A Gorgeous Oregon Lake With Mountain Views Boasts Cascading Falls With A Fun Water Slide

Western Oregon is an outdoor playground filled with pristine rivers, misty forests, rugged Pacific coastline, and waterfalls galore (like the two that make up Siuslaw National Forest's Niagara Falls of Oregon). Even though the region is known for its chilly wet weather, come summertime, temperatures can soar to well above 90 degrees, sending locals to swimming holes in an attempt to beat the heat. One of these swimming holes is the picturesque Triangle Lake.

Located in the emerald hills of Oregon's Coast Range just outside of one of the best college towns in the U.S., Triangle Lake draws plenty of visitors who plunge into its cooling waters during the warm parts of the year, along with fishermen hoping to hook into a lunker. This small freshwater body also offers views of the surrounding mountains and is the perfect spot for soaking up the fresh air, pretty scenery, and placid lakeside vibes.

Despite this, the stream that flows out from Triangle Lake is perhaps the more famous attraction. Simply named Lake Creek, not only does it contain a series of cool waterfalls, but it also boasts a natural rock slide, allowing visitors to shoot down over the slippery stone and plunge into the deep pool it feeds.

Triangle Lake isn't one of Oregon's biggest, but it's large enough to deliver everything you'd expect from a scenic lake in the Pacific Northwest. While the 3.5 miles of shoreline are home to a number of private residences, visitors can access the lake at the day-use park which — in addition to a boat launch — has a picnic area.

The lake is especially popular with anglers who come in pursuit of its largemouth bass, perch, bluegill, kokanee, as well as cutthroat and rainbow trout which tend to bite best in the spring. The swimmers arrive in the summer, and the lake also draws paddlers and water skiers who come to take advantage of Triangle's placid and smooth surface.

For those wishing to spend the night, there is a campground situated on the south end of the lake where Lake Creek flows out. Known by the letters TLC (Triangle Lake Campground), this nonprofit property occupies a grassy space under the trees and offers 14 campsites with fire pits and picnic tables, a pavilion, a horseshoe pit, portable toilets, and a put-in for kayaks and canoes.

The star of the show at Triangle Lake is Lower Lake Creek Falls and Recreation Area, where visitors come to marvel at a series of small waterfalls and shoot down the natural Triangle Lake Rock Slide into a swimming hole. While the water slide is the main activity here, thrill-seekers also enjoy jumping off the 25- to 35-foot cliffs towering over the pool. The water level over the stone slide varies depending on the time of year, so exercise caution, and make sure to wear some shoes with a good grip, as things can get slick. 

This stretch of BLM land is served by a small parking lot that can fill up early during popular times. Just know that street parking is not allowed, so it's best to get there early. The site also has restrooms and picnic tables. Dogs are allowed on a leash, and drinking alcohol is strictly prohibited. Poison oak is also known to grow in the area, so be careful around any underbrush. 

To get to Triangle Lake and the Lower Lake Creek Falls Recreation Area, jump on Highway 36 from Eugene, some 35 miles away. The road passes by some very lush hills, a bucolic countryside, and the Nelson Mountain Covered Bridge. To explore some of the other historic covered bridges in the area, head to the nearby charming town known as Oregon's 'Covered Bridge Capital.'