The Mt. Thielsen Loop is one of my favorite rides in Southern Oregon. This phenomenal ride offers a knock-your-socks-off panoramic view from the shoulder of Mt. Thielsen. It's located about 75 miles east of Roseburg and Medford, near Diamond Lake and the north entrance to Crater Lake National Park.
The Ride
You’ll start this 14-mile loop at Howlock Mountain Trailhead. Along the way, you’ll ride for several miles beside bubbling Thielsen Creek. You’ll catch glimpses of Diamond Lake below you. And you’ll ride through a massive blowdown, where thousands of trees were toppled by a freak windstorm several years ago.
From the shoulder of Mt. Thielsen, you can see the Three Sisters to the north, the Crater Lake rim to the south, and Mt. Bailey and Diamond Lake to the west. And Mt. Thielsen’s jagged peak looms almost overhead.
The Mt. Thielsen Loop is a truly memorable ride. Don’t miss it!
The Camping
You can camp overnight at Howlock Mountain Trailhead, which has a toilet and two campsites that allow horses. There are no corrals or stock water. However, the trailhead is adjacent to Diamond Lake Resort’s horseback riding concession, and they’ll happily rent you a corral with piped-in stock water. Plus, the trailhead has paved, level parking that can accommodate 4-6 trailers for day riding or overnight camping, so if the campsites are full you can set up camp in the trailhead parking area. Reservations for the horse corrals are recommended, so be sure to call Diamond Lake Corrals to make the arrangements.
More Information
You can learn more about the Mt. Thielsen Loop in Riding Southern Oregon Horse Trails, by Kim McCarrel, available at www.nwhorsetrails.com.
