Dorena Reservoir, body of water

Dorena Reservoir is a dammed lake in Lane County, Oregon, set among forested hills and open shoreline. The water is held back by a dam on the Row River, and the surrounding land includes grassy banks, launch areas for boats, and spots for fishing and picnicking.

The reservoir was built by the US Army Corps of Engineers in the late 1940s to control flooding along the Row River. As the years passed, the site was opened for recreation and began drawing visitors from across the region.

Dorena Lake takes its name from the nearby community of Dorena. Baker Bay, a cove on the reservoir, holds the Baker Bay Marina, and Schwarz Park provides a campground on the shore. The reservoir is a summer vacation destination that draws an estimated 80,000 visitors a year.

The site is easiest to reach and use during summer, when water levels are high enough for boating and the banks are open for swimming. Weekends draw more people, so arriving early in the day helps to find a good spot along the shore.

The reservoir sits at the end of the Row River Trail, a former railroad corridor that has been converted into a path for walking and cycling. Following the trail to the water means traveling a route that once carried timber trains through the valley.