Near the town of Summer Lake.
Playa could not succeed without the support of its neighbors. We encourage all Friends of Playa to support and frequent the local businesses and resources, including those listed here.
Playa is 12 miles south of the town of Summer Lake and 17 miles north of Paisley. The small town of Summer Lake is situated halfway between Lakeview and Bend, with a wayside and access to the Summer Lake Wildlife Area, a gas station, small store, and post office. Paisley has a small store, gas station, restaurant, historic saloon, and the local area school, which houses a radio station and an international boarding program.
Accommodations
Summer Lake Hot Springs. 106-118 degree natural artesian hot mineral springs with an indoor pool, several outdoor rock pools, guest house, cabins, campground, and full RV-hookup sites. 41777 Highway 31, Paisley, OR 97636. (541)943-3931
Ana Reservoir RV Park. Includes RV park, tent campground and the adjacent Ana River. (541)943-3240.
The Lodge at Summer Lake. The Lodge has seven motel units, three Lakeside Cabins, parking for self-contained RVs, tent sites, and showers available. 53460 Highway 31, Summer Lake, Oregon 97640. (541)943-3993.
The Paisley Sage Rooms. Nice rooms with private baths, Satellite TV and locally made wooden decor. Main street, Paisley. (541)943-3145
Willow Springs Guest Ranch. A working cattle ranch that provides “home-grown” electricity in the form of solar, wind and generator power 20 miles south of Paisley. 34064 Clover Flat Road, Lakeview, OR 97630. (541)947-5499
Food
Pioneer Saloon & Restaurant. A special attraction of this historic building is the bar, which was built in Boston in 1905 and shipped “round the horn.” It traveled by barge and eventually by wagon to reach its present location in the heart of Paisley. 327 Main Street, Paisley. (541)943-3289.
The Lodge at Summer Lake. Offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 53460 Highway 31, Summer Lake, Oregon 97640. (541)943-3993
Homestead Restaurant. Offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 331 Oregon 31, Paisley. (541)943-3187
Summer Lake Store. Small grocery Store, gas station and Summer Lake post office. 54128 Hwy 31, Summer Lake, OR. (541)943-3164.
The Paisley Mercantile. Groceries, supplies, and dry goods. Main street, Paisley. (541)943-3110
Points of Interest
Winter Ridge & Summer Lake. Summer Lake was discovered and named by Captain John Fremont’s Army Topographical team during its 1843 mapping expedition through central Oregon. On December 16th, 1843, the expedition struggled down a steep cliff from a snow-covered plateau to reach a large lake in the valley below. At the edge of cliff, they looked to a different landscape:
“At our feet…more than a thousand feet below…we looked into a green prairie country, in which a beautiful lake, some 20 miles in length, was spread along the foot of the mountain…Shivering on snow three feet deep and stiffening in a cold north wind, we exclaimed at once that the names of summer lake and winter ridge should be applied to these proximate places of such sudden and violent contrast.”
- Captain John C. Fremont, 16 December 1843, Report of the Second Fremont Expedition
Harris School below Winter Ridge. Photo by Douglas Beauchamp.
Harris Schoolhouse: The Harris Schoolhouse was an early one-room school, established in 1890 by the Harris family, pioneers in the Summer Lake area. The little school operated until 1919, when shifting populations forced its closure. It reopened in 1926 and continued to serve until 1929, when a bus was purchased to transport students to nearby Paisley School, and Harris School was closed.
Ranching
The ZX Ranch. South of Paisley, owned by J.R. Simplot Corporation since 1994, this is one of the largest working cattle ranches in North America. It has more than 70,000 private acres and grazing leases on over one million acres of public lands. For information about the ZX Ranch, see the articles here & here.
Paisley. The town of Paisley (pop. 247) hosts the annual Mosquito Festival and has been a hub of many ranches over 100 years old. Named for Paisley, Scotland, the city was incorporated in 1911.
Paisley School. Photo by Douglas Beauchamp
Lake County
Lakeview. The Lake County seat, Lakeview is 14 miles from the California border, located halfway between Bend, Oregon and Reno, Nevada. Two major highways, 395 and 140, pass through Lakeview, and the area is a popular route from the Willamette Valley or Central Oregon to Reno.
Lake County Libraries enrich every person by providing comfortable community spaces to satisfy curiosity, stimulate imagination, create young readers, and explore local heritage. Our SIRCLE of values–Service, Integrity, Respect, Community, Learning, and Excellence–drives every action we take to satisfy our mission. Main Library in Lakeview, 541-947-6019; Branches in Paisley 541-943-3911, Silver Lake, 541-576-2146, and Christmas Valley 541-576-2336.