Devils Lake - Deschutes National Forest
There are actually two slakes in Oregon that are called Devils Lake. One is located in Lincoln City and is Devil's Lake with an apostrophe. The better one (in my opinion) is located in the Deschutes National Forest and there is no apostrophe. DEVILS LAKE is approximately 30-35 minutes from Sunriver or Bend. This lake is known for its turquoise waters. Coming from Oregon, I've seen the stunning blue of Crater Lake, and the deep blues of the Pacific Ocean and everything in between with all of its rivers and lakes. But I have never seen the the turquoise color like Devils Lake emits, other than in a tropical location like Hawaii.
SHALLOW WATER ON ONE END OF THE LAKE
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Unlike the turquoise waters you find in Hawaii or the Caribbean, this water is not warm. In fact, it's freezing! This is basically melted snow right off the mountains its nestled in. And another thing to note is that the whole lake isn't turquoise. In fact, about two thirds are so shallow, as in waist deep or less, that it's more of your standard greenish brown color, but completely transparent. You can see everything from rocks, to sticks, to fish swimming, no matter which part you are in, in this lake. As you get out to the deeper part of the lake, you will find these turquoise waters.
Getting to this lake is easy and quick. We were staying in Sunriver when we went, so we jumped on the Cascade Lakes Highway, and thirty minutes later after a beautiful drive with views of Mt. Bachelor, we were there. You will know when you are there, because off to your left, you instantly spot the turquoise water. |
MT. BACHELOR STARING DOWN AT YOU AS YOU DRIVE TO DEVILS LAKE
Once you see the turquoise water, you will continue driving until you see the sign telling you to turn left. After a quick drive along a red road, you will find a parking lot. The parking lot has quite a few spots, but can fill up. It's also important to know that there is a parking fee of $5. It's self pay, but you have to fill out an envelope, deposit your money, and then tear off a slip that you hang on your rearview mirror. That means, bring cash, so you can slip that $5 in the envelope and be on your way.
Another parking option is along the road before the turnoff. You will see cars parked here and is a great spot to park if you need to unload your canoe, as there is easy access at this point to enter the water. This is where most people were putting their canoes and kayaks in. I'm also assuming people were doing this to avoid paying the $5 parking fee, which I can't blame them.
Another parking option is along the road before the turnoff. You will see cars parked here and is a great spot to park if you need to unload your canoe, as there is easy access at this point to enter the water. This is where most people were putting their canoes and kayaks in. I'm also assuming people were doing this to avoid paying the $5 parking fee, which I can't blame them.
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We parked in the parking lot and walked a short trail to a clearing that also provided a perfect spot for both my husband to blow up his paddle board and access the lake, and had shallow water that my kids could play in. This path went along a pretty stream and was about a 5 minute walk (or less) to the lake.
Once we found a good spot, we had no one around. We could see some campers off in the distance, as there is a CAMPGROUND located here. The family camping there had a sweet spot in the woods, with hammocks set up and paddle boards, rafts, and canoes, ready to go on the banks of the lake right from their spot. It would be an awesome place to camp. We then spent several hours there. My kids played in the shallow water that never went above their knees for a very long distance. I was able to lay a blanket down on the bank and read a book. And my husband took out his paddle board all around the lake several times. |
Parking at Devil's Lake Trailhead
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We had packed a picnic to eat while there. We could have eaten right where we had set up our spot, or gone back along the path to where there was a picnic table set up in the trees. We ended up leaving before we were hungry, so we didn't end up having a picnic, but would have easily been able to if we had wanted.
The lake itself is not very big. It also sits in the midst of mountains and is protected, making it extremely calm and peaceful. The best part of this lake for me was that because it was so shallow and calm, I could let me kids play and not feel like I had to watch them every single second. They also felt they had freedom to go and play without me always telling them to be careful. They were also able to paddle board by themselves because the water was about 6-12 inches deep near the shore. My son was able to go out even further, with a life jacket on, and explore almost the whole lake and we weren't nervous at all because we knew it was shallow and we could see him the whole time.
There are only a few downsides to this lake. One being that the water is cold. But, my kids acclimated to it quickly and had no problem playing in it for hours. My son tried to put his head under water but quickly decided that was a mistake, giving him a "brain freeze." So, swimming probably isn't the best choice. The other downside was that there were areas, specifically closest to the trees, that had a lot of mosquitoes, so bring your mosquito repellent.
The lake itself is not very big. It also sits in the midst of mountains and is protected, making it extremely calm and peaceful. The best part of this lake for me was that because it was so shallow and calm, I could let me kids play and not feel like I had to watch them every single second. They also felt they had freedom to go and play without me always telling them to be careful. They were also able to paddle board by themselves because the water was about 6-12 inches deep near the shore. My son was able to go out even further, with a life jacket on, and explore almost the whole lake and we weren't nervous at all because we knew it was shallow and we could see him the whole time.
There are only a few downsides to this lake. One being that the water is cold. But, my kids acclimated to it quickly and had no problem playing in it for hours. My son tried to put his head under water but quickly decided that was a mistake, giving him a "brain freeze." So, swimming probably isn't the best choice. The other downside was that there were areas, specifically closest to the trees, that had a lot of mosquitoes, so bring your mosquito repellent.
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Devils Lake not only is for camping and lake activities. There is also an easy HIKING TRAIL to take in the lake from another perspective. We saw one couple walking down through the stream and then around the lake on a leisurely hike. With all the lake has to offer, you could easily make this a whole weekend getaway, or just go for half a day, like we did.
If you are staying in Sunriver or Bend and want to get away for a bit to escape the heat or just explore, Devils Lake is a great place to visit. Because it's close, parking is easy, and it's really stunning to see, it makes it a place you should definitely add to your itinerary when visiting Central Oregon.
If you are staying in Sunriver or Bend and want to get away for a bit to escape the heat or just explore, Devils Lake is a great place to visit. Because it's close, parking is easy, and it's really stunning to see, it makes it a place you should definitely add to your itinerary when visiting Central Oregon.
