20 Dam Good Places to Ride !

Study your maps and combine dams for some great weekend (or longer) trips. Check the "Ride Talk" page for postings of other riders looking for companions. You can also log your progress. When you have photos of your dam visits e-mail them to me for ranking credit. These are great places to visit on a motorcycle. Enjoy the ride and be safe.

* A note on GPS coordinates: These are approximate, but should be close enough to get you there.

2008 Dam Tour List   (*clicking on the GPS co-ordinance will take you to that map.)

---

OREGON . . .

1. Powerdale Dam  ( 60 miles from PDX)

   
   Powerdale Dam (aka Copper Creek Dam)is a diversion dam, which is located on Hood River approximately 4.5 miles upstream of the Columbia River. BTW, the dam is not accessible nor viewable from Hwy 35.
          GPS 45.66556°N - 121.52222°W    or   45°39’56.02” N - 121°31’19.99” W

   
   
2. Round Butte Dam  ( 119 miles from PDX)

   
   Round Butte Dam is on the Deschutes River in Jefferson County, Oregon, and creates Lake Billy Chinook. It is approximately six miles west of Madras, Oregon and approximately 90 miles southeast of downtown Portland. Your photo can be taken from the Round Butte Overlook Park, which overlooks the dam some 400 feet below.
          GPS 44.60333° N - 121.27667° W    or   44°36’11.99” N - 121° 16’ 36.01” W

   
   
3. Walterville Dam  ( 129 miles from PDX)

   
   Walterville Dam, along the Walterville Canal, is east of Springfield along Hwy 126 off Camp Creek Rd via Mckenzie Acres Dr. A very small canal dam, but cool.
          GPS 44.06889° N - 122.81472° W    or   44° 04’ 08.00” N - 122° 48’ 52.99” W

   
   
4. Cougar Dam   ( 165 miles from PDX)

   
   Cougar Dam is a tall earthen fill dam that creates Cougar Reservoir on the south fork of the McKenzie River, on NF-19/NF-410(East Side Rd.), off the beautiful McKenzie Hwy(OR 126) 42 miles east of Eugene, Oregon. There are visitor viewpoints at both sides of the Cougar Dam that offer spectacular views of the valley downstream and the vistas upstream around the lake.
          GPS 44.12917° N - 122.23917° W     or   44° 0 7’ 45.01” N - 122° 14’ 21.01” W

   
   
5. McNary Dam - Oregon side ( 179 miles from PXD)

   
   The dam is located at Columbia River Mile 292, and creates Lake Wallula. The dam is at the edge of the town of Umatilla, Oregon and can be seen when crossing the bridge on I-82 . The lake extends about 27 miles above Pasco, Washington, on the Columbia River. The lake also extends up the Snake River to Ice Harbor Lock and Dam.
          GPS 45.93667° N - 119.29667° W     or   45° 56’ 12.01” N - 119° 17’ 48.01” W

   
   
6. Cold Springs Dam ( 187.6 miles from PDX)

   
   Cold Springs Dam creates Cold Springs Reservoir and is located off stream about 6 miles northeast of Hermiston, Oregon, off State Rt. 207.
          GPS 45.86083° N - 119.17111° W     or   45° 51 ’38.99” N - 119° 10’ 16.00” W

   
   
7. Upper Pony Creek Dam ( 229 miles from PDX)

   
   Upper Pony Creek Dam is on the outskirts of Coos Bay, Oregon. Take your photos at the Water Works off Ocean Blvd. Not the actual dam. All GPS for this dam has been removed. Please check the forum for more information.
          GPS    

   
   
8. Antelope Dam (410 miles from PDX)

   
   Antelope Dam is off Hwy 95 in beautiful eastern Oregon on Antelope reservoir Road. Jordan Valley is 10.4 miles ENE of the dam. Some great high desert riding. Sorry, one mile of hard packed gravel. Steve says it didn't even get his bike dirty.
          GPS 42.90667° N - 117.23667° W     or   42° 54’ 24.01” N - 117° 14’ 12.01” W

   
   

---

WASHINGTON . . .

1. John Day Dam - Washington side. ( 109.8 miles from PDX)

   
   John Day Dam is located 28 miles (45 km) east of the city of The Dalles, Oregon, and just below the mouth of the John Day River. The closest town on the Washington side is Goldendale, 20 miles (32 km) north. It joins Sherman County, Oregon with Klickitat County, Washington, 216 miles (348 kilometers) upriver from the mouth of the Columbia near Astoria, Oregon.
          GPS 45.71806° N - 120.69278° W     or   45° 43’ 05.02” N - 120° 41’ 34.01” W

   
   
2. Ice Harbor Dam ( 225 miles from PDX)

   
   Ice Harbor Dam is located on Snake River about 8 miles (13 km) northeast of the town of Burbank and 12 miles (20 km) east of Pasco, river mile 9.2. It forms Lake Sacajawea and the lake stretches to the base of Lower Monumental Dam, 32 miles upstream.
          GPS 46.24972° N - 118.87861° W     or   46° 14 ’ 58.99 ” N - 118° 52’ 43.00” W

   
   
3. Horn Rapids Dam ( 230 miles from PDX)

   
   Horn Rapids Dam, on the Yakima River, is about 9 miles NW of the Tri-cities, bordering the Hanford Nuclear Reservation on Hwy 240.
          GPS 46.37889° N - 119.41583° W    or   46° 22’ 44.00” N - 119° 24’ 56.99” W

   
   
4. Cle Elum Dam ( 233 miles from PDX)

   
   Cle Elum Dam is an earthen filled dam on the Yakima River 8 miles NW of Cle Elum. You can access Lake Cle Elum Dam road from Hwy 903, out of Cle Elum.
          GPS 47.245° N - 121.07333° W     or   47° 14’ 42.00” N - 121° 04’ 23.99” W

   
   
5. Tumwater Canyon Dam ( 278 miles from PDX)

   
   The Tumwater Canyon Dam is located just west of Leavenworth in the Tumwater Canyon. It is just east of the popular candy store, The Alps. Thousands of motorists pass this spot daily on highway 2 heading east-west towards Stevens Pass, most never find out that for such a small dam it has quite a bit of history.
          GPS 47.61667° N - 120.72167° W     or   47° 37’ 00.01” N - 120° 43’ 18.01” W

   
   
6. Rocky Reach Dam ( 289 miles from PDX)

   
   Rocky Reach Dam is located about 7 miles north of Wenatchee, along State Highway 97 Alternate, between Wenatchee and Entiat.
          GPS 47.53333° N - 120.29306° W     or   47° 31’59.99” N - 120° 17’ 35.02” W

   
   
7. Gorge Dam ( 292 miles from PDX)

   
   George Dam is located on the Upper Skagit River, along the Cascade Hwy, west of Diablo Dam
          GPS 48.69806° N - 121.20722° W     or   48° 41’ 53.02” N - 121° 12’ 25.99” W

   
   
8. Nine Mile Dam ( 358 miles from PDX)

   
   Nine Mile Dam is located is 9 miles (or 16 miles downstream on the winding river) from downtown Spokane, at the location of the now non-existent falls on the Spokane River. The Nine Mile Falls Dam was built by Washington Water Power (now Avista) on the site of the falls in 1908.
          GPS 47.77528° N - 117.54306° W     or   47° 46’ 31.01”N - 117° 32’ 35.02” W

   
   

---

                     

Bonus Dams . . .

1. Rye Patch Dam (555 miles from PDX)

   
   Rye Patch Dam creates the Rye Patch reservoir on the Humbolt River, 22 miles NE of Love Lock, Nevada. On Hwy 401 off I-80/Hwy 95.
          GPS 40.46959° N - 118.30818° W     or   40° 28’ 10.52”N - 118° 18’ 29.45” W

   
   
2. Cascade Dam ( 509 miles from PDX)

   
   Cascade Dam is on the north fork of the Payette River, less an one mile from downtown Cascade, Idaho. The recreational city of McCall is 30 miles north, and the village of Donnelly is a little over midway, via state Hwy 55.
          GPS 44.52417° N - 116.04972° W     or   44° 31’ 27.01”N - 116° 0 2’ 58.99” W

   
   
3. John Hart Dam ( 401 miles from PDX)

   
   John Hart Dam is on the Campbell River on the east side Vancouver Island outside the city of Campbell River(Campbell River is big as Vancouver Island cities go). The dam creates the John Hart Reservoir. The John Hart Dam and it's crossing are on Hwy 19.
          GPS 50.01177° N - 125.3607° W     or   50° 00’ 42.37” N - 125° 21’ 38.48” W

   
   
4. Kerr Dam ( 562 miles from PDX)

   
   Kerr Dam is about five miles west of Polson, Montana on the Flathead River. Head west on 7th Avenue and continue as 7th Avenue turns into Kerr Dam Road. Just follow the signs and you are there! I am sorry, but there is 1/2 mile of hard gravel, but the trip is worth it. Take your photo at the sign on paved road if you would rather.
          GPS 47.67667° N - 114.23333° W     or   47° 40’ 36.01” N - 114° 13’ 59.99” W