Embark on a captivating day-trip adventure, just a short drive from Bend to Paulina Lake and Paulina Peak, located within the Newberry National Volcanic Monument.
Getting to Paulina Lake
Paulina Lake is just an hour’s drive from downtown Bend, accessible via the main highway, Dalles-California Highway, also known as Highway 97. After turning left onto Road 21, which leads towards the Newberry National Volcanic Monument, you’ll encounter a vista point offering picturesque views if you wish to capture some photos.
Paulina Falls and Paulina Lake
Continuing along Road 21, you’ll reach the Paulina Falls day use area, complete with a small parking lot. Despite visiting on a weekend, we found that it wasn’t overly crowded, making it easy to find a parking spot. We parked at the Paulina Falls parking area and took a short walk to see the falls, which isn’t far from the parking lot.
Afterward, we headed east towards Paulina Lake to walk along the Paulina Lakeshore Trail. There is a nicely-shaded dirt path that takes you As we strolled along the lake, we also explored the Paulina Lake campground, where many people with RVs and camper vans were enjoying the area. Reserving a spot and obtaining a permit is necessary if you plan to spend the night at the campground. The water was clear, and the lake was stunningly beautiful. It was a delightful day out. Although there are likely other trails on the opposite side of Paulina Lake, we decided to return and drive up to Paulina Peak.
Paulina Peak
Driving up to Paulina Peak doesn’t take much time either, only about 15 minutes from the Paulina Falls parking area. The road is slightly windy as you ascend towards the peak, so exercise caution while driving, especially if you aren’t accustomed to winding roads. There weren’t many people up there either, but you do reach a considerable altitude, about 8,000 feet above sea level. Consequently, it was a bit chilly up there, so don’t forget to bring a jacket to stay warm while walking around outside at the peak and capturing the stunning views of both Paulina Lake and East Lake, as well as the Newberry Volcano.
This was our short afternoon excursion to Paulina Lake from Bend – it’s definitely worth the trip for a pleasant summer afternoon!