Diamond Lake

Diamond Lake is a natural body of water in the southern part of the U.S. state of Oregon. It lies near the junction of Oregon Route 138 and Oregon Route 230 in the Umpqua National Forest in Douglas County. 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 was named for John Diamond, for whom Diamond Peak is also named. He saw the lake in 1852 while on the summit of Diamond Peak. Diamond was a pioneer settler of Coburg, Oregon, and part of a party opening a road between the Middle Fork Willamette River and Idaho as an immigration route. An adjacent post office named Diamond Lake, Oregon, was established in 1925 and ran until 1956, when it was changed to a summer-only office.[5] 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 (16 km/h). Bank fishing is productive at points along the lake trails, near Diamond Lake Resort, near Lake Creek, and near the United States Forest Service campgrounds. The lake is generally open for fishing from late April through late October. Trails connect Diamond Lake to the summits of Mount Bailey and Mount Thielsen, and the Pacific Crest Trail and Crater Lake are also nearby. One of the lake trails is a paved bike path 11 miles (18 km) long. Wildlife viewing and birdwatching in the area are common activities. The Joseph H. Stewart State Recreation Area is the closest state park to Diamond Lake.