Anthony Lakes Campground

Anthony Lakes Campground

Anthony Lakes Campground, at 7,100-foot elevation and only 30 miles northwest of Baker City, is part of the Anthony Lakes Recreation Area, which also includes the much smaller and less developed Mud Lake Campground (with only six sites) and the Anthony Lakes Day-Use Area, popular with valley dwellers seeking a high-altitude escape from the heat far below. The view from just about any campsite at Anthony Lakes is simply picture-perfect, with the shimmering blue of Anthony Lake contrasting against the dark, subalpine forest greens and the rocky, rugged flanks of surrounding Elkhorn Mountains. At this altitude, the fragrances of high-mountain eastern Oregon are irresistible, with pungent notes of woods, earth, and water mingling in the rarefied air. Find one of the sun-warmed, smooth rocks edging the lake, maybe an overhanging tree for a little shade, then dangle a toe or two in the cool waters and indulge yourself. Unfortunately, if it’s a normal summer, the mosquitoes may have you on the go in no time. It’s the curse of such a beautiful setting with such a short summer season. They weren’t particularly bad in the summer of 2003, but then it wasn’t a normal summer, as the snow melt was long gone by mid-July. Winter recreationists are in luck, since they can enjoy the same views mosquito-free at the Anthony Lakes Ski Area right next door and also some of the best powder in Oregon at the highest ski base in the state. Food for thought if you’re so inclined and getting eaten alive.

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