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Lakes in Oregon

61 lakes in Oregon with photography planning data — sunrise and sunset azimuths, golden hour by month, Milky Way windows and estimated sky darkness. Klamath County has the most (8). The darkest skies are at Crump Lake (Bortle 1).

Top lakes

Crater LakeLake
Crater LakeKlamath County · 1,885 m
Diamond LakeLake
Diamond LakeDouglas County · 1,581 m
Mirror LakeLake
Mirror LakeClackamas County · 1,254 m
Upper Klamath LakeLake
Upper Klamath LakeKlamath County
Summer LakeLake
Summer LakeLake County · 1,265 m
Clear LakeLake
Clear LakeLinn County · 921 m
Cleawox LakeLake
Cleawox LakeLane County · 21 m
Lava LakeLake
Lava LakeDeschutes County · 1,446 m
Trillium LakeLake
Trillium LakeClackamas County
Suttle LakeLake
Suttle LakeJefferson County · 1,049 m
Odell LakeLake
Odell LakeKlamath County · 1,460 m
Waldo LakeLake
Waldo LakeLane County · 1,657 m

Lakes by county

All lakes (61)

NameCountyElevationNearest townSky
Crater LakeCrater LakeKlamath County1,885 mEagle Point2
Diamond LakeCrater LakeDouglas County1,581 mEagle Point2
Mirror LakeClackamas County1,254 mMount Hood Village3
Upper Klamath LakeKlamath County—Klamath Falls2
Summer LakeLake County1,265 mAltamont1
Clear LakeLinn County921 mSisters2
Cleawox LakeLane County21 mDunes City4
Lava LakeDeschutes County1,446 mThree Rivers2
Trillium LakeClackamas County—Mount Hood Village3
Suttle LakeJefferson County1,049 mSisters2
Odell LakeKlamath County1,460 mLa Pine2
Waldo LakeLane County1,657 mOakridge2
Paulina LakeDeschutes County1,932 mThree Rivers2
Devils LakeLincoln County3 mLincoln City5
Tahkenitch LakeDouglas County6 mReedsport3
Lake EwaunaKlamath County1,247 mKlamath Falls6
Sparks LakeDeschutes County1,656 mSunriver2
Siltcoos LakeLane County4 mDunes City3
Lost LakeHood River County959 mMount Hood Village3
Mink LakeLane County1,536 mThree Rivers2
Crescent LakeKlamath County1,476 mLa Pine2
Cultus LakeDeschutes County1,424 mThree Rivers2
Detroit LakeMarion County—Mill City3
Agency LakeKlamath County1,263 mKlamath Falls2
Alkali LakeLake County1,299 mDeschutes River Woods1
Alvord LakeHarney County1,227 mWinnemucca1
Aneroid LakeWallowa County2,288 mJoseph1
Strawberry LakeGrant County2,106 mJohn Day1
Loon LakeDouglas County121 mReedsport2
Santiam LakeLinn County1,563 mSisters2
Bull Run LakeClackamas County966 mMount Hood Village3
Marion LakeLinn County1,260 mSisters2
Nuss LakeKlamath County1,249 mAltamont3
Lake MarieDouglas County27 mReedsport3
Fossil LakeLake County1,309 mDeschutes River Woods1
Fourmile LakeKlamath County1,752 mEagle Point2
Morgan LakeUnion County1,267 mLa Grande4
Anthony LakesBaker County2,175 mBaker City2
Bradley LakeCoos County7 mBandon3
Little Cultus LakeDeschutes County1,452 mThree Rivers2
Maxwell LakeWallowa County2,357 mJoseph1
Minam LakeWallowa County2,249 mJoseph1
Crawfish LakeGrant County2,102 mBaker City1
Warner LakesLake County1,364 mLakeview1
Sturgeon LakeMultnomah County3 mFelida5
Dollar LakeWallowa County2,582 mJoseph1
Maidu LakeDouglas County1,824 mDeschutes River Woods2
Floras LakeCurry County2 mPort Orford1
Ice LakeWallowa County2,394 mJoseph1
Crump LakeLake County1,364 mLakeview1
Malheur LakeHarney County—Hines1
Wallowa LakeWallowa County—Joseph1
Billy Jones LakeWallowa County2,570 mJoseph1
Bonny LakesWallowa County2,369 mJoseph1
Silver Lake (Oregon)Lake County1,318 mDeschutes River Woods1
Burnt LakeClackamas County1,253 mMount Hood Village3
Donaca LakeLinn County814 mMill City3
Cullaby LakeClatsop County8 mGearhart3
Walter Wirth LakeMarion County62 mFour Corners7
Harney LakeHarney County1,245 mHines1
Lake Billy ChinookJefferson County—Culver2

Sky = estimated Bortle class (1 darkest – 9 brightest).

Map

How to photograph lakes

Lakes reflect best in calm air — usually the first hour after sunrise, before breezes ripple the surface.

  • For mirror reflections, get low and close to the water; the reflection grows with a lower camera.
  • A polarizer can remove reflections to show the lakebed — or keep them, depending on rotation.
  • Mist often lifts off lakes on cold mornings after warm days, especially in autumn.
  • Include shoreline rocks, reeds or a log as foreground to give the reflection depth.
  • Expose for the brighter sky; reflections are typically half a stop to a stop darker.

Season: Autumn mornings bring mist and fall color; high-elevation lakes are usually ice-free only from early summer to mid-autumn.