Rating (Out of 5): 4.0
Location: Diamond Lake area
Distance: 10 miles round-trip from lower trailhead; 5.4 miles from upper trailhead
Difficulty: Very hard
Camping: No
Quick hit: The lesser of the two mountains surrounding Diamond Lake, Mount Bailey has a actual trail that leads all the way up the ridgeline to the summit. This makes is a much safer climb than Mount Thielsen, which requires Class 3/4 climbing to reach the summit.Mount Bailey has it's own treats, however. There are wildflowers in a rock meadow near the top along with an unexpected 300-foot wide crater. From the south (lesser) summit, the trail skirts around a rock wall on a slippery skree slop and climbs to the true summit.
Directions: There is a lower and upper trailhead. To reach the upper trailhead, and thus shorten the hike by nearly 3 miles round-trip, you need a high-clearance vehicle. TO THE LOWER TRAILHEAD: From Roseburg, follow Highway 138 east 78.6 miles. Between mileposts 78 and 79, turn right at a "Diamond Lake Recreation Area" and follow Road 6592 to a "South Shore Picnic Area" pointer, and turn onto paved Road 4795 for 1.7 miles. Continue 400 yards past Silent Creek and turn left on dirt Road 300 for .4 miles to a dustry parking area. From Medford, follow Highway 62 for 57 miles and continue straight on Highway 230 for another 23.6. Turn left at "Diamond Lake Recreation Area" sign and follow Road 6592 to a "South Shore Picnic Area" pointer, and turn onto paved Road 4795 for 1.7 miles. Continue 400 yards past Silent Creek and turn left on dirt Road 300 for .4 miles to a dustry parking area. TO THE UPPER TRAILHEAD: On dirt road 300, fork left on Road 380 and follow uphill along rocky, rough road to upper trailhead parking.
For more info: http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock/151169/mount-bailey.html
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