North Shore Road
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Looking west at Crooked River
At the east end of Prineville, go south on Combs Flat Road. This becomes Paulina Hwy 380. From the junction of Combs Flat Road and Hwy 126, it’s 16.3 miles to North Shore Road. After about 12 miles the road descends a hill. Past Eagle Rock and at the bottom of the hill, you will come to the Crooked River. An un-graded road takes off to the right (west). This is North Shore Road (Google Maps calls it Prineville Lake Access Road). The first 2 miles feature great willow habitat for migrants and summer nesters. Pit toilets can be found at the end of this stretch. The next two miles can be good for lake species depending on the time of year. At the 4 mile mark, there is a side road to another willow and lake access that is very productive. There is a pit toilet here as well. If you continue on, the road breaks into juniper forest and eventually will come out at Jasper Point State Park. The total distance from pavement to pavement is 6 miles. It can become impassible after rains due to mud, so avoid going there on wet days. The road is closed from mid Nov – mid April.
DirectionsHabitat and Birds
Open water, riparian scrub and juniper are found here. This is simply one of the best places to bird in Crook County (except in winter and early spring until the willows leaf out). The riparian area close to the Crooked River is excellent for fall migrants. Large numbers of warblers and flycatchers can be found along the river (North Shore Road). In the fall, Long-eared Owls roost in the willows. ,You might find White-faced Ibis, American White Pelican, and many shorebirds, depending on water levels. In spring, both Chukar and Mountain Quail can be found along this road. In October large numbers of sparrows and American Pipits can be found. Blue-gray Gnatcatchers are seen her annually in August and early September. Summer nesters include Yellow-breasted Chat, Bullock’s Oriole, Spotted Sandpiper, Bushtit, Canyon and Rock Wren, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Lazuli Bunting and many more. Unusual birds seen at this location include Blue-winged Teal, Greater Scaup, Wild Turkey, Horned Grebe, Great Egret, Red-shouldered Hawk, Peregrine Falcon, Sanderling, Bewick’s Wren, Black-and-white Warbler, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and Clay-colored Sparrow.
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