Cultus Lake boat-in campgrounds to require reservations

Boat-in campgrounds on Cultus Lake will switch to advance reservation-only late next summer due to crowding and “degradation of the camping experience,” the Deschutes National Forest announced Thursday.

Starting next Aug. 1, boat- in campsites on Cultus Lake at Little Cove, Big Cove and West Cultus campgrounds will be switching to reservation-only, so campsites will need to be reserved in advance through www.recreation.gov.

Why the switch?

“Visitors will be be able to plan ahead, assuring that the site will be available for them when they get there and without late comers crowding into their space,” the forest said in a Facebook posting.

“Overcrowding in this area has led to numerous natural resource issues and the general degradation of the camping experience,” the agency added.

“Having reasonably sized campsites will allow the Forest Service to rehabilitate this area and improve the visitor’s experience,” the forest’s posting concluded.