Situated within a short drive from mountains, ancient lava fields, and several national forests, Medford has access to a wide selection of recreational lakes.
Most of the options on the list allow swimming, fishing, paddling, and boating, with some lakes providing water skiing and wakeboarding opportunities.
Visitors make use of campgrounds and hiking trails that surround most of the lakes. And some options allow ice fishing, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling in winter.
With so many outdoor activities, there is something for everyone here. Learn more about the area and discover what Medford has to offer!
Lakes near Medford:
- Agate Lake
- Lost Creek Lake
- Willow Lake
- Lake Selmac
- Fish Lake
- Lake of the Woods
- Fourmile Lake
- Upper Klamath Lake
- Emigrant Lake
- Howard Prairie Lake
- Hyatt Reservoir
- Applegate Lake
1. Agate Lake
- Website: Agate Lake
- Distance from Medford: 13 miles (20 min)
- Activities: Fishing, Swimming, Boating, Kayaking, Canoeing, Paddleboarding, Sailing, Picnics
A drive of a little more than 12 miles northeast of downtown Medford, Agate Lake is a 216-acre impoundment surrounded by a Jackson County park.
Crews created an earthfill dam in 1966, with Dry Creek flowing out from this reservoir with an average depth of more than 60 feet.
A boat launch on the lake’s western shore provides access to Agate Lake County Park, a location known for picnicking, boating, and fishing. The lake has three miles of shoreline.
Located within a geological area known as the Agate Desert, the grounds near this lake have a variety of minerals. They are there for viewing but not for the taking, so others may see those important natural features that define this region.
Boaters may bring hand-paddled vessels, as well as ones with electric motors.
On clear days, those who visit can enjoy views of snow-capped Mt. McLoughlin, more than 23 miles to the east.
Species commonly found in Agate Lake include brown bullhead, yellow perch, crappie, bluegill, and largemouth pass. Stocking of trout occurs each year.
2. Lost Creek Lake
- Website: Lost Creek Lake
- Distance from Medford: 32 miles (45 min)
- Activities: Fishing, Swimming, Boating, Kayaking, Canoeing, Paddleboarding, Sailing, Hiking, Biking, Camping, Picnics, Water Skiing, Wakeboarding, Tubing
A drive of 30 miles north-northeast of central Medford, Lost Creek Lake is an impoundment of the Rogue River just a short distance downriver from where the South Fork Rogue River merges into it.
A popular stop along Crater Lake Highway, also known as Oregon Route 62, this lake has many sites for fishing and admiring a body of water that can grow to 3,430 acres when it reaches full capacity.
Boat ramps, parks, and more than 30 miles of trails are available near the William L. Jess Dam, built by the US Army Corps of Engineers in 1977 to enhance fisheries and control flood waters along the Rogue.
Federal and state recreation sites sit alongside or near the reservoir. River’s Edge Park is a great place for picnics just downriver from the dam.
Also, immediately west and downriver from the Jess Dam, the McGregor Park and Visitor Center offers displays about local geology, history, flora, and fauna.
The nearby Casey State Recreation Site and 33-acre Rogue Elk Park are popular locations for fishing, rafting, and seasonal swimming and camping.
Nearby, Crowfoot Falls is visible along a trail. Alongside the reservoir, Joseph Stewart County Park has 11 miles of trails for hiking and biking, a marina with rental boats, camping, and other seasonal activities from March through October.
Anglers will enjoy fishing along this lake. Common species found here include cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, brown trout, tiger trout, splake, smallmouth bass, steelhead, and Kokanee salmon.
3. Willow Lake
- Website: Willow Lake
- Distance from Medford: 41 miles (55 min)
- Activities: Fishing, Swimming, Boating, Kayaking, Canoeing, Paddleboarding, Sailing, Hiking, Biking, Camping, Picnics
A drive of 40 to 50 miles east, depending on the route taken, Willow Lake offers a great escape to the western base of Mt. McLoughlin.
At 3,200 feet above sea level, this lake is nearly 1,900 feet higher in elevation than Medford.
Created as an impoundment of Willow Creek, where Duel Creek and Bieberstedt Creek merge into it, this lake provides fresh water for consumers and recreation for visitors. The dam was completed in 1953.
Tourists at the 927-acre Willow Lake County Park enjoy picturesque views. With 4.4 miles of lake frontage and a boat ramp, they will have many locations to fish for trout, crappie, or bass.
Seasonal campsites, cabins, and yurts are available.
4. Lake Selmac
- Website: Lake Selmac
- Distance from Medford: 53 miles (1 hr)
- Activities: Fishing, Swimming, Boating, Kayaking, Canoeing, Paddleboarding, Sailing, Hiking, Biking, Camping, Picnics
A drive 53 miles west of downtown Medford through Grants Pass and Selma provides access to Lake Selmac.
The only true lake in Josephine County, this reservoir was formed after the construction of the earthen McMullen Creek Dam in 1961 that impounded McMullen Creek for recreation and irrigation purposes.
Located on the 139-acre lake’s western shore, Lake Selmac Park has a 300-acre day-use area and campsites along Osprey Loop.
Visitors to this park enjoy sailing, boating, fishing, camping, swimming, biking, disc golfing, horseback riding, and picnicking.
Those who visit Lake Selmac to fish cast lines for largemouth bass, rainbow trout, and bluegill.
5. Fish Lake
- Website: Fish Lake
- Distance from Medford: 38 miles (45 min)
- Activities: Fishing, Swimming, Boating, Kayaking, Canoeing, Paddleboarding, Sailing, Hiking, Biking, Camping, Picnics, Snowshoeing, Cross-Country Skiing, Snowmobiling, Ice Fishing
Fish Lake is approximately 38 miles east of Medford, in a forested area along Lake of the Woods Highway.
Situated 3.5 miles south of the peak of Mt. McLoughlin – a 9,493-high dormant volcano – and 2.75 miles northwest of the 7,344 feet summit of Brown Mountain, this lake is perfectly located for runoff from higher elevations.
At 4,639 feet, Fish Lake was originally a small natural lake nestled between the mountains. Impounded more than 120 years ago to collect water for irrigation, the present-day 483-acre lake is three times its original size.
Visitors to Fish Lake can enjoy the shoreline trail, a section of PCT that runs nearby, as well as other US Forest Service Trails.
Numerous campsites and day-use areas are located in the region, including Doe Point Campground along the lake’s northern shore and North Fork Campground, approximately 1,000 feet west of the impoundment.
Brook and rainbow trout are commonly found in Fish Lake.
6. Lake of the Woods
- Website: Lake of the Woods
- Distance from Medford: 47 miles (55 min)
- Activities: Fishing, Swimming, Boating, Kayaking, Canoeing, Paddleboarding, Sailing, Hiking, Biking, Camping, Picnics, Water Skiing, Wakeboarding, Tubing, Snowshoeing, Cross-Country Skiing, Snowmobiling, Ice Fishing
A little more than 45 miles east of Medford and less than eight miles from Fish Lake, Lake of the Woods is a year-round resort destination.
Private homes dot much of the shoreline. The lake covers 1,146 acres, with federal recreation lands on the northern and eastern shores.
Sailing, waterskiing, and jet skiing are popular in this clear-water lake. Other activities include camping, picnicking, hiking, and mountain biking.
Many camping and lodging options exist. Aspen Point Campground, on the northeastern shore, and Sunset Campground, on the lake’s eastern side with a day-use area, are popular outdoor options.
Those who enjoy cabins select the Lake of the Woods Resort, located between the campgrounds, for a comfortable overnight stay.
Anglers enjoy four-season fishing, including ice fishing during the winter.
Species found in Lake of the Woods include trout, brown bullhead, yellow perch, black crappie, and largemouth bass.
7. Fourmile Lake
- Website: Fourmile Lake
- Distance from Medford: 45 miles (1hr 5min)
- Activities: Fishing, Swimming, Boating, Kayaking, Canoeing, Paddleboarding, Sailing, Hiking, Biking, Camping, Picnics, Snowshoeing, Cross-Country Skiing, Snowmobiling, Ice Fishing
Forty-five miles northeast of Medford and three miles northeast of Mt. McLoughlin, as the eagle flies, Fourmile Lake is a reservoir averaging 740 surface acres.
It sits in the Winema National Forest, along the lower section of the Sky Lakes Wilderness.
Created by a dam in 1906 for irrigation, similar to the expansion of Fish Lake, this body of water now diverts some of its flow to that lake through the artificially-built Cascade Canal.
Camping, hiking, boating, and fishing are popular here.
Fourmile Lake Campground and Day-Use Area sit along the lake’s southern shoreline.
The angling season covers spring, summer, and fall. Species commonly found in Fourmile Lake area are brook trout, lake trout, rainbow trout, and Kokanee salmon.
8. Upper Klamath Lake
- Website: Upper Klamath Lake
- Distance from Medford: 55 miles (1hr 10min)
- Activities: Fishing, Boating, Kayaking, Canoeing, Sailing, Hiking, Biking, Camping, Picnics
To visit Upper Klamath Lake involves a drive of a little more than 50 miles to reach the western shore, with a trip of about 88 miles allowing visitors to experience the lake’s eastern side.
A very shallow lake, rich in nutrients and over 96 square miles in size, this body of water has a rich fish population perfect for four-season fishing.
Camping and day-use areas offer access. In addition to Odessa Campground, five-acre Hagelstein Park – the first Klamath County park – and the county’s Wocus Bay Boat Launch provide lake access.
The federally-managed Rocky Point Day-Use Area and Boat Launch offer another option.
Anglers coming to Upper Klamath Lake will enjoy spectacular scenery and excellent fishing. Species include trout, yellow perch, and brown bullhead.
Due to the seasonal algae bloom, swimming at this lake is not recommended.
9. Emigrant Lake
- Website: Emigrant Lake
- Distance from Medford: 19 miles (25 min)
- Activities: Fishing, Swimming, Boating, Kayaking, Canoeing, Paddleboarding, Sailing, Hiking, Biking, Camping, Picnics, Water Skiing, Wakeboarding, Tubing
Approximately 19 miles southeast of Medford, just five miles beyond Ashland, Emigrant Lake is a recreational 806-acre reservoir in Jackson County.
It was created after the construction of the original Emigrant Dam along Emigrant Creek in 1924.
A subsequent impoundment by the US Bureau of Reclamation doubled the size of this reservoir in 1960, allowing this body of water to submerge the former settlement of Klamath Junction.
Although this reservoir can easily expand to 900 surface acres, droughts during the 2010s and early 2020s have exposed many of the formerly submerged areas.
At some points, such as in 1994 and 2014, the lake dropped to only ten percent of its capacity. During these low points, visitors stroll along the dry lake bottom, searching for evidence of former settlements.
Emigrant Lake County Park and its Point RV Park are year-round recreation destinations.
Anglers who come to the lake during higher water levels find bass, crappie, bluegill, rainbow trout, yellow perch, and catfish.
10. Howard Prairie Lake
- Website: Howard Prairie Lake
- Distance from Medford: 37 miles (50 min)
- Activities: Fishing, Swimming, Boating, Kayaking, Canoeing, Paddleboarding, Sailing, Hiking, Biking, Camping, Picnics, Water Skiing, Wakeboarding, Tubing
A drive of 37 miles east-southeast of Medford, Howard Prairie Lake sits within the Southern Oregon Cascade Mountains.
Crews impounded this body of water in 1957 for hydroelectric power, irrigation, and recreation.
With 1,990 surface acres, this reservoir has long had a positive reputation for largemouth bass and rainbow trout fishing.
Although lower water levels in recent years have diminished fishing prospects somewhat, this reservoir remains an outdoor recreation destination enjoyed by many visitors.
Howard Prairie Resort is a Jackson County park that includes a boat ramp and marina, seasonal campgrounds, and excellent views of Mount McLoughlin.
When water levels improve, anglers use this resort as a starting point for fishing excursions.
Species found within Howard Prairie Lake also include brown bullhead catfish and smallmouth bass.
11. Hyatt Reservoir
- Website: Hyatt Reservoir
- Distance from Medford: 35 miles (50 min)
- Activities: Fishing, Swimming, Boating, Kayaking, Canoeing, Paddleboarding, Sailing, Hiking, Biking, Camping, Picnics
Hyatt Reservoir is 35 miles southeast of downtown Medford. Created after the construction of the original Hyatt Dam in 1929, this 950-acre reservoir sits near towering pines and firs at approximately 5,000 feet in elevation.
The Hyatt Lake Recreation Area, a 745-acre destination for summertime camping, hiking, biking, fishing, and horseback riding, is alongside this reservoir.
This destination is a great place to experience the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument and see outstanding views of Mt. McLoughlin.
Hikers can access the Pacific Crest Trail.
Anglers visiting this area will have excellent prospects for catching rainbow trout and good opportunities to reel in largemouth bass. Other fish found here include bluegill, crappie, and brown bullhead.
12. Applegate Lake
- Website: Applegate Lake
- Distance from Medford: 30 miles (45 min)
- Activities: Fishing, Swimming, Boating, Kayaking, Canoeing, Paddleboarding, Sailing, Hiking, Biking, Camping, Picnics
Located 30 miles south-southwest of Medford and near the Oregon-California state line, Applegate Lake took shape in southernmost Oregon after the 1980 construction of the Applegate Dam.
This impoundment along the Applegate River before it reaches the Rogue River offers flood control, irrigation, and recreational access.
The US Army Corps of Engineers created this reservoir which averages 988 acres.
As the reservoir covered the ghost town of Copper, recreation opportunities for biking, boating, hiking, canoeing, and fishing grew.
During periods of drought, visitors to the lake can see sections of a usually-submerged former roadway, a part of which now serves as a boat ramp.
A great place for wildlife watching, the 17.5-mile shoreline also attracts anglers.
Bass, crappie, rainbow trout, and landlocked Chinook salmon swim in Applegate Lake.
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