Divide Lake
Divide Lake is a beautiful hike in the Diamond Peak Wilderness, at the base of Mt. Yoran. The trailhead is quite out of the way and due to the short hiking season at this elevation, this hike doesn’t get much traction, and will most of the time not have very many people on it.
(Notch Lake)
The first .8 mile starts off with a fairly even grade to Notch Lake. Notch Lake has a glassy quality to it and has a sandy beach, perfect for camping! These high alpine woods offer little shade, but this also means you are getting great views. Through the sparse trees you will see views of Mt. Yoran's massive spire, and beautiful views of Diamond Peak.
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A short ways past Notch Lake you will come to a split in the trail. If you want to do a much shorter hike, you can keep going straight 2.9 miles to Vivian Lake. If you are going up to Divide Lake, stay to the right and follow the signs to the Pacific Crest Trail and you won't get lost since this hike is an inlet to the PCT.
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(Diamond Peak)
From the trail junction, you will walk another 1.6 miles through the woods before popping out on a ridge. Here you will get great views of Diamond Peak to the right and Mt. Yoran straight ahead. These 1.6 miles do gain the majority of the elevation for the hike. After the 1.6 miles of hiking along the ridge, you will be right underneath Mt. Yoran, where Divide Lake resides at 6,390 ft. elevation.
(Mt. Yoran)
Divide Lake gets its name because this used to be one large lake that has now been divided into two smaller lakes due to water loss over hundreds of years.
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(Divide Lake)
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(The smaller end of Divide Lake)
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If you want to keep this an 8 mile hike, you can stop at beautiful Divide Lake. If you want to go to the Cascade Divide, you can get there via a trail that goes .8 mile (6,750 ft. elevation). From here many people attempt to climb/summit Mt. Yoran, however there is no trail leading up the mountain. If you climb up Mt. Yoran even just half way, you can catch amazing views of both sides of the valley, as well as Diamond Peak, but the rocky shale becames a little bit too loose for comfort. This adds another 1.7 miles to the 8 mile hike. |
Overall, this is a great moderate trail to explore in the Diamond Peak wilderness. It is really not steep except for one mile section after Notch Lake. This hike is also perfect if you want to do this as a backpacking trip, as Divide Lake is a beautiful place to set up a tent. There are fish in the lake, so make sure to bring your fishing pole!
Approximate hike time: 5 hrs. 15 mins. (for the 9.7 mile hike)
Suggested seasons: Summer, fall
Trail usage: Light
Directions: 1.3 miles east of Oakridge turn at the sign for Hills Creek Dam. After .5 mile continue straight on Road 23 (Hills Creek Road) for 15.6 miles and another 3.9 miles once the road turns into gravel. After reaching the pass beside Hemlock Butte, turn left at a hiker symbol and drive 200 yards on a spur road. Park at the Vivian Lake trailhead.
Approximate hike time: 5 hrs. 15 mins. (for the 9.7 mile hike)
Suggested seasons: Summer, fall
Trail usage: Light
Directions: 1.3 miles east of Oakridge turn at the sign for Hills Creek Dam. After .5 mile continue straight on Road 23 (Hills Creek Road) for 15.6 miles and another 3.9 miles once the road turns into gravel. After reaching the pass beside Hemlock Butte, turn left at a hiker symbol and drive 200 yards on a spur road. Park at the Vivian Lake trailhead.
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To get a more in-depth and personal view of this hike, watch the YouTube video.
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*All pictures are taken by Franziska Weinheimer
*Disclaimer: the trail descriptions, mileage, GPS tracks and difficulty ratings depicted on this website are never 100% accurate. Always hike at your own risk, using your own knowledge, equipment and common sense. Franziska Weinheimer/Hike Oregon are not responsible if you or anyone in your party gets injured or lost while attempting one of these or any other hikes.
