Description

Located on Oregon's Owyhee Reservoir, this airstrip has great access to recreational water and camping activites.

Here is what the Oregon Department of Aviation has to say about the airstrip:

"Owyhee Reservoir State Airport is our one true "back country airport." Located 45 miles south of Ontario and 16 miles west of the Idaho state line, it is unique in Oregon´s airport system. It serves no community and has minimal emergency value, but it does offer great recreational opportunities if you have the right combination of aircraft type and pilot skills.

No ground access exists to this airport. It is about 1.5 hours by boat from Lake Owyhee State Park on the north end of the reservoir to the airport - which is also known as "Pelican Point" for the peninsula on which it lies. It can be a very lonely place most of the time, but on a busy holiday weekend 10 or more aircraft may be found there.

The Owyhee runway is dirt, measures only 1840´ long and 30´ wide and is at an elevation of 2680´. It lies across the peninsula, and normally the reservoir waters come right up to the ends. There are no obstructions, so it is easy to land on the end of the runway. There are often a lot of loose rocks on the surface, and it can be a bit rough. The surface can also be soft after a rain, but is normally very dry and dusty. The airport is in the bottom of the reservoir gorge with much higher terrain on all sides, so turbulence can be extreme if the winds are strong.

Owyhee Reservoir offers great fly-in recreational opportunities. It is usually a good place to get away from it all, if you crave a bit of solitude. The scenery in the gorge is spectacular. Every turn offers a new breathtaking vista. There are often deer in the area, and sometimes bighorn sheep can be seen in the hills to the west. Other wildlife includes rattlesnakes, so caution is in order. While fishing in the lake is very good at times, use caution in eating any fish you catch. Because of naturally occurring mercury in the water, pregnant or nursing women and children 6 years old or younger should not eat any fish taken here. Children older than 6 and healthy adults should eat no more than 8 ounces of fish from these waters, at a frequency of no more than 6 times a year. (Catch and release sounds like a good idea.) Check the Oregon Fishing Regulations for more information.

There is a cabin just east of the Owyhee runway, euphemistically known as the "Owyhee Hilton." It´s a "first come, first served" sort of thing. The cabin is rough and most would prefer to pitch a tent, but it could provide a welcome refuge. Local pilots maintain it for everyone´s use, so please clean up after yourselves and help protect this unique place. The cabin is almost a historical monument and certainly a treasure in this day and age. Food is often left here for emergencies. If you leave something for the cause, be sure it is in a rodent-proof container. You´ll note the place has resident pack rats, and their calling cards are all over. Sign-in logs are kept in the cabin and make for very interesting reading. They offer a snapshot of the history of the area.

Department of Aviation staff fly into this airport only about every 3-4 years, so we appreciate any information you can give us about the runway condition, good or bad. We can then let others know what to expect when they fly in."