Southern Oregon’s Hyatt Lake Recreation Area is a fun destination for equestrians. From Hyatt Lake Horse Camp, you can ride north and south on the Pacific Crest Trail, exploring the fascinating Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, the Wildcat Hills, Green Springs Mountain, and the south end of Howard Prairie Lake.
The Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument is located where the Cascades, Siskiyous, and Klamath Mountains converge. The confluence of these three ecosystems produces remarkable biological diversity. Over 3,500 plant and animal species live here, some of which are found nowhere else on Earth.
As you ride the PCT in either direction, you’ll travel through stands of old-growth Douglas-firs, mixed-conifer forest, open prairies, and groves of oaks.
When you ride north, you’ll enjoy expansive views from the Wildcat Hills Overlook, and you can visit the south end of Howard Prairie Lake.
When you ride south, you’ll swing by Little Hyatt Reservoir and Green Springs Mountain. You can also ride cross country.
The Camping
Hyatt Lake Horse Camp has day-use parking and five campsites with one corral each, though the corrals are large enough to hold two horses. The camp also has a vault toilet, picnic tables, and fire rings. The horse camp doesn’t have any stock water, and while the camp is adjacent to Hyatt Reservoir, the lakeshore can be too boggy to be a water source for your horse. You’ll want to bring stock water or bring lidded containers that you can fill at Wildcat Campground, the family camping area 0.3 mile away.
More Information
Learn more about the trails near Hyatt Lake in Riding Southern Oregon Horse Trails, by Kim McCarrel, available at www.nwhorsetrails.com.
