Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Diamond Peak emerges from the clouds, seen from a viewpoint on the Pacific Crest Trail.

In the midst of some of Oregon's most iconic landmarks, halfway between the Three Sisters and Crater Lake, one Cascade mountain rests quietly in modest obscurity.



It's not that nobody visits Diamond Peak, an extinct volcano with a trademark jagged peak; but few seem to make it a primary destination.



Last year, when the U.S. Forest Service announced a plan to limit the number of hikers allowed into several popular central Oregon wilderness areas, the Diamond Peak Wilderness was one of two (along with the Waldo Lake Wilderness) that was left alone. Officials wrote that "current use does not rise to the level that requires limited entry."



In fact, most of the foot traffic that runs past Diamond Peak is just passing through, courtesy of hikers tackling the Pacific Crest Trail. A 14-mile stretch of the 2,650-mile trail crosses straight through the wilderness area, skirting the base of the mountain to the east.



A day hike or backpacking trip to Diamond Peak won't top many Oregon bucket lists, but in this age of overcrowding on trails it remains a wonderful, quiet place to escape into nature.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

A bird perches on a branch along the Pacific Crest Trail.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

One of many small ponds found along the trail to Diamond Peak.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Mount Yoran is one of the most prominent features of Diamond Peak.

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To explore the less-popular wilderness areas of central Oregon, I planned a long day hike to the base of Diamond Peak. Because few seem to make this excursion, I was left to plan largely by using online trail maps courtesy of the Forest Service and Google Maps.



This adventure would not just be a test of my hiking abilities, but also a test of my faith in online maps.



Several trails snake through the Diamond Peak Wilderness, but the Pacific Crest Trail is the only one that approaches the mountain directly. Looking at the maps, I saw a few different access points on the northern and southern ends.



The southern trailhead is found at Summit Lake at the end of a rough dirt road, along with a small, primitive campground. This offers a shorter hike to the base of Diamond Peak, but several trip reports said the drive was a nightmare and campsites sparse.



Instead, I opted for the northern side of the wilderness, where I booked a campsite at the Trapper Creek Campground on Odell Lake, close to a couple different access points to the Pacific Crest Trail. The most obvious is the trailhead on Oregon Route 58, right at the turnoff for Odell Lake, where there appears to be a small parking area. It's a sensible place to start, but I spied a shortcut on the map.



Just up the road from the Trapper Creek Campground, Google Maps shows an unlabeled access road that leads to the Pengra Pass Trailhead on the Pacific Crest Trail. When I arrived, I found that it wasn't a drivable road, rather an alternate access point to the wilderness (see detailed directions below).



I parked in a small pull-out and walked up the gravel access road, crossing railroad tracks to a trail in the woods. This path led a short half-mile to the trailhead, which is a full mile shorter than the path from Oregon Route 58. With a long day of hiking planned, every mile saved was helpful.



Once in the wilderness, the trail dives into a lush forest dotted with small ponds and lakes. The elevation gain is gradual, climbing about 2,000 feet over the course of the hike. Aside from the songbirds and occasional deer, it was a quiet and peaceful slice of nature. Hiking on a Wednesday in early September, I saw as many black bears (two) as people.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

A trail enters the Diamond Peak Wilderness.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

A mushroom grows along the trail in mid-September.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

The lush forest is quiet inside the Diamond Peak Wilderness.

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The trail branches off a few different times, but most junctions are marked with a trail number or name. As a general rule of thumb here, stay straight and ignore any trail that isn't the Pacific Crest Trail.



My main goal for the hike was to get a good look at Diamond Peak, but I wasn't sure when on the trail that view would come, and I didn't want to overexert myself in the process. As I got my feet underneath me, I gauged how far I could comfortably and safely hike that day. I settled on 16 miles round-trip, which is pretty long for me but within my comfort zone.



Birds flitted through the brush and branches rustled in the occasional breeze, but otherwise the forest was still in the waning days of summer. Two days of storms had just passed through, and the forest floor was covered in big mushrooms poking up from the soil.



About 4 miles down the trail, I stopped for lunch at little Lils Lake, found at the intersection of the Yoran Lake Trail that runs parallel to a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail. Diamond Peak loomed over the lake, partially obscured by tall trees and clouds. It was a beautiful scene, but I knew there had to be a better viewpoint down the trail.



Just past the lake and up a hill, I found it: an open ridge with a spectacular view of the volcanic peak.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

The Pacific Crest Trail gets rockier the closer you get to Diamond Peak.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Late afternoon light streams through the forest of the Diamond Peak Wilderness.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

The view from a ridge near the base of Diamond Peak, looking northeast with Mount Yoran nearby.

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At that point I had hiked about five miles, with another three miles to go before I needed to go back. Curious about what lay ahead, I carried on down the trail.



After the good mountain views, the trail dipped into a dark forest flanked by steep hills on either side. At about six miles in, I came across a small turquoise pond with a backcountry campsite, complete with a fire ring and toadstool seating made of stones. I stored the information in the back of my mind for another adventure down the road.



Near mile seven, the trail opened up to a spectacular view. The only piece of Diamond Peak I could see was a piece of the jagged peak called Mount Yoran, but it framed a sweeping vista to the east.



I left the trail and crossed a field of thick, spongy brush to a rock ledge. I sat down, stretched and hydrated, soaking in the view in the late afternoon light. From here I could see Diamond Peak Wilderness laid out before me as a thick blanket of green. In the distance was Odell Lake and the ski routes of Willamette Pass Resort.



I could have hiked a little farther and pushed myself to the limit I had set that morning, but I think it's wise to recognize an ending when it comes. And this beautiful view – quiet Oregon wilderness at the base of a volcano – was a picture-perfect ending.

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DIAMOND PEAK HIKE



Difficulty: Moderate

Distance: 14 miles, but distance varies

Elevation gain: 2,000 feet

Amenities: None



I started my hike on Forest Road 5810, just north of the Trapper Creek Campground at Odell Lake. Look for a gravel access road with a post marked "190" on the west side of the main road, with a pull-out that can fit about two or three cars.



Walk up the gravel road, cross the railroad tracks, and find a dirt trail on the other side. Stay straight on the trail and look for the big wooden sign board at the Pengra Pass Trailhead. Fill out a free wilderness permit and set off into the Diamond Peak Wilderness.



(If you feel uneasy using this route, consider parking at the turnoff to Odell Lake from Oregon Route 80, or the main Pacific Crest Trail trailhead on the other side of the highway. From either spot, hike the Pacific Crest Trail south to the Pengra Pass Trailhead.)



The trail from here is straightforward, but you should watch out for confusing trail junctions. Most are numbered and you can ignore them all, staying straight on your path to Diamond Peak. I had enough cell service to keep track of my progress on Google Maps, which was helpful.



Once you reach the viewpoint at about the seven mile mark (or wherever you choose to stop), turn around and head back the way you came. There's good camping at Trapper Creek, as well as several backpacking sites along the trail.



As always, carry the essentials for a day hike, including enough water and food to sustain you for the day. Stay aware of your surroundings and be prepared to stay overnight should anything go wrong.



SEE MORE PHOTOS BELOW



--Jamie Hale | jhale@oregonian.com | @HaleJamesB

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Diamond Peak emerges from the clouds on a summer afternoon.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

The access road near Odell Lake that leads to the Pengra Pass Trailhead on the Pacific Crest Trail.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

A sign post marks the intersection of the Pacific Crest Trail and the Yoran Lake Trail.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

The forest within the Diamond Peak Wilderness is quiet on a summer afternoon.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Diamond peak rises above Lils Lake, just off the Pacific Crest Trail.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

A backcountry campsite near Diamond Peak is complete with a stone fire ring and seats.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

The view from a ridge near the base of Diamond Peak, looking northeast to Odell Lake and the Willamette Pass Ski Resort.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

The Pacific Crest Trail runs through the Diamond Peak Wilderness.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

The forest is thick as the Pacific Crest Trail enters the Diamond Peak Wilderness.