About 30 minutes West of Sisters, Oregon, is Clear Lake. Like the name suggests, the water in Clear Lake holds some very clear BLUE water! The water is very cold (around 36˚-43˚), which makes it hard for algae to thrive there. Because of that, you can see the 3,000 year old trees submerged in the lake, essentially preserved by the nearly freezing water.
On the North side of the lake is Great Springs. To get there, you can either walk along the hiking path that goes around the lake (4.6 mile loop), or rent a rowboat and paddle your way over. As you get closer to the spring, the water gets bluer and bluer. Finally you get to the little cove, and it appears that the water is flowing out of nowhere. In reality, the fresh spring water is coming from under the rocks! If you come out to Clear Lake, PLEASE go see Great Springs. You won't regret it! The beautiful blue color of the water compliments the green scenery that surrounds it in Late Spring, and the butterflies near the water are icing on the cake!
If you're looking to Spend the day out here, you can hike, boat (no motors), fish, or camp around the lake. Santiam Fish and Game regularly stocks the lake with trout, so if that's your thing - bring your fishing pole, rent a rowboat for the day ($30), and try your luck. Even if you don't catch anything, it's so beautiful you might not even care!
