Diamond Peak Wilderness
Great glaciers carved Diamond Peak after volcanic activity created the mountain. Today, at 8,744 feet, it surpasses every other summit in this region of the Cascade Mountains. Diamond Peak Wilderness, which straddles the crest of the Cascades, rests largely beneath a dense forest of mountain hemlock, lodgepole and western pine, and silver, noble, and other true firs. Snowfields remain most of the year in pockets above the tree line, and dozens of small lakes, one to 28 acres in size, bejewel the high country. Excluded from Wilderness designation but on the eastern and southern boundaries you'll find three large scenic lakes: Summit, Crescent, and Odell.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Oregon |
| Size | 52,496 acres |
| Designated | 1964, by Congress |
| Center point | 43.53° N, 122.10° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 9) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
None of the 17 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Show 4 moreHide
5 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trails
26 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 276 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Metolius-Windigo ↗ | 142.6 | |
| Pacific Crest Trail - Wif1 ↗ | 27.1 | |
| Pacific Crest Trail - Wif1 ↗ | 23.6 | |
| Crater Butte ↗ | 13 | |
| Whitefish Creek ↗ | 11.4 | |
| Diamond Peak ↗ | 10 | |
| Blue Lake ↗ | 9.6 | |
| Vivian Lake ↗ | 5.6 | |
| Snell Lake ↗ | 4.9 | |
| Yoran Lake | 4.2 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedRx Cold Springs
18 mi from the center point · 158 acres
- PrescribedRx Calf Nff 5 6 &7
19 mi from the center point
- PrescribedSting 6 Rx
20 mi from the center point · 42 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
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Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Diamond Peak Wilderness?
52,496 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Diamond Peak Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Diamond Peak Wilderness in?
Oregon.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Diamond Peak Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1964.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Diamond Peak Wilderness?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Diamond Peak Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 43.531° N, 122.095° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Diamond Peak Wilderness right now?
3 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Rx Cold Springs at 18 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.