Hyatt Lake Saturday.

As summer weather wanes, outdoors enthusiasts took in the views at the Howard Prairie and Hyatt lakes over Labor Day weekend.

From hiking to fishing to enjoying a Labor Day weekend event at Hyatt Lake Resort, there was plenty to do.

While hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, Ron and Cat Gordon made a stop at the resort.

“We did Washington [state] last year, and this year we’re doing what’s called ‘section hiking,’ so we’re doing this last section and we are going to try to get to Mexico before the snow falls,” Ron Gordon said of the pair’s Pacific Crest Trail goals.

The two started on the Pacific Crest Trail July 2 and earned trail names throughout the excursion, with Ron Gordon being called “Birdland” and Cat Gordon earning “Lacey.”

“Birdland” earned his name from the 1970s jazz tune from Weather Report, which he listens to each morning to put himself in a good mood, Ron Gordon said.

“You typically get those trail names from people you meet on the trail,” he added.

Cat Gordon’s “Lacey” moniker was obtained from having to constantly retie her shoelaces on the trail, she said.

A bunch of activities were set up and ready for families and kids Saturday at Hyatt, including bouncy houses, a waterslide, face painting and pony rides.

“We also have a coloring contest for the kids, and they color a page and have a gift inside, compliments of the management,” said Donna Milkowski, a Hyatt Lake Resort employee. “There’ll be live music at 5 p.m., so Colton Cutter will be our guitar player and singer, he lives locally.”

The bouncy houses and waterslide were free, and part of the proceeds earned from the event were going to the Greensprings Rural Fire District and Helping Hands Ministry.

“Food, family, that’s pretty much it. We just try to provide for the community here,” Milkowski said. “This is mostly for the kids, the rain has surprised us a bit so it’s a little wet.”

Friday’s rain was a welcome treat considering the low water levels at Hyatt and Howard Prairie lakes in recent years.

The newly installed marina at Howard Prairie Lake allowed boaters to return to the water for the first time since 2017 this summer after a $5.7 million effort to move the new marina into deeper water was completed by Jackson County in June.

“For all recreational boaters, this is the first time in years that we’ve even had enough water to launch a boat,” said Rogue Yacht Club member Mark Warwick regarding the new marina. “We were still a little limited this year, there was not quite as much water as we’d hoped.”

“It’s kind of hard to recreate if you don’t have a boat ramp to launch,” Warwick added.

The Howard Prairie Lake boat ramp was closed for the season Aug. 23 due to low water levels. Officials are hopeful the lakes will be even more full next summer.

“I hold a lot of confidence in the fact that there’ll be a lot more water in the lake [next year],” said Steve Lambert, Jackson County Roads and Parks Department program director. “We’re hoping we get a wet winter and folks can continue to use the marina and camp at the park.”

The Talent Irrigation District manages the water at the lakes, and officials anticipate the lakes to be much more full in 2024, Lambert said. “I start looking at things come February and looking at the snow pack, that’s when we start making an educated guess.”

Howard Prairie Lake’s old marina, now derelict and surrounded by land, is scheduled to be taken down in the springtime, according to Lambert.

The last piece of construction needed for the new marina will be the installation of multiple 20-foot finger docks to conserve space.

Installing the finger docks will likely take 2 to 3 years before the marina is 100% finished, Lambert said.

“Once the finger docks are installed, that’s going to create 165 slips that create a lot of more space,” Warwick said.

Boaters and officials were excited to see vessels back on the water again this year, albeit for a limited time.

“It was great, people had a ball up there this summer after seven years of not being able to be out at the lake,” Lambert said. “Just the sound of [boat] motors running at the park was comforting to hear.”

“There’s a fair group of people interested in sailing in Southern Oregon and looking forward to having the marina with water,” Warwick said. “As far as sailing, Howard Prairie is one of the nicest sailing lakes in the Northwest.”