Driving down the east slope of the Cascades from Santiam Summit, you see it: a long, blue pool dotted with boats of all kinds. Until recently, the only lodging on the shore of Suttle Lake was a collection of primitive two-room cabins. But the opening of the Lodge at Suttle Lake changes all that.

The new owners of this old resort built six roomy cabins with slate fireplaces and elegant furnishings, then turned the old boathouse into a restaurant ($$$). The Cascadian-style log lodge itself just opened in June with 11 guest rooms, a bar, and a terrace.

Charlie Borland
The Boathouse Restaurant

Bring your own ski boat, rent a boat to motor out or paddle on the 1 1⁄2-mile-long lake, stroll or cycle the lakeside trail, or use the resort as a base camp for visiting the nearby town of Sisters and exploring the local wilderness areas. —Bonnie Henderson

INFO: The Lodge at Suttle Lake (cabins and rooms from $135; 13300 U.S. 20, 14 miles west of Sisters, OR; www.thelodgeatsuttlelake.com or 541/595-2628)