Lake Lytle

Lake Lytle is a small, 65-acre lake just off of Highway 101 in Rockaway Beach, Oregon. The lake is a very popular fishing spot that supports a healthy population of smallmouth bass, perch and stocked rainbow trout. The lake itself makes for a fine paddle, whether you are making your way around the perimeter or working on basics a little closer to the launch. You will be sharing the lake with motorized boats in either case, which usually isn’t a problem so long as everyone sees one another (the fog rolling in off of the nearby Pacific can complicate visibility). 

If you’d like to avoid the motorized boats, leave from the launch and paddle under the NE 12th Avenue bridge into the slough that enters the north end of the lake. In about a half mile you will reach Crescent Lake, which is smaller and shallower than Lake Lytle and which does not allow motorized traffic. This lake can be a little more interesting to explore because of its unusual shape; try paddling around the arm to see more resident birdlife, or continue north to see how far the tide will allow you to move into Crescent Creek.

While neither lake is remarkable, they both are great paddling options for beginners or if conditions such as winds or tides force you to change your plans. A paddle around both lakes and the connecting slough would be a very full day and a great workout.  And once you’ve picked up the basics or the conditions improve, consider a beautiful paddle up the North Fork of the Nehalem.  While camping is prohibited at Lake Lytle, the robust Nehalem Bay State Park is nearby and boasts a 265-site campground.