Difference between revisions of "Paulina Peak Hike"
From Oregon Hikers Field Guide
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| − | [[Paulina Peak]] is the high point on the Newberry | + | [[Paulina Peak]] is the high point on the Newberry Caldera rim, the crater being the remains of one of the most massive shield volcanoes in North America. Originally, the mountain that was here topped out at over 10,000 feet. The volcano erupted at least 12 times between 10,000 and 5,700 B.C. and will almost certainly erupt again. The City of Bend is situated on Newberry's 1,200 square-mile lava field. This hike begins on the shores on [[Paulina Lake]] and rises through different conifer types to the summit area, to which you can also drive. On a clear day, the views here are some of the most extensive in Oregon and take in the Cascade Range from [[Mount Adams]] in Washington to Mount Shasta in California. |
Note that you can reduce the round-trip length of this hike by two miles if you park on the summit road at the [[Paulina Peak Trailhead]]. | Note that you can reduce the round-trip length of this hike by two miles if you park on the summit road at the [[Paulina Peak Trailhead]]. | ||
| − | Walk out to the shore of [[Paulina Lake]]. You may see ducks feeding in the marshes here, and you can see the Paulina Lake Lodge on the west shore. An interpretive sign tells about the “This Really, Really Old House,” an archeological dig that investigated a 10,500 year-old dwelling. Walk back towards the road, passing the restrooms, and cross to the Visitor Center. Take the path leading right behind a map sign, and arrive at the [[Crater Rim-Newberry Crater Trail Junction]]. Keep straight here to follow the Crater Rim Trail #57 through a lodgepole pine, mountain hemlock, white fir woodland with a lot of deadfall. Cross a road bed and a phone line corridor. Blue diamonds on trees mark this as a cross-country ski trail. You’ll see a concrete water tank to the left as you ascend very gradually to reach the [[Paulina Peak Trailhead]] on the gravel Paulina Peak Road | + | Walk out to the shore of [[Paulina Lake]]. You may see ducks feeding in the marshes here, and you can see the Paulina Lake Lodge on the west shore. An interpretive sign tells about the “This Really, Really Old House,” an archeological dig that investigated a 10,500 year-old dwelling. Walk back towards the road, passing the restrooms, and cross to the Visitor Center. Take the path leading right behind a map sign, and arrive at the [[Crater Rim-Newberry Crater Trail Junction]]. Keep straight here to follow the Crater Rim Trail #57 through a lodgepole pine, mountain hemlock, white fir woodland with a lot of deadfall. Cross a road bed and a phone line corridor. Blue diamonds on trees mark this as a cross-country ski trail. You’ll see a concrete water tank to the left as you ascend very gradually for one mile to reach the [[Paulina Peak Trailhead]] on the gravel Paulina Peak Road. |
| − | It’s two miles from here to the summit of [[Paulina Peak]]. Cross the road, and resume the trail up a slope of mountain hemlock. Reach the rim of the caldera and begin to glimpses of [[Paulina Lake]] below and the rugged crags | + | It’s two miles from here to the summit of [[Paulina Peak]]. Cross the road, and resume the trail up a slope of mountain hemlock. Reach the rim of the caldera and begin to glimpses of [[Paulina Lake]] below and the rugged crags of [[Paulina Peak]] above. Switchback in a carpet of grouseberry, and head steeply up before the trail swings back to the rim. From here, get your first open view down to [[Paulina Lake]], East Lake, the Central Cone, Little Crater, the [[Big Obsidian Flow]], and up to [[Paulina Peak]]. Whitebark pines begin to appear. Pass a monolithic crag and get another sweeping view. The [[Three Sisters]] and other snow-capped peaks are visible on the western skyline. Swing away from the rim to make three switchbacks in hemlock/lodgepole woods. The trail levels to reach another viewpoint. An interpretive sign here tells about efforts to save the whitebark pines from blister rust: an epidemic here in the 1950s killed many of the old pines, but they are returning. This is the last point on the Whitebark Pine Nature Trail, which begins at [[Paulina Peak]]. Reach the [[Crater Rim-Paulina Peak Trail Junction]], and go left on the Paulina Peak Trail #51. |
It’s about a quarter of a mile from the junction to the summit. Whitebark pines are the only conifers now, and open views extend to the Cascade Range. Look for Clark’s nutcrackers practicing their dipping flight through the trees. Make three short switchbacks to the parking area just below the summit of [[Paulina Peak]], the site of a fire lookout from 1914 to 1969. There are restrooms here and interpretive signs at the overlook. Walk a little farther from the far side of the parking area to get a view of the sprawling [[Big Obsidian Flow]]. On a very clear day, you can supposedly see from [[Mount Adams]] in Washington to Mount Shasta in California as well as all the way southeast in Oregon to Steens Mountain. Summer visitors are usually not so lucky, though. | It’s about a quarter of a mile from the junction to the summit. Whitebark pines are the only conifers now, and open views extend to the Cascade Range. Look for Clark’s nutcrackers practicing their dipping flight through the trees. Make three short switchbacks to the parking area just below the summit of [[Paulina Peak]], the site of a fire lookout from 1914 to 1969. There are restrooms here and interpretive signs at the overlook. Walk a little farther from the far side of the parking area to get a view of the sprawling [[Big Obsidian Flow]]. On a very clear day, you can supposedly see from [[Mount Adams]] in Washington to Mount Shasta in California as well as all the way southeast in Oregon to Steens Mountain. Summer visitors are usually not so lucky, though. | ||
Revision as of 02:00, 23 April 2018
- Start point: Paulina Lake Trailhead
- End Point: Paulina Peak
- Trail Log:
- Hike Type: In and out
- Distance: 6.2 miles
- Elevation gain: 1610 feet
- High Point: 7,984 feet
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Seasons: Summer into Fall
- Family Friendly: No
- Backpackable: No
- Crowded: No
Contents |
Description
Paulina Peak is the high point on the Newberry Caldera rim, the crater being the remains of one of the most massive shield volcanoes in North America. Originally, the mountain that was here topped out at over 10,000 feet. The volcano erupted at least 12 times between 10,000 and 5,700 B.C. and will almost certainly erupt again. The City of Bend is situated on Newberry's 1,200 square-mile lava field. This hike begins on the shores on Paulina Lake and rises through different conifer types to the summit area, to which you can also drive. On a clear day, the views here are some of the most extensive in Oregon and take in the Cascade Range from Mount Adams in Washington to Mount Shasta in California.
Note that you can reduce the round-trip length of this hike by two miles if you park on the summit road at the Paulina Peak Trailhead.
Walk out to the shore of Paulina Lake. You may see ducks feeding in the marshes here, and you can see the Paulina Lake Lodge on the west shore. An interpretive sign tells about the “This Really, Really Old House,” an archeological dig that investigated a 10,500 year-old dwelling. Walk back towards the road, passing the restrooms, and cross to the Visitor Center. Take the path leading right behind a map sign, and arrive at the Crater Rim-Newberry Crater Trail Junction. Keep straight here to follow the Crater Rim Trail #57 through a lodgepole pine, mountain hemlock, white fir woodland with a lot of deadfall. Cross a road bed and a phone line corridor. Blue diamonds on trees mark this as a cross-country ski trail. You’ll see a concrete water tank to the left as you ascend very gradually for one mile to reach the Paulina Peak Trailhead on the gravel Paulina Peak Road.
It’s two miles from here to the summit of Paulina Peak. Cross the road, and resume the trail up a slope of mountain hemlock. Reach the rim of the caldera and begin to glimpses of Paulina Lake below and the rugged crags of Paulina Peak above. Switchback in a carpet of grouseberry, and head steeply up before the trail swings back to the rim. From here, get your first open view down to Paulina Lake, East Lake, the Central Cone, Little Crater, the Big Obsidian Flow, and up to Paulina Peak. Whitebark pines begin to appear. Pass a monolithic crag and get another sweeping view. The Three Sisters and other snow-capped peaks are visible on the western skyline. Swing away from the rim to make three switchbacks in hemlock/lodgepole woods. The trail levels to reach another viewpoint. An interpretive sign here tells about efforts to save the whitebark pines from blister rust: an epidemic here in the 1950s killed many of the old pines, but they are returning. This is the last point on the Whitebark Pine Nature Trail, which begins at Paulina Peak. Reach the Crater Rim-Paulina Peak Trail Junction, and go left on the Paulina Peak Trail #51.
It’s about a quarter of a mile from the junction to the summit. Whitebark pines are the only conifers now, and open views extend to the Cascade Range. Look for Clark’s nutcrackers practicing their dipping flight through the trees. Make three short switchbacks to the parking area just below the summit of Paulina Peak, the site of a fire lookout from 1914 to 1969. There are restrooms here and interpretive signs at the overlook. Walk a little farther from the far side of the parking area to get a view of the sprawling Big Obsidian Flow. On a very clear day, you can supposedly see from Mount Adams in Washington to Mount Shasta in California as well as all the way southeast in Oregon to Steens Mountain. Summer visitors are usually not so lucky, though.
Descend to your vehicle the way you came.
Fees, Regulations, etc.
- Northwest Forest Pass required
- Restrooms, picnic areas, campgrounds, interpretive trails, boat launch
- Share trails with mountain bikes and horses
- Visitor Center open May 27th to October 1st
Maps
- Maps: Hike Finder
- Newberry Caldera & Paulina Lakes (Maplets)
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Fort Rock Ranger District
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Deschutes National Forest
- Adventure Maps: Bend, Oregon, Trail Map
- National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map: Bend – Three Sisters
Trip Reports
- Search Trip Reports for Paulina Peak Hike
Related Discussions / Q&A
- Search Trail Q&A for Paulina Peak Hike
Guidebooks that cover this destination
- 100 Hikes/Travel Guide: Eastern Oregon by William L. Sullivan
- Hiking Oregon’s Geology by Ellen Morris Bishop
- Day Hiking: Bend and Central Oregon by Brittany Manwill
- Best Hikes Near Bend by Lizann Dunegan
- Hiking Oregon by Lizann Dunegan
- Bend, Overall by Scott Cook
- Day Hikes in Central Oregon by Jan Siegrist
- Hiking Central Oregon & Beyond by Virginia Meissner
- Oregon Hiking by Sean Patrick Hill
- Pacific Northwest Hiking by Scott Leonard & Sean Patrick Hill
- Canine Oregon by Lizann Dunegan
- Riding Central Oregon Horse Trails by Kim McCarrel
More Links
- Crater Rim Trail #3957 (Hiking Project)
- Paulina Peak Trailhead (USFS)
- Paulina Peak Hiking Trail (Outdoor Project)
- “Hike to the top of Paulina Peak for beautiful views of the Newberry National Volcanic Monument” (Hike Central Oregon)
- “Paulina Peak provides views” (Bend Bulletin)
- Paulina Peak (Cascade Hiking Adventures)
- Paulina Peak / Newberry Crater (Summit Post)
- Paulina Peak Observation Site (USFS)
- Paulina Peak (Forest Lookouts)
- Throwback Thursday – Paulina Peak (wanderingyuncks)
- Volcanic Vistas (USFS)
- Central Oregon Hiking: Newberry National Volcanic Monument (Visit Central Oregon)
- Newberry National Volcanic Monument – Deschutes NF (USFS)
- Newberry National Volcanic Monument (Wikipedia)
- Newberry Volcano (Wikipedia)
- Paulina Lake (USFS)
- Paulina Lake – The “Other” Crater Lake (Visit Central Oregon)
Page Contributors
- bobcat (creator)