By:
Submission
Antelope Flat Reservoir is located on the south side of the Maury Mountains, is encompassed by the Ochoco National Forest and is a great getaway from the more crowded campgrounds in the state. It is an irrigation impoundment that is situated near the headwaters of Bear Creek, a tributary of the Crooked River, and is formed by a 33-foot high earth fill dam at the west end of Antelope Flat. The landscape includes a nice mix of ponderosa pine, desert slopes, and weedy banks. Expect to find murky water conditions. Rainbow trout are found in the reservoir and average 12 inches although there have been reports of a high growth rate and good success by anglers with fish as large as 18 inches. Fingerlings are stocked in mid-May by ODFW. Early in the season, anglers line the bank near the concrete boat ramp and close to the rocks. The water is frequently turbid because of the growth of phytoplankton and because of bank erosion caused by surface waves, thus decreasing water transparency. A cement boat ramp is near the dam for launching your watercraft.
Directions from Prineville: Travel 30 miles southeast on State Highway 380 to Forest Road 17 (Antelope Reservoir Junction). Turn right on Forest Road 17, and follow it approximately three miles to Forest Road 1700-600 and continue on to the campground.
