By Cheryl Hoefler

GO! Magazine

A trip to northern Grant County will treat you to not one, but two easily accessible ponds. Pack a lunch, grab a book and the fishing gear (just in case) and get ready for a day of refreshing outdoor recreation. And, of course, don’t forget your camera.

Welcoming oasis beckons near Long Creek

LONG CREEK — Have you ever seen an oasis?

There’s an Eastern Oregon-style one waiting for you in the expansive high desert of northern Grant County.

Sheltered among a cluster of trees alongside State Route 402 is a sweet little spot known by locals as “Social Security Pond.”

Just 4.5 miles west of Long Creek, the pond offers a pleasant respite for fishing, reading, picnicking or even just a quick snooze beneath breezy branches and serenading birds. There’s no sign, but watch for the beckoning cluster of trees on the south side of the roadway. A short gravel road leads to the pond, with looped access offering easy access and parking for any type of rig.

Monument-al spot lures visitors

MONUMENT — Cavender Pond is known as a prime fishing spot — but it offers much more.

This peaceful little gem has a small boat and fishing dock, a three-quarter-mile trail around the pond and conveniently located benches and picnic tables among shady trees.

Jack Cavender of Monument established the pond in 1994. Monument Soil and Water Conservation District built the benches and the trail.

The pond is just west of Monument on the north side of State Route 402. Turn on a dirt road with a sign reading “Monument Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary. Fishing Allowed.”

Bonus side trip: About a quarter mile past the pond’s entrance, turn north on Top Road (County Road 3) and travel another third of a mile for a spectacular view overlooking Cavender Pond and the Monument Valley.

There are no restrooms or garbage services at either pond.