The Cascades received a nice spring snow this past week. Of course, no one can go skiing, but cross country is still okay. A lot of these little lakes are virtually untouched right now.

If you are looking for an idyllic lake for swimming in Central Oregon, there really is no better option than the scenic Scout Lake located in the Deschutes National Forest.

Located south of Suttle Lake in a mixed conifer forest, Scout Lake sits at an elevation 3,700 feet. The deep flowing waters coupled with its sandy shores, make this small pristine lake ideal for swimming as the weather heats up.

The lake features a picturesque shoreline, clear water of aquamarine color surrounded by thin forest of green fir trees that survived in the largest fire in Deschutes Forest history and burned stands of once alive trees. The lake has shallow and deep zone. The shallow water near the sandy beach is perfect for kids wading or splashing.