby.
We have the $60 annual Oregon State Parks pass and have already used it four times. With several more trips planned, we should easily get more than our money's worth out of it.
Once on the water, we headed toward Piety Knob Island. The exposed shoreline really shows how far the lake has dropped. We landed on the island, where the shoreline was rocky and steep in places, with some impressive exposed tree roots and stumps. From there, we could look back across the lake and clearly see Mongold Wayside and the long canoe/kayak ramp stretching across the exposed lakebed to the water.
We did not spend much time trying to find another landing area around Piety Knob because of the muddy, rocky and steep shoreline conditions. On another trip, particularly with higher water, we would like to explore more of the island and possibly the Piety Island Campground.
Instead, we continued toward Detroit Lake State Recreation Area.
Google Maps puts the straight-line distance between the areas at around two miles, but anyone who kayaks knows you rarely travel in a perfectly straight line. Between exploring Piety Knob, adjusting our course, wind, waves and boat traffic, we certainly paddled farther than the map measurement.
We actually landed at Detroit Lake State Recreation Area and took a break there before heading back. While there, we watched a Marion County Sheriff's boat come in and later be loaded onto its trailer.
Earlier, that same sheriff's boat had stopped to greet us while we were out on the lake. The deputy and the three others aboard were friendly, exchanged some conversation with us and made sure we were doing okay. It was a pleasant encounter and also reassuring to see an active patrol on the lake.
The trip back to Mongold was the workout.
The wind had picked up, the surface became choppier, and occasional motorboat traffic added wakes that we had to navigate. Nothing unmanageable for us, but this is a large reservoir and conditions can change considerably from the protected shoreline to the more open water. What begins as an easy recreational paddle can require considerably more effort on the return trip.
That is also part of what made this trip memorable.
Even with the lake drawn down, the scenery remains beautiful. Forested mountains surround the reservoir, the exposed shoreline gives you an unusual look at terrain normally underwater, and traveling by kayak gives you an entirely different perspective than simply standing at one of the recreation areas looking across the lake.
Mongold Wayside worked very well as our starting and ending point. The low water has temporarily limited some of its normal boat-launch capability, but the canoe/kayak access was still functional and allowed us to turn what could have been a disappointing low-water visit into one of our better kayaking adventures.
We will definitely return--hopefully when Detroit Lake is much closer to its normal level. I would really like to see how different this entire area looks with the shoreline back where it normally belongs.
