Lincoln City is famous for its ocean, but the city’s own description puts Devils Lake and the Coast Range on its east side and the Pacific on its west. That makes Devils Lake Lincoln City’s other waterfront: a freshwater lake a short distance from the beach, with its own docks, its own neighborhoods, and its own rhythm. If you have only ever seen Lincoln City from Highway 101 or the oceanfront, the lake is the part of the map worth a second look.
What Is Devils Lake?
According to Oregon State Parks, the lake covers 685 acres, and the park describes it as unaffected by coastal winds, which is part of its appeal to paddlers, anglers, and boaters. Its wetland is a major wintering area for migratory geese and ducks. The lake and the ocean are closer than most visitors expect: the state notes that D River State Recreation Site is about a ten-minute walk from the park over a boardwalk through the wetland and across Highway 101. Our kite festival guide shows what the D River side looks like on a big weekend.
What Can You Do on Devils Lake?
The Devils Lake Water Improvement District lists boating, swimming, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, and paddleboarding. On its recreation page, the district says the lake has three public boat launches, at East Devils Lake State Park, Holmes Road, and Regatta Park, and two public swimming areas, at Regatta Park and Sand Point Park. Anglers can fish at the three launch sites, and the district notes that Oregon’s fish and wildlife department stocks rainbow trout each year, and that catching grass carp is prohibited.
The state park is split in two. The west-shore unit is a campground near downtown Lincoln City, with a trail to a fishing dock. The east side, East Devils Lake State Park, is a day-use park with a boat launch, fishing dock, restroom, picnic tables, and a fire pit. The campground is closed for part of each year because of winter flooding, so check dates with Oregon State Parks, and confirm current permits, fees, and rules with the park and the district rather than relying on this page.
A dock at East Devils Lake State Recreation Area — Photo: Ian Poellet / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
How Does the Lake Change With the Seasons?
The lake is a different place in different months. In the drier season the boat launches, docks, and swimming areas are the draw. In winter, the state notes that the wetland is a major wintering area for migratory geese and ducks, and that the campground closes seasonally because the park sits on a poorly drained peat bog that floods. The district also publishes updates on submerged aquatic vegetation on its website, which is worth reading if you plan to spend time on the water. Our Lincoln City weather guide explains what the wet months feel like.
How Do You Get From the Lake to the Beach?
That is part of the charm. The state describes East Devils Lake State Park as reached by a short drive around the south end of the lake, and the walk from the west-shore campground to D River State Recreation Site as about ten minutes over a boardwalk through the wetland and across Highway 101. Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital, according to our deep dive, is in a setting overlooking Devils Lake, so the lake is part of everyday life here, not only a recreation spot. For a day that includes both waters, start on the lake and finish at the D River beach.
Is Devils Lake Safe for Swimming and Pets?
Fresh water behaves differently from the ocean, and it deserves its own check. The district monitors water quality on its water quality page, and cyanobacteria advisories can be issued for the lake. The Oregon Health Authority’s cyanobacteria bloom guidance says to stay out when in doubt. Before you swim, paddle, or let a dog in the water, look at the current advisory status, and follow whatever is posted.
What Lakefront Living Means If You Are Buying
Our Lincoln City town guide describes the Devils Lake area as lakefront property with boating, swimming, and fishing, just minutes from the beach. A few questions belong on a buyer’s list for any address near the water:
- The district. The Devils Lake Water Improvement District is a special district that focuses on the lake’s water quality, vegetation, and access. Ask what it does and what it means for a lakefront parcel.
- Flood maps. Look up parcels near Devils Lake in the FEMA Flood Map Service Center, as you would for the oceanfront and Siletz Bay.
- Winter water. The state’s campground closes seasonally because of winter flooding, a reminder to ask any seller about water on the lot and the access road.
- Services. Our deep dive covers utilities, hazards, and rules by area.
If you are considering a lakefront home, ask the practical questions in person: whether a dock is part of the property and what rules govern it, how the shoreline behaves in the wettest weeks, and who maintains the access road. The district and the city are the places to confirm what applies to a specific parcel, and your agent, inspector, and insurance agent can help with each question. Lakefront and oceanfront living are different, and the best way to learn the difference is to spend time on both shores.
See how the seasons change the whole picture in our Lincoln City weather and storm-watching guide, and for the long view of life here, read retiring in Lincoln City.
Related reading
- Lincoln City Town Guide
- Living in Lincoln City: A Deep Dive
- Lincoln City Weather and Storm-Watching Season
- The Lincoln City Kite Festival
- Retiring in Lincoln City
Previously on the blog: Newport, Oregon Weather by Season
Next up: Depoe Bay Weather and Winter Storm Watching →
A Lake and an Ocean, One Town
If a morning paddle and an evening beach walk both sound like your kind of day, let’s talk through financing a Lincoln City home with Phuong.
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