time of year the deschutes is swimmable? (swimming, things to do)

[VirtualErik]

i realize the weather is just starting to warm up and that the waters are probably pretty cold still and will be for a while.

So when is it warm enough to swim in? i know i can still enjoy the river to float down at the old mill area and such.

I want to get the most out of the outdoor things to do here in the area.

[delta07]

The Deschutes River is always cold, even in the dog days of summer. I wouldn't necessarily consider the river swimmable, in the sense that you can do laps. It's more or less, jump in to cool off, and then get on your raft or intertube and float. The hot days of summer make the river a nice reprieve from the heat. Same goes for the Cascade lakes. I don't usually spend more than a few minutes swimming them. I like to jump in and cool off.

[whirnot]

Last year we floated the Deschutes in the hottest part of the year, and agree it is pretty brisk. Now if you want to drive a little the Little Deschutes can be really confortable.

[Hawk J]

Many of the lower elevation lakes have more comfortable summer water temps, in the shallow areas...

[BendLocal]

Totally agree with Delta. The river is cold and stays cold as do the Cascade Lakes.