It's almost time!

The campground will open for camping March 15th, just a little over a month away.

Be sure to make your reservations early as many dates are filling up quickly.

Make your holiday reservations at least 2 months in advance and maybe more. Memorial Day is already full.

Looking forward to seeing everybody again this summer!

What a Summer!

What a fun summer had by all!

We've met lots of new families who visited for the first time, lots of repeat visitors and tons of folks viewing the park for future stays.

We've had all sorts folks visiting from normal everyday families to visitors from The Netherlands, Thailand, Ireland, Sweden, and Germany, and lots of family reunions stay in the rv area for extended periods, other park caretakers curious about the buzz of Crow Butte, tons of cyclers tenting for a brief relief, and cross country walkers! Yes, you heard right, 2 guys walking from the Pacific to the Atlantic for Charity. Amazing!

Now that kids are getting ready for school, the summer is winding down. Labor Day weekend is booked full! All of our holidays are booked well in advance so be sure to go online at http://www.crowbutte.com/ to make your reservations well in advance for future holiday weekends!

We are looking forward to more up coming renovations this winter of the bathrooms, concession stand, extending the swim area and possibly adding a playground for the kiddies! So be sure to come on over for a visit in the spring to see what's been going on here at Crow Butte.

Don't forget to mark your calendars for the next Horse Heaven Hills trail drive on July 17, 2010! Everyone had a blast visiting the local wineries and coming back here to enjoy the BBQ, music & prizes!

We had 2 sets of White Tail twins born this year in the park! What a site they are!

Attention Sturgeon Anglers!

Effective January 1, 2009, a new method of measuring sturgeon for retention will take effect statewide.

Sturgeon will be measured from the tip of the nose to the fork in the tail (fork length).

Measured from tip of snout to fork of tail with the fish on it’s side, on a flat surface and the tail in a natural position.

Statewide legal size limits have been adjusted to reflect the new measurement technique as follows:

Ocean, bays and estuaries, coastal tributaries, and the Columbia River and tributaries downstream of The Dalles Dam:

38 to 54 inches FORK LENGTH

Columbia River and tributary fisheries below the Wauna powerlines is expected to change May 9, 2009 to:

41 to 54 inches FORK LENGTH

Columbia River and tributaries upstream of The Dalles Dam to below Priest Rapids Dam and the Snake River and tributaries below Lower Granite Dam:

43 to 54 inches FORK LENGTH

Why was this change needed? Research has shown that fork length is a more precise method of measuring sturgeon. This method reduces error due to tail fin injuries and differences in length and position of the lobes of the tail fin.

Be sure that your sturgeon is of legal length under this NEW measurement technique!!!

Holiday Weekend Fun in The Snow

My son, Joshua, and I decided to take advantage of the last couple of days of snow covered hills and do a little sledding.

I have despised the cold white stuff for over twenty years, so this was the first time I have had fun in the snow for a long, long time.

We had a great time, and sure enough, the warm wind started blowing that evening and there wasn't much left the next morning.

I am glad we had the opportunity to do this!

These chances don't come along often.

The snow is all but gone now, but I get to keep the bruised tailbone and aching knees!

Can't wait until next year!

We Are Not Alone!

It has been a while, but we finally have visitors! The snow sent the deer to the other side of the island looking for food, but they came to visit today. The photo is just two of the small herd that settled down in the brush next to our house this morning.

It's wonderful being out here with nature at it's best. I have been trying to get photos of two eagles that have been hiding out down in the campground but have not been able to get close enough for a clear picture.

I'll keep trying!

December has been an eventful month for us here at the park.

We have completed an upgrade of the electrical system in the RV Campground! All of the sites now have 20, 30, and 50 amp service available! A new transformer has also been added giving the entire park more power to pull from. If you have been avoiding the campground because of electrical problems you have encountered in the past, it's time to come back!

The bulk of the migrating geese have come and gone. We had thousands visiting for a few days early in the month and are now back down to a few hundred. Out boat launch and marina areas are currently frozen over. My wife and I have seen deer and coyotes venturing out on to the snow covered frozen area around the causeway.

Crow Butte Facts

Crow Butte island is situated in the majestic Columbia River. The 275 acre park is on the island and accessible by motor and river traffic. There are 50 full service camping spots, two boat launches and a boat basin.

Crow Butte Park was initially developed by the Corps of Engineers and then transferred to the State of Washington. The state managed the facility for several years, but was unable to continue operation when budgets became strained. Local farmers in the region formed an association and managed the park for four years. The farmers were having difficulty sustaining the maintenance of the park and asked the Corps of Engineers to lease the park to the Port of Benton effective August 1, 2007.

The Port’s decision to invest in the park followed meetings with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and officials of Benton and Klickitat Counties. The Port collaborated with these two counties and the tribes to define a succession plan. The Port of Benton is currently developing a master plan, which will lead to major upgrades in the park in the next three years. The Port believes that this area of its district will continue to grow in economic importance as a result of wine and agri-tourism. The island on which the park is located is culturally significant to the tribes, leading to a ceremony on August 28th, 2007, in which the tribes formally blessed the park.