Early start because we have a 6.5 mile drive to the trailhead on an unimproved forest service road (FR398/6010 from Crescent Lake west towards Summit Lake/PCT); none of us had driven that route or type of road before and weren't sure if a Subaru Outback would handle it (it would be fine). Then turn onto rough and rutted FSR 6010 for 6.5 miles to Summit Lake Campground. Heading north takes you into the Diamond Peak Wilderness, withhighlights such as Rockpile and Marie lakes. In a nutshell: A very pretty mountain lake just south of the Diamond Peak Wilderness. Leaving At its widest point, near Eagleville, the Warners are only 15 miles wide. Instead, the pure, clear water you see in Summit Lake comes straight from years of Cascade snowmelt and rain, and in turn this lake becomes a primary source for the much larger and more popular Crescent Lake. Follow this paved road half a mile and then turn right onto FSR 21. Summit Lake Trail In the Oregon Cascades Recreation Area, this trail begins from the Summit Lake Trailhead on Forest Road 6010, crosses Windy Lakes Trail #50, and ends at the Oldenberg Lake Trail #45. For details, see this story on the best routes up Diamond Peak. Its a big area, and options abound. Summit Lake Campground is not operated by Hipcamp and can only be booked externally. For the way down, be careful to not go the wrong way. The result is sapphire-tinted water so clear you can see your boats shadow on the bottom of the lake. Call a ranger to learn more about this camp at Or view a regional map of surrounding Los Angeles trails and campgrounds. Gorgeous Cascade lake. No one? Then turn onto rough and rutted FSR 6010 for 6.5 miles to Summit Lake Campground. #1. Mosquitoes are usually scarce by mid-August, and September is a safer bet. A grove of drooping pines provided shade, and the shoreline included large basalt boulders on one side and a sliver of sand beach on the other. Although not technically a dispersed campsite, Mt. To begin your So take these recommendations with a grain of salt and call the Middle Fork Ranger Station(541-782-2283) in advance to check conditions. until you reach Baker City. Development: Small campground with three official sites, small boat ramp and pit toilet. It is the primary route between the Willamette Valley and south-central Oregon, including the Klamath Falls region. Turn left at a very faint sign for Summit Lake and FSR 6010 and follow this awful rutted road a few short miles to Summit Lake Campground. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation." I brought my backpacking gear, an inflatable kayak and made sure to include a shovel. Reminder You can select the order of your own photos in your Host Dashboard so that they will show up exactly where you want them to on your listing. Turn right at signs for Crescent Lake and follow FSR 60 for 7.2 miles around the north side of the reservoir. Some of the islands are too small for campsites, but after boating around for less than 45 minutes, I pulled to the rocky shore of a promising patch of land. Turn left onto Timpanogas Road 2154. Park where the restored narrow gauge "Stump Dodger" train takes 509-758-0616, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest on Facebook, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest on Twitter. The trail takes you through a beautiful forest and past many small ponds. Baker Valley and the distant Wallowa Mountains. Oregon" (pop. Short season. Sign up to receive our newsletter packed with the best adventure guides, travel ideas, news, and articles. We reached camp just after 6pm. The solitude is deeper and more satisfying you might score your own swimming hole or viewpoint, andthere's littleconcern of an obnoxious group showing up next door. Posts: 726. Here you won't see any rock cairns, but it's easy to see that you just go straight up. enchanting natural beauty of the Elkhorn Mountains. From Hoodoo's (above) we simply drove west along Crescent Lake's north shore until we hit FR 398/6010 which continued directly west to Summit Lake and the Pacific Crest Trail head parking lot (roughly: 43.4632, -122.1341). Official websites use .gov A .gov All rights reserved. It was at this point we saw the first other people since the cabin at Crescent Lake; a small group of day hikers were making their way down "skiing" down the scree field (looked way more fun than trodding up). Score! Diamond Peak and Marie and Rockpile Lakes. I spent the rest of the day exploring surrounding islands and peninsulas and found many other outstanding campsites and unsuccessfully trying to catch fish. values, and is a popular destination for outdoor people. Continue on 42 to Forest Road 4200-141. Alex, his first trip of the type, was incredulous that a "pile of rocks which would easily be knocked over by an animal" would serve as our navigational guide. It wasnt much less than an acre in size but it had character. Even though this is the Pacific Crest Trail, besides the few weeks that the bubble of thru-hikers come through, this area is not as well traveled as some other areas in Central Oregon because it is so remote. Back to camp. (Unfortunately, this has become an issue around Summit Lake.) You may pick up your race packet on Friday at Summit Christian College anytime between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Saturday, May 6th. There are probably better ways to spend a day, but I cant think of any. Still hadn't run into anyone else on the trail. The official headwaters of the Willamette River is this pretty lake at the base of little-known Cowhorn Mountain. View listing photos, review sales history, and use our detailed real estate filters to find the perfect place. Shorter but very rough route: This route includes a long stretch on a very rutted, difficult to drive road. Day Stats: Distance ~ 10.5 miles. After 0.5 miles, turn, ontoNF-398 for 2.1 miles. Discover campsites, ranches, vineyards, farms, glamping, public parks and more. And the view will be divine. Further, and rather unfortunately, many of these pullouts have a close perimeter of human waste left by campers too lazy to bring a shovel. Summit Lake Campground is the little campground that could. It's not completelyfree of flames and smoke, but it doesn't have massive closures in place. Santiam Summit to Square Lake and Round Lake Trail. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure. Anthony Lake, the Byway descends abruptly, capturing superb views of the Once you crest the boulder field you will be at Diamond Peak's false summit. This is a popular trail for hiking, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. McKenzie Bridge, OR 97413 A blue-green pool nestled below Sawtooth Mountains 1,000-foot cliffs, Indigo Lake makes a nice first-time backpacking destination for children. Its three sites offer only picnic tables and fire pits; the campground has a single vault toilet and an unimproved boat ramp in the middle; accessing the campground from any direction is a difficult prospect requiring a high-clearance, four-wheel drive or all-wheel drive vehicle; and finally, when you are there at the wrong time of . You will still have great views from there towards the south as well as to the east and west. As well as being the third tallest mountain in the state of Oregon. Many are large enough for a tent or two and are ideal spots for camping or day use so long as youve made responsible plans for waste disposal. Situated in Kalmath National Forest right on Oregon's southern border, this remote dispersed campground is close to the Pacific Crest Trail and Mt. Easy 4 mile walk back to the car. Its about nourishment and learning. I opted for the longer route, which follows paved FSR 21 most of the way and includes less time on awful FSR 6010. The ideal time to visit Summit Lake is early September, after Labor Day, when the weather is warm enough for swimming but the nights are cool enough to eliminate mosquitoes. Mountains eventually stopped producing, agriculture and the arrival of Take the exit and at the stop sign turn left. https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/wallowa-whitman/recarea/?recid=80827. Sharing is caring, y'all. To the south you will see Mt. The TripCheck website provides roadside camera images and detailed information about Oregon road traffic congestion, incidents, weather conditions, services and commercial vehicle restrictions and registration. Share sensitive information only Try visiting in June, July or early August and youll get massacred by bloodthirsty hoards of tiny vampires that seem to laugh out loud if you try mosquito repellant. Diamond Peak sits within the Diamond Peak Wilderness which is part of Willamette National Forest. United States government. Map Information. the late 1800s, Baker City was dubbed the Queen City of the Mines. Longer but less rough route:From Oakridge, head east on Highway 58 for 2 miles and turn right at a sign for Hills Creek Dam. We believe good things come from people spending time outside. Sweet Home, OR 97386 It seems as if you're nearing the false summit but unfortunately you're not there yet; instead the aspect flattens and you're greeted with a field of talus and scree all the way to the horizon. . The Elkhorn Drive From Baker City, Oregonhead north on Highway 30 toward Haines for approximately 10 miles; In Haines turn left and follow the Anthony Lake Highway signsfor approximately 11 milesto Foothill Road; Turn left on Foothill Road and go south for approximately 3.5 miles to Bulger Flat Lane (County Road 566); Turn right on Bulger Flat Lane and head west and south west on an unnamed road for approximately 4 miles to the Forest Service (FS) boundary; At the FS boundary the road becomes FS road 7301; Follow FS road 7301 for approximately 5 miles to the trailhead. This route may be longer, and it still has very rough sections, but much less of them. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 1 h 56 min to complete. Address Forest Road 6010 Crescent, Oregon GPS: 43.462227, -122.133168 Elevation: 5564' Get Directions Management Public - Forest Service (Official) Website The road in is Dirt. View Diamond Peak, southern route via Crescent/Summit Lakes Image Gallery - 14 Images. All loaded up, I pushed off from the shoreline and onto the water. This 106-mile loop is a voyage through gold booms, ghost towns and the Turn, ontoNF-2612 for 1.2 miles. All Rights Reserved. The first thing that grabs your attention about Summit Lake is the clarity of the water. Summit Lake is home to a very small campground with three closely spaced sites with a bathroom and boat launch. full access. While the mines in the Elkhorn Bubba Suess. Follow this road and signs for Summit Lake about 6.5 miles to a major (but barely marked) junction. Oregon, United States, North America. No fee is required to hike/climb/camp, but a backcountry/day use permit ("self serve," free, filled out at trailhead) was required. Trailhead coordinates: 34.12509, -118.63485 (34 07 30.32N 118 38 05.46W) View Santa Monica Mountains in a larger map. In fact, you may just sit in your parked car after your long, slow, and bumpy drive, wondering about your next move as you hear a disembodied, psychotic whine and note the mosquito clouds that float themselves against your windows like millions of minute zombies hungry for human flesh. Follow this paved road half a mile and then turn right onto FSR 21. Oregon Route 58 is of high importance as a freight corridor. For details on the route, buy the book "100 Hikes in the Willamette Cascades" by William Sullivan. Exposure on the summit but otherwise forested. The road will cross a bridge, stay right on NF-21 for another 21paved miles. Parents refers to a larger category under which an object falls. We promise not to annoy you, but if you wish, you may unsubscribe at any time. Map showing recreational areas. These factors weighed heavily on my choosing Diamond Peak and this "southern route via Crescent and Summit Lakes." This section is fully exposed; it would be a direct but annoying retreat to treeline if storms rolled in. As planned, the trip was a complete success. It is the tallest of the Three Sisters, outdistancing both Middle Sister and North Sister. the railroad helped Baker City outlive many similar boom towns. From a parking area just below the summit of Steens Mountain, this 2.5-mile hike (1.25 each way) descends 1200 feet into a cirque at the head of Wildhorse Canyon to the shores of Wildhorse Lake. In addition to the recreational opportunities on Summit Lake, the campground is just steps away from the Pacific Crest Trail and the hike to Diamond Peak and Marie and Rockpile Lakes. I parked near the boat ramp, inflated my kayak and began loading up gear. Directions: From Oakridge, continue east on Highway 58 for 1.8 miles to a Hills Creek Dam sign between mileposts 37 and 38. Then follow signs for Timpanogas Lake 9.3 miles to the campground. After 2 rough miles, the trailhead will be on your left. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure. Map Information, See accessible adventures at Detroit Lake & the McKenzie River Valley, Supervisor's Office Its about protecting what sustains us. Eugene visitors have the option of accessing NF-398 from the south side of the lake via NF-2154 and NF-21, which begins east of Oakridge. (view of Summit Lake, Cowhorn Mountain, Sawtooth Mountain & Mount Thielsen). Crystal-clear water shimmers sapphire blue in the shadow of Diamond Peak at a lake that isnt more crowded due to the awful drive to reach it,and thick mosquitoes present until September. There is also a lot of primitive camping along the Pacific Crest Trail near Summit Lake, as well as near small ponds on the way to the Diamond Peak climber trail. This made the trip an easier sell to Alex who enjoys his creature comforts (running water, cold beer) and facilitated logistics overall. (For now!) An official website of the Theres also a rustic shelter that can be rented it has a dirt floor and planks for beds, so dont expect the Hilton. Its about more than standing on the mountain top. The majority of boat-in camping spots are on the north end, among a scattering of small islands off a main peninsula that juts into the lake. Travel east from Oakridge, Oregon for 2 miles and turn right on Kitson Springs County Road (Forest Road 23), continue for 0.5 miles and turn right on Forest Road 21 (Diamond Drive). "Money itself is worth far more than anything you could possibly buy with it. From With a population of 130, Sumpter is a shadow of Thanked: 183 times in 105 posts. Map. Backcountry sites. Looking for a real escape? Activities Bicycling Camping & Cabins Fishing Its about more than standing on the mountain top. The trail is open to foot and horse (or other pack stock) travel only. Road to Summit Lake Near Diamond Peak Oregon. The Elkhorn Byway soon meets Due to our late start there was less lounging time at the cabin (Hoodoo's Crescent Lake Resort) than we wanted, but we were still able to enjoy some fishing, beer, and a nice dinner. Continue straight ontoNF-770 for 0.7 miles, then continue ontoFS-6000. (view to the south from Diamond Peak summit), *All pictures unless otherwise marked are taken by Franziska Weinheimer, connector trail and would eventually take you to. Real-time Red Flag Warnings and Fire Weather Watch Warnings help keep our community safe. Thank You! The "Wild and Scenic" John Day River is recognized for outstanding The trail to the left takes you to Rockpile and Marie Lake and the trail to the right is a, As you get closer to the Diamond Peak climber trail junction, you will catch glimpses of the mountain through the trees. The lake, second in size to Crater Lake, allows no motorized boats, giving kayaks, canoes, paddle boards, etc.