The Water

Tanager is all about living for the outdoors - especially the water!

As Central Oregon’s only private water ski community, residents have access to two private lakes - a custom-designed water ski and wakeboard lake and a recreational lake for non-motorized activities. Sports enthusiasts, wakeboarders, water skiers and active families will love the exclusive waterfront lifestyle Tanager affords. 

In addition to our two signature lakes, Tanager sits along nearly three-quarters of a mile of Tumalo Creek. A tributary to the Deschutes River, the creek is a natural beauty with waterfalls, rapids and picturesque rimrock cliffs. Tanager residents have access to the creek for scenic hike and exceptional fishing and will enjoy Tumalo Creek’s changing landscape all year long.

Water Ski and Wakeboard Lake

Imagine having a water ski lake in your backyard and being able to ski or wakeboard whenever you’d like - plus have perfect conditions every time! That’s exactly what you’ll have when you live in Tanager’s exclusive waterfront community.

Our premier, 2,100-ft-long water ski and wakeboard lake is a one-of-a-kind in Central Oregon. It’s size, depth and configuration were carefully designed, and state-of-the-art materials and technology were utilized to bring a competition-level experience to Tanager residents and their guests.

Our water ski and wakeboard lake features:

  • Turn islands to eliminate wakes from traveling down the length of the course

  • 10-ft deep trench down the middle of the lake for wake sports

  • Sinkable slalom course with one-touch control

  • Fully-lined with high-quality, geomembrane BTL Liners to ensure clear water and easy maintenance

  • Inboard water ski and wakeboard boats only as underwater exhausting preserves the serenity of the setting

  • Erosion-resistant shoreline with 10:1 slope

  • Swimming beach with sand imported from the Oregon coast

  • Boat harbor with docks and mooring slips

  • Picnic area with a shelter, restroom and shower

Recreational Lake

Our recreational lake is for non-motorized activities only. This serene lake is 8-acres in size and perfect for swimming, paddle boarding, canoeing, kayaking, and fishing. Careful design, planning and engineering went into creating a private lake that residents will enjoy for decades to come. 

Our recreational lake features:

  • Serene setting for paddleboarding, kayaking, canoeing, and swimming

  • Dock from which to fish and launch small watercraft

  • Stocked with fish for sport fishing

  • Fully-lined with high-quality, geomembrane BTL Liners to ensure clear water and easy maintenance

Tumalo Creek

While Tumalo Creek may sound like a tranquil stream, in reality, it is a rushing creek that flows year round. Along the southeast corner of Tanager’s property, the creek has rushing rapids, waterfalls and stretches that are perfect for fishing.

While seven homesites are perched above and overlook Tumalo Creek, with two access points in community open space, all residents can enjoy trails along Tanager’s shoreline that stretches for three-quarters of a mile.

Tumalo Creek features:

  • Scenic landscapes

  • Several waterfalls and rushing rapids

  • Rimrock cliffs

  • Ideal spots for fishing and fly fishing for rainbow and brown trout