Paulina Lake Hot Springs

What to expect

Paulina Lake fills part of the collapsed summit of Newberry Volcano, a broad shield volcano south of Bend. The lake has no inlet stream. It is fed by rain, snowmelt, seepage from neighbouring East Lake and hot springs, and along its northeast shore hot water seeps up through dark volcanic gravel at the water’s edge.

Visitors scrape out small pools in that gravel and line them with logs and rocks. What you find depends on the lake. In a typical summer there are two to five pools, some right at the shoreline and some set back a few feet. The bigger ones hold six to eight people. The smaller ones fit one or two. Water temperature ranges from about 90°F to 115°F32°C to 46°C, and you control it by choosing a pool or letting in a little cold lake water.

It is a simple, quiet soak. Lodgepole pine runs down to the shore behind you, the lake is very clear, and the rim of the caldera and Paulina Peak rise across the water. There is a faint sulfur smell at most. There are no facilities at the pools.

Getting there

The springs are in the Newberry National Volcanic Monument, part of the Deschutes National Forest.

• From Bend: Drive south on US-97 for about 23 miles and turn left (east) onto Paulina-East Lake Road (County Road 21). Climb about 14 miles into the caldera, past the entry station and Paulina Lake Lodge, and turn left at the sign for Little Crater Campground.
• From La Pine: Drive a few miles north on US-97 to the same Paulina-East Lake Road turn.

The road is paved. Park at the Little Crater day-use area, or at the trailhead at the end of the campground road if you are camping there. You need a recreation pass on your dashboard.

On foot: From the Little Crater day-use area, follow signs east through the campground for about 0.7 miles to benches and a sign marking the Paulina Lakeshore Loop Trail. Follow the trail along the lake. After about 1.3 miles, where the trail bends into the trees, a signed spur on your left leads back down to the shore and the pools. Counted from the end of the campground road, the hike is about 2.3 miles each way and mostly flat, with some loose rock and a section of glassy black obsidian.

By boat: Kayaks, canoes and paddleboards can launch from the day-use area outside Little Crater or from Paulina Lake Campground on the west shore. There is no dock at the springs, so plan how you will land and secure your boat on the gravel. Swimming and fishing off the campground boat docks are not allowed.

When to go

The caldera is a summer place. Paulina-East Lake Road is not plowed through the winter, and the caldera is then reached only by snowmobile or on Nordic skis. The road and the campgrounds generally reopen in late spring once the snow clears, and the Paulina Visitor Center is open from about May to mid-October. Check the Deschutes National Forest conditions page before you go.

The pools follow the lake level. Early in the season, when the lake is high, some pools are underwater. Later in summer and into fall the lake drops and the pools can shrink to a few inches deep. June through August is usually the best window.

Mosquitoes and gnats are bad in late spring and early summer. Midweek visits are quieter. Mornings are cold at 6,350 feet even in July, which makes for a good soak.

Rules and etiquette

• Pass required to park. Display a Northwest Forest Pass, America the Beautiful pass or a day pass. Visit Bend lists day passes at $5 and annual passes at $30.
• Do not dig new pools. The shoreline is a riparian zone, and the Forest Service asks visitors to use existing pools only.
• No camping at the springs. Deschutes National Forest Order 06-01-26-01 bans camping anywhere in Newberry Caldera outside developed campgrounds and resorts, and bans campfires outside campgrounds, day-use areas and resorts. The same order covers East Lake Hot Springs.
• Wear a swimsuit. This is a family spot and visitor guides ask soakers to keep suits on.
• Dogs may come on the trail on a leash and can swim in the lake, but keep them out of the hot spring pools.
• Leave the obsidian. The shiny black rock along the trail belongs to the monument, and visitor guides ask you to photograph it rather than take it.
• Pack out everything. The only toilets are at the trailhead and campgrounds. If you have to go, bury waste 6 to 8 inches deep at least 200 feet from the water.

Where to stay nearby

• Little Crater Campground sits at the trailhead on a narrow strip of shore, with 49 sites, drinking water, vault toilets and a boat ramp. Reserve on Recreation.gov.
• Paulina Lake Campground, on the west shore at about 6,350 feet, has drinking water, flush toilets and a boat launch.
• Paulina Lake Lodge, near the west shore, offers rustic cabins, a cafe and a small store under a Forest Service permit. East Lake Resort, on the neighbouring lake, also rents cabins. Book both well ahead for summer.
• Other caldera campgrounds include East Lake, Cinder Hill and Chief Paulina Horse Camp. La Pine and Bend, below the caldera, have motels and full services.

Safety notes

• Hot spots: The vents beneath the pools can be far hotter than the soaking water. Feel the water and the gravel before sitting, and keep children close.
• Altitude and cold: At over 6,000 feet the air is thin and cold mornings are common, even in summer. Bring layers for the walk back.
• Water quality: The pools are shallow, warm and unchlorinated. Keep your head above the water. The Deschutes National Forest also posts blue-green algae advisories for some lakes in summer, so check before swimming.
• Paddling: Afternoon wind can pick up on the lake. Wear a life jacket and stay close to shore.
• Wildlife: Black bears are occasionally seen in the caldera. Store food properly at campsites.

Nearby stops worth adding

East Lake Hot Springs, on the next lake east, makes a natural second stop. Paulina Falls, a short walk from the caldera road near the lodge, drops the lake’s outflow through a gap in the caldera wall in a twin waterfall. In summer you can drive up to the Paulina Peak viewpoint for a look across both lakes. The Big Obsidian Flow trail, also in the caldera, crosses a lava flow of glassy black rock.