B12 T H E B U L L E T I N • F R I D A Y , J U N E 1 1 , 2 0 2 1
top picks
WHERE TO EXPLORE
Top picks south of Bend
Crescent Lake —The lake level may be in
credibly low this year and it may be difficult to
launch your boat but the views are still worth
the trip south. Right now the gently sloping and
exposed shoreline is filled with vibrant purple
flowering lupin all within reach from just about
any day use or campground site. Add in the
snow-capped view of Diamond Peak and you've
got a wonderful day out.
Maiden Peak—The trail to the summit of
the 7,805-foot peak near Odell Lake may still
have some sections of snow along its 17 mile
out-and-back. It travels along forested hillsides,
the Rosary Lakes and up to the peak that offers
stunning views of southern Oregon.The trail is
listed as difficult due to its over 3,000-foot ele
vation gain.
Paulina Lake Loop Trail—While Paulina Peak
and even Big Obsidian Flow may still be un
der some lingering snow, the easier loop trail
around the caldera's lake is snow free and clear
for summer hikes. Clocking in at 7.5 miles round
trip, the day hike takes you around the entire
lake through lava fields, skirting hot springs and
has great views of the peak above it all.
— Photo and story byMakenzie Whittle, The Bulletin
Diamond Peak as seen from Spring
Campground at Crescent Lake on June 6.
ssss
Mark Morical/The Bulletin
Water features along Paulina Creek near Newberry Crater.
Water
Continued from B1
But we reached the shade of
taller trees soon enough.
It was not long before we
encountered the first small wa
terfall feature. After that, we
came across waterfalls about
every half-mile or so.
Highlights included a small
but beautiful waterfall that
hikers can walk nearly all the
way behind, taking in the mist
and the thick moss that lines
the rocks behind the falls.
There is also a wider double
falls a bit farther up the trail.
Hikers can walk out onto
smooth, flat rocks for an up-
close view of these falls.
Towering Paulina Creek
Falls near Paulina Lake
marks the east end of the
trail, but we had no inter
est in hiking that far. Walk
ing all the way to those falls
and Paulina Lake would be
about a 14-mile round trip,
and that was way more than
we wanted to attempt. Be
sides, Paulina Creek Falls can
be viewed after a short walk
from a parking area farther
up the road.
Later in the summer, Pau
lina Creek transitions from a
hiking destination to a swim-
ming-and-sliding destina
tion. A few of the waterfalls
along the creek form naturally
smooth rock slides, and many
adventurers enjoy sliding
down these formations on hot
summer days.
Three years ago, Johnson
and I hiked the trail in August,
and we came across dozens
of folks enjoying the cold wa
ter slides on a hot day. In late
spring though, nobody ap
peared bold enough to take
the plunge on a day when tem
peratures reached about 80
degrees. We also saw far fewer
other hikers in general this
time around, coming across
just three or four other trek-
kers. (The Peter Skene Ogden
Trail is open to biking as well,
but uphill only)
After hiking about 3 miles,
we decided to turn around and
head back to McKay Crossing,
making for about a 6-mile trek
that required about 2 hours, 40
minutes. We gained nearly 700
feet on the hike, topping out
at an elevation of 5,420 feet.
(Paulina Lake sits at 6,331 feet,
nearly 1,000 feet higher up the
trail.)
Paulina Creek certainly
makes for an enjoyable and
scenic hike, especially during
the late spring before the
crowds of swimmers and slid
ers arrive.
Aside from hiking, New
berry Crater offers a bounty
of recreational activities. The
fishing in Paulina and East
lakes can be phenomenal, and
this time of year the kokanee
are usually biting. As the snow
melts at higher elevations this
summer the hiking trail up
Paulina Peak (7,984 feet) and
the Newberry Crater rim loop,
popular with mountain bikers,
become accessible.
Bur for now, a relatively easy
and peaceful walk along Pau
lina Creek is enough to enjoy
the natural water wonders of
Newberry.
■ Reporter: 541-383-0318,
mmorical@bendbulletin.com
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