Diamond Lake - 07/15/16 - Crater Lake NP

Friday - July 15, 2016
Diamond Lake
Crater Lake National Park
Klamath Falls, Oregon

Diamond Lake is a natural body of water in the southern part of Oregon. It lies near the junction of Oregon Route 138 and Oregon Route 230 in the Umpqua National Forest. It is located between Mount Bailey to the west and Mount Thielsen to the east; it is just north of Crater Lake National Park.

The outlet of the lake is at its north end. From there, water flows via Lake Creek into the North Umpqua River and ultimately to the Pacific Ocean.

Diamond Lake
Length: 3.5 miles
Width: 1.5 miles
Surface Area: 3,040 acres
Average Depth: 24 feet
Maximum Depth: 52.5 feet
Surface Elevation: 5,183 feet

Fishing, swimming, horseback riding, and hunting are popular at Diamond Lake in summer and fall. Winter sports include snowmobiling, Nordic and Alpine skiing, inner tubing and sled dog racing.

Diamond Lake Resort on the east side of the lake offers lodging, restaurants, stores, boat rentals, horse rentals, and other services.

The Joseph H. Stewart State Recreation Area is the closest state park to Diamond Lake.

The Forest Service operates four campgrounds near Diamond Lake:
Diamond Lake Campground - 240 campsites along the east side of the lake.
Broken Arrow Campground - 148 sites at the lake's south end.
Thielsen View Campground - 58 sites along the west shore, and 5 sites along the the South Shore.
Campground features include picnic tables, restrooms, showers, and garbage bins; some have hookups for recreational vehicles.

Anglers often fish by boat near Silent Creek on the south and in deep water on the north. There are five boat ramps around the lake, all of which have paved access. The speed limit on the lake is 10 miles per hour. The lake is generally open for fishing from late April through late October. Bank fishing is also productive at points along the lake trails.

Trails connect Diamond Lake to the summits of Mount Bailey and Mount Thielsen. One of the lake trails is a paved bike path 11 miles  long.

The South Shore Picnic Area has a playground, volleyball court, horseshoe pits, and a swimming beach, in addition to picnic accommodations.

Tomorrow another adventure begins.