Bunch grass and sagebrush of the Crooked River National Grasslands. Lake Billy Chinook, Jefferson County, Central Oregon high desert. These premium 5×7″ note cards of Oregon and the Pacific Northwest, are blank inside, feature embossed envelopes, and protective clear sleeve. Purchased individually, note cards are $6.00 each, OR, $5.00 each when purchasing a boxed set of 12. Free shipping for orders of $75.00 or more, otherwise a flat rate of $12.00. Once on the shopping cart page, you can easily add multiples of any greeting cards you’ve already selected. If interested in wholesale purchasing of my Oregon note cards, please CONTACT ME for pricing information. If interested in a print of this image, you can find several options at its Gallery Page Here.
Lake Billy Chinook and the Crooked River Canyonlands
Set within the high desert of central Oregon, Lake Billy Chinook lies in a striking canyon carved by the Deschutes, Metolius, and Crooked Rivers. Its sheer basalt cliffs, some rising more than 500 feet, reveal a geologic story millions of years in the making. The lake itself was created in 1964 when Round Butte Dam flooded the confluence, forming a reservoir that now anchors recreation in the region.
The canyon walls showcase the Deschutes Formation, a series of lava flows and volcanic deposits laid down between 5 and 11 million years ago. These layers, part of the vast Columbia River Basalt Group, record a history of fiery eruptions followed by steady river erosion. The result is a landscape of terraces, cliffs, and pinnacles that continues to draw both geologists and sightseers.
Beyond the lake lies the Crooked River National Grassland, a 173,000-acre expanse of sagebrush plains, juniper woodlands, and rugged basalt outcrops. Once homesteaded by settlers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, much of this land eventually reverted to public ownership, as thin soils and arid conditions made farming unsustainable. Today, the Grassland preserves habitat for mule deer, raptors, and native wildflowers, while also holding traces of much older Indigenous use. Warm Springs, Wasco, and Northern Paiute peoples once harvested roots, hunted game, and gathered plants here, long before the first settlers arrived.
Lake Billy Chinook’s creation brought new opportunities for boating and fishing, though at the cost of blocking salmon and steelhead runs that had long sustained both ecosystems and Indigenous communities. Modern restoration efforts seek to repair some of these losses, even as the lake remains a centerpiece for recreation and tourism.
All-occasion Card, Blank Card, Lake Billy Chinook, Nature Note Cards, Oregon Greeting Cards, Oregon Note Cards, Pacific Northwest Note Cards, Thank You Card
