There’s no arguing that Central Oregon offers many unique snowmobiling opportunities, but there’s one that may be hard to beat: riding within one of the largest volcanoes in the country.

More than 150 miles of groomed trails can be found in Newberry National Volcanic Monument northeast of LaPine. Known as Newberry Crater, it is actually a caldera, being wider than it is deep. The caldera is about five miles across and similar to Crater Lake in its formation.

Massive eruptions from the volcano eventually caused a collapse within, and later it filled with a lake. In the case of Newberry, continued eruptions caused the large lake to split into two lakes: Paulina and East lakes. At more than 500 square miles in size, Newberry Volcano is one of the largest shield volcanoes in the lower 48 states. Paulina Lake is more than 250 feet deep, making it one of the deepest lakes in Oregon.

Todd and Karen Brown, owners of Paulina Lake Resort, report about four feet of snow on the ground around the lodge and four to six feet of snow in other parts of the caldera. Todd said he likes to go out every few days for a ride on his machine, preferring the 22-mile Rim Trail, Hell Hole and Roller Coaster.

Hell Hole and Roller Coaster are expert trails located in and around the Big Obsidian Flow, and Brown recommends that only experienced riders attempt them. He said there’s enough snow there, but he added that riders need to be watchful of protruding lava rock.

”You can go all day and not see too many people, even though the parking lot at the sno-park is packed,” Todd said. ”It can feel like you have the whole place to yourself.”

Before buying the lake resort in June 2000, the Browns had been renting out snowmobiles at the Ten-Mile Sno-Park since 1994. For rental information, call the lodge at 536-2240 or 536-2214. Rates begin at $75 for two hours.

Riders in Newberry get frequent views through the lodgepole pines of Paulina Peak and the Big Obsidian Flow, which snakes its way down from the rim of the caldera. At 1,200 years old, it’s one of the youngest lava flows in the country.

The resort offers year-round lodging in 13 rustic cabins, built from 1930 to 1985. It’s a pleasant relief to finish a day of exploring and return to a warm cabin and a hot drink.

Cabins sleep from two to 10 persons, and prices range from $90 to $190 per night. All cabins have running water and modern appliances, but no phones or TV. Most cabins are full on weekends, but there are vacancies during the week. The restaurant is open Wednesday through Sunday for lunch and Friday and Saturday for lunch and dinner. Many folks snowmobile up for dinner. The Browns also bring people up on snowmobiles or the snowcat for $20 a head.

”Winter inside Newberry is a totally different world,” said Karen. ”It’s great. I love it.” She said she likes summer, but enjoys winter even more.

”That’s the neat thing about winter up here,” Tod explained. ”Even though we might get busy weekends, if you get off any of the major trails just a little ways, you won’t see anybody and it’s very peaceful.”

The Browns have seen as much as three feet of snow fall overnight. In the winter of 1998-1999, 15 to 20 feet of snow lay on the ground. Karen pointed to some photos on the wall of the store, which showed some buildings completely buried.

Paulina Lake Resort is one of the few lake resorts open during the winter. It closes in mid-March, then reopens in mid-April in time for fishing season.

There is already more snow in Newberry than was there all of last winter. Todd Brown predicts there could be another four or five feet yet to come, as the best snow there usually arrives in late January and early February.

Newberry has areas for novice riders as well as experts.

”Everybody can come up and have fun no matter what their experience level,” Todd said. ”You can go all day and never stay on the same trail.”

During the winter, he said, he has seen coyotes, river otters, snowshoe hares, porcupines, bobcats, raccoons and a variety of birds. Although night temperatures can dip well below zero, the caldera can actually experience mild daytime winter temperatures.

Anyone visiting Newberry should make the four-mile trip from the resort up to the summit at Paulina Peak. Paulina Lake sits at about 6,300 feet, and the peak rises to almost 8,000 feet. On clear days, there are views of the Cascades stretching from Mount Adams in Washington to Mount Shasta in California.

There are 168 miles of groomed trails in Newberry, according to John Schassen, president of the LaPine Lodgepole Dodgers Snowmobile Club. The club consists of about 200 members, with four or five volunteers who run the groomer every day when the weather permits.

Schassen likes to get out riding two or three times a week. He said most visitors park at the Ten-Mile Sno-Park, but there is also parking available at Six-Mile Sno-Park, where there is now about three feet of snow. The club built a new warming hut there this past fall, and the Forest Service installed a new restroom.

”You can ride the groomed trails, make your own through the woods or climb hills,” Schassen said. ”The lava flows make Newberry unique for snowmobiling. You can ride around the rim and look down at East and Paulina lakes in several places on the trail.”

Few have been in and around Newberry Crater as much as John Hofferd. He started coming to the caldera in 1949. Since then he has owned both resorts at East Lake and Paulina Lake in the period between 1989 and 2000. His favorite rides include the Roller Coaster, the Hell Hole and the North Play Area, located on the north side of the caldera approximately between the two lakes.

In good snow years, Hofferd said, snowmobiling can last into May.

With all the trail users in Newberry, it seems likely that some conflicts would occur, but Hofferd said that when he owned the lodges there was great cooperation between all winter trail users. He said everyone simply needs to treat each other with respect.

”The whole crater itself is just a magical place,” Hofferd said. ”Newberry takes on a different appearance in the winter. You can go places that you wouldn’t go in the summer and explore some really neat areas.”

Scott Staats is a freelance writer. He can be contacted at falcon@oregonvos.net.