Thielsen View Campground

I started to stay here as a walk in on July 3, 2023, but was overwhelmed by the mosquitoes.  There are plenty of very private sites sloping down to the lake and more importantly, the marsh.  The roads are paved as are the sites.  Water, but no electricity.  No camp host and onlyt 1-2 bars on Verizon

Was closed when we tried to get a spot. Possibly for the season? Unclear since nothing was posted. Would have liked to stay the night since there were no great options on this stretch of road and we ended up getting stuck in a storm.

This is one of our yearly go-to campgrounds. Good kayaking. Good views. Good hiking. Some highlights:

• The Diamond Lake resort across the lake has a small, but fun, fireworks show each Fourth. It’s a nice time for night ‘yaking.
• There’s a paved path around the lake that makes it convenient to bike to the store at Diamond Lake Resort.
• Most, if not all, campsites have plenty of space between them.
• It tends to be a fairly tranquil campground.

Tucked away from all distractions, this campground has everything you need. No reception, which was preferred on this trip. The lodge has ice, small restaurant and rentable water toys. Gorgeous view of the mountain and spacious sites!

It was during the heat wave end of July 2021. Easy access and everyone was nice.

Just three loops, this is a very pretty campground with a boat launch. All sites are reservable, but if one is not reserved, you can pay for one night in cash at the iron Ranger. Best sites are on the lake side of B and C loops(I especially liked C16-20, but they were all booked). No showers here but you can go down the road to Broken Atrow or to Diamond Campgrounds for showers. Also, no beach access, but I saw several boats anchored/tied off along B and C loops. Quiet campground, no partiers here(at least, not while I was here). The crowd seemed to be more of the older set, not the younger. The bike and hiking trail cuts through the campground as well. While the mosquitoes were not bad, there were LOTS of spiders. Just saying.

Lots of camp grounds but, not open til June!

Very primitive campground with a boat launch to the lake. This campground is tucked into the east side shadows of Mt Bailey. There is a 12 mile bike trail that circles the lake for an amazing ride. The trout fishing is some of the best in Oregon. Each site has a fire pit and picnic table. Not a lot of extra parking.

Great for day trips to Crater Lake - would recommend going there for sunrise. Our campsite was very spacious with easy access to the lake, but it was super buggy and windy out on the lake trying to paddleboard. Quiet and peaceful at night. Vault toilet only. Stayed at the end of July 2020.

Gorgeous campground, but beware the mosquitos and the chipmunks. They steal your dinner right off the table if you’re not looking. Pit toilets, no shower facilities. Shared water spigots. But the view is incredible. Also, very easy access to Crater Lake, maybe a 15 min drive.

This was my final stop for two nights on the way to Crater lake. It is a fairly large campground with 3 loops; A, B, and C. My site was in the C loop which is located in the middle of the grounds, and it was a very large site. Unfortunately this meant no view of the mountain and instead, views of other campers looking back at me. If you want better views and almost lake side spots, go for the sites in loop B and any others on the lake side of the loops. They aren't directly on the lake but just across the camp road.

There is a boat landing down the way, but across from some sites there was plenty of space to drop a small craft or inflatable. It was also shallow enough for swimming as I saw lots of kids enjoying the sun. I decided myself for a float the last day, but the wind kept blowing me back into shore, so I gave in. There were white caps on the lake so there wasn't as many boats out as you would normally expect.

Nearby you can find many outdoor activities; horseback riding, boating, and fishing, among others. Of course I was there for the hiking and waterfall hunting. Drive up 138 from Diamond lake about 20 miles and you find Toketee falls. A little further down a back road is Umpqua hot springs, a relaxing spring made up a many pools of different temps on the mountain side. It is on a 3 mi. trail as well, but either way if you park at the main lot, it is still a nice hike up to get to it.

Other than the majestic Toketee, you can also checkout Watson, Whitehorse and Clearwater falls. While Whitehorse and Clearwater have campgrounds at the falls, Watson was by far the best fall. I liked it better than Toketee, it's just a little more to get to it, but well worth it.

As for the hiking there are a few trails to choose from, I stopped in at the Diamond lake lodge and they provided me with maps and literature on the hikes close by. I chose to take the Howlock mtn. trail located just behind the horse corral. It was a moderate to difficult 10 mi. round trip to a decent view at the base of the Thielsen peak. It would be a cool 14 if you took it all the way to a PCT junction. Also at the Diamond lake lodge you can find a restaurant, store and marina with boat rentals. They also have public pay laundry that you can take advantage of. I cheated and bought my first dinner on my trip at the restaurant and had one of the best jalepeno cheeseburgers that I have had in a while, and at a decent price too.

All and all Thielsen view is a decent campground, very family friendly just not much in the way of privacy as the trees were thin and it was very dry; Not a lot of greenery. Lots to do and plenty of space to spread out and relax by the lake.

Large, reservable campground with splendid views of the lake and mountains. Good for RVs, car campers, and boaters. On-site camgpground host is available to answer any questions and help with what you need. Can get buggy.

I was planning on camping here while visiting Crater Lake since Mazamas Campground was sold out. It looked like it would be suitable for hammock camping as it's beautifully wooded. However, I ultimately opted for a free Forest Service site nearby, at Thielson Forest Camp, to save money and aboid the crowds.

It looks like a lot of maintainence work is being done near this and Broken Arrow campgrounds. There are big piles of cut brush and tree parts everywhere and it's not very pretty. This isn't happening in the campground but in the area. I'm glad they're tending the forest and see the necessity of the work but it wasn't the vibe I was looking for.

I assume the scenery is wonderful, however on our visit it was smoky from nearby forest fires and had limited visibility. Crater Lake National Park is only a 15 mile drive away and Diamond Lake resort nearby has a marina, restaurant, and general store. The lakeside sites are the ones to get, but most sites are large and private. Clean toilets and drinking water are conveniently located throughout the campground. A bike trail leads along the lake and up into the surrounding hills. The lake offers good swimming and fishing, and boat ramps are nearby.