Well, let me tell ya ’bout this Lost Lake place, up in Clatsop County, Oregon. It ain’t like them fancy city lakes, no sir. It’s just a good ol’ lake, tucked away in the woods.
They say it’s 15 acres, or maybe 14, depends on who you’re askin’. Anyways, it’s big enough for some fishin’, and that’s what matters, right? Folks say there’s some real nice rainbow trout in there. Trophy rainbows, they call ’em. I ain’t never caught one myself, but I seen pictures, and they look mighty purdy.
Now, this lake, it’s the start of somethin’ called Lost Creek. Where the water comes from, well, that’s a bit of a mystery. Some folks with fancy learnin’ say it comes from underground, through them lava rocks. Apparently, there was a volcano way back when, and the rocks are all full of holes, like a sponge. The water seeps down, then pops up in the lake. Sounds like a bunch of hooey to me, but what do I know?
How to get there? Well, you gotta take Lost Lake Road. It ain’t hard to find, but it ain’t no paved highway neither. Just a dirt road, windin’ through the trees. You’ll be bumpin’ around a bit, but that’s part of the fun.
- Take it slow, or you’ll mess up your car.
- And don’t go in the winter, unless you got a big truck and some chains. The snow can get real deep.
Lost Lake, it’s surrounded by trees. Big ol’ trees, the kind that been there forever. It’s real quiet and peaceful. Just you and the birds and the squirrels. Sometimes, you might see a deer, or maybe even a bear. But mostly, it’s just you and nature.
And speaking of nature, they got this Clatsop State Forest all around. It’s full of trails and whatnot. You can go hikn’. There’s this Bloom Lake Trail, I hear it’s nice. Never been myself, my old knees ain’t what they used to be. But younger folks, they seem to like it. Plenty of trees to look at, and maybe you’ll see some critters. You could get lost out there, so best bring a map and a compass, or one of them newfangled GPS things.
Now, Oregon, she’s got a lot of Lost Lakes. Seems like every time you turn around, there’s another one. I heard tell there’s at least 19 of ’em. Some are big, some are small. Some are easy to get to, some ain’t. But this one, the one in Clatsop County, it’s special. It’s a place where you can just get away from it all. A place where you can forget your troubles and just relax. A place where you can lose yourself, in a good way.
They say the lake is pretty deep in some parts, maybe 167 feet. That’s deeper than my well, I’ll tell you that much! There’s another lake up north, Wahtum Lake, that’s a bit deeper, but this one’s deep enough for me. Don’t go fallin’ in though, you might not come back up. And it’s cold, even in the summer, that water will give you a chill.
Fishin’ at Lost Lake, well, it can be good, or it can be bad. That’s fishin’ for ya. Sometimes, they bite, sometimes they don’t. But even if you don’t catch nothin’, it’s still a nice day out. Just sittin’ by the lake, listenin’ to the birds sing, that’s good enough for me. You gotta have a license though, don’t go breakin’ the law. Them game wardens, they don’t mess around. They’ll fine ya good, or maybe even haul you off to jail.
So, if you’re ever up in Clatsop County, and you’re lookin’ for a place to get away from it all, go check out Lost Lake. It ain’t fancy, but it’s real. And sometimes, that’s all you need. It’s a place you can go to clear your head, and just enjoy the simple things in life.
Lost lake is 5395 feet long and 4150 feet wide at the widest spot, so it’s plenty big for a good day’s fishing or just enjoying the outdoors. Now remember, leave it cleaner than you found it, pack out your trash and don’t go bothering the wildlife. We want to keep it nice for everyone to enjoy, don’t we?
Tags: [Lost Lake, Clatsop County, Oregon, Fishing, Rainbow Trout, Hiking, Clatsop State Forest, Bloom Lake Trail, Lost Creek, Pacific Northwest, Outdoor Recreation, Travel, Getaway, Nature]
