A view of Paulina Lake (left) and East Lake from the summit of Paulina Peak.

This may be my favorite time of year to ride. The weather is a little moody. Breezy days turn into cold nights. The leaves are beginning to change. And every clear, warm day feels like it could be our last. Whatever your outdoor adventure might be, take it in and enjoy it.

Temperatures Saturday are expected to hit 85 degrees Fahrenheit in the Bend area. Sunday will be much cooler, with a high of 68 degrees. Expect clear skies and sun throughout the weekend.

Below are some recommended spots for recreation this weekend. For mountain bike and other trail-specific updates, check out bendtrails.org and the BendTrails Facebook group. Trail closures are still in effect in some areas of the Deschutes National Forest. Check the U.S. Forest Service website for more details.

Ride the Crater Rim Trail, spend day in Newberry Crater

Recent reports on bendtrails.org say 20-mile-long Crater Rim Trail around Newberry caldera is riding well. With nearly 3,000 feet of climbing and scenic views of Paulina and East lakes and the rest of the Newberry National Volcanic Monument, the intermediate trail makes for a nice, long day on the bike. Sports editor and outdoors writer Mark Morical, who rode the trail this summer, called it a “challenging-but-memorable day.”

The loop, which Morical says is best ridden counterclockwise, starts just below Paulina Peak. It winds its way around the crater, featuring slow, grueling climbs and fast, thrilling descents, before finishing at Paulina Lake Resort. The resort has food and drink options and live music on weekends.

Riders who would like to avoid climbing 1,700 feet from the trailhead up to Paulina Peak can bring two cars along and shuttle their up to the top of the nearly 8,000 foot summit. Also, local guide business Cog Wild provides its own shuttle option. This Saturday being the last shuttle of the year. Riders can shuttle from Horse Butte Trailhead, southeast of Bend, up to the peak for $50 and ride 36 miles of singletrack back down to the trailhead.

After the ride, cool off and relax in Paulina Lake. A great destination for a day out on the water, you could even bring along a paddleboard, kayak or small fishing boat, as motorized boats are allowed. Another point of interest is the twin waterfall on the caldera’s west wall. Paulina Creek has created a narrow gorge through the volcanic area as it drains Paulina Lake. There are also thermal vents and hot springs along the lake’s northeast edge. Being a nearly 50-minute drive from Bend, might as well do as much as possible once you’re out there.

The whole area was formed by volcanic activity more than 500,000 years ago. Both lakes rely on rain, snowmelt and hot springs for water as neither have an inlet stream.

Take a break at Tumalo State Park

For a quick fall jaunt or outing, check out Tumalo State Park. Nestled in a beautiful Deschutes River canyon, the park has hiking options that extend outside of park boundaries along the Deschutes River Trail as well as native plants and prime bird watching. Only about a 15-minute drive from downtown Bend, the park is a great option for a mellow, midday break in nature.

Looking to stay a little longer? The state park also has year-round camping, with 23 full-hookup sites, 54 tent sites and seven yurts.

Last weekend of year to fish Upper Deschutes

The Deschutes River upstream of Benham Falls is scheduled to close for the year on Monday. This will be the last weekend to fish the section of the river and, according to reports on the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) website, anglers have seen good fishing for trout and whitefish. Below Wickiup Reservoir has been a great spot to find brown. Whitefish, redband and brook trout can be found between Crane Prairie Reservoir and Little Lava Lake.

ODFW staff remind anglers, via the website, that the use of bait is prohibited on the Upper Deschutes River.

The Upper Deschutes runs from the headwaters near Little Lava Lake to the city of Bend where the river is dammed and irrigation water is pulled out during the summer months. Most of this section of river will close to fishing on Sept. 30.

Check out the Department of Fish and Wildlife’s website for more fishing reports.

For a full list of conditions updated regularly, visit bendbulletin.com/explore/conditions.

Column: Why I wear a helmet when I skateboard