Heading outside: Spend a day in, around Paulina Lake

Published 3:30 pm Thursday, July 24, 2025

July has brought consistent 80-degree weather to Central Oregon and this final weekend should be the same. Highs are in the low-80s both Saturday and Sunday, according to my weather app, with clear skies all weekend long and well into next week. Lows could get around 50 degrees Fahrenheit at night.

Enjoy these warm, sunny days while you can, and for those of us who are stuck on the couch. (I currently have a little hamstring niggle, so I haven’t got out on the trails much in the last week or so.) These days go quick and smoke from wildfire season is looming. Hopefully, we all aren’t stuck on the couch in a few weeks. And be safe out there too, follow signs and obey the rules of the trails.

Below are some recommended spots for recreation this weekend.

Spend the day around Paulina Lake

Drive up to the Newberry Crater for a day of mountain biking, fishing, swimming and paddling. The national volcanic monument, which is about a 50-minute drive south from Bend, consists of Paulina Peak, lakes, volcanic rock, hot springs, forests and more spread across 17 square miles.

It was formed by volcanic activity more than 500,000 years ago. The monument has two day-use areas, multiple campgrounds and plenty of trails.

For mountain bikers, the 20-mile-long Crater Rim Trail is the best option. With nearly 3,000 feet of climbing and scenic views of Paulina and East lakes and the rest of the caldera, the intermediate trail makes for a nice, long day on the bike. Recent reports on bendtrails.org say the trail is in good shape.

The loop is best ridden counterclockwise, starting at Paulina Peak trailhead. It winds its way around the crater, featuring slow, grueling climbs and fast, thrilling descents, before finishing at Paulina Lake Resort. The resort offers food and drink options, plus live music on weekends.

Spending a day on the lake? Bring along a paddleboard, kayak or small fishing boat, as motorized boats are allowed. Anglers report excellent kokanee fishing on Paulina Lake, with fish averaging 13 inches, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) website. Anglers are also catching some nice rainbow and brown trout being caught, according to reports. The paddling on the lake is superb as well.

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.

A recreation pass is required. It’s $5 per vehicle per day or may be covered by an annual Northwest Forest Pass.

Trout, whitefish in Crooked River

With flows below 300 cfs and improved water quality, the Crooked River has produced good fishing for trout and mountain whitefish. According to the ODFW website, anglers report excellent catches of mountain whitefish now that flows have dropped below 300 cfs following several months of high flow releases for flood control.

ODFW staff conducted annual fish population monitoring on the Crooked River between Big Bend and Cobble Rock Campgrounds at the end of June. Staff found good numbers of whitefish and fair numbers of trout ranging from 10 to 14 inches.

Anglers may encounter bull trout on the river as there is volitional passage at Opal Springs. Bull trout should be released unharmed and catches reported to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at crookedbulltrout@fws.gov.

The Crooked is open to fishing year-round below Bowman Dam. The dam is just south of Prineville, on the west end of Prineville Reservoir. The river runs northwest to where it converges with the Deschutes River at Lake Billy Chinook near Culver.

For more fishing reports, check out the ODFW’s website.

High-country more rideable reports say

According to recent reports on bendtrails.org, many of the high-country trails in the Swampy Lakes Area are rideable. These high-elevation trails are reachable from Skyliner and Swampy Lakes trailheads as well as by climbing from Phil’s Upper Whoops.

Some sections, like Swampy/Dutchman and Upper Flagline, remain in variable condition and, according to reports on the BendTrails Facebook group, the Metolius-Windigo trail still has snow patches. Middle Flagline is also closed until Aug. 15 for elk calving. It shouldn’t be long until these trails are flying.

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

Ian Haupt: 541-617-7821 or ian.haupt@bendbulletin.com.