Bend's Kyle Johnson rides along the Newberry Crater Rim Loop Trail last month with Paulina Lake and Paulina Peak in the background.

Perhaps there is no better way to explore the vast Newberry caldera than via mountain bike.

The 20-mile trail that circles the crater rim offers riders a challenging-but-memorable day pedaling through a dramatic landscape with a violent volcanic past.

The trail features slow, grueling climbs and fast, thrilling descents, and sweeping views of the ancient Newberry caldera, 17 square miles and 1,000 feet deep in most places. At the bottom of the caldera are trout-filled Paulina and East lakes and several lava beds.

The Newberry National Volcanic Monument east of La Pine is one of the most fascinating geological areas in Central Oregon, so touring the area on a mountain bike allows for a personal perspective vastly different from simply driving a car to the top of Paulina Peak.

Shuttle or pedal to summit

But to reach the Newberry Crater Rim Loop Trail, first you must access the trail near the summit of 7,987-foot Paulina Peak. Pedaling to the top is one option, making the outing significantly more strenuous. Shuttling with two vehicles is another option: leaving one at the bottom, then driving the other to the summit of Paulina Peak to start the ride.

My friend and I opted for the latter choice for our outing last month, as the 1,700-foot climb to the top of the peak was much easier in a car.

The loop, best ridden counterclockwise, starts just below the summit of Paulina Peak and ends at Paulina Lake Resort, an ideal spot to conclude the ride with food and drink options and live music on the weekends.

Getting started

The first part of the trail is relatively flat, but the route then climbs eastward along a ridgeline just south of the lakes. We pedaled our mountain bikes above the Big Obsidian Flow, a huge mass of gray and black lava rock formed about 1,400 years ago when, according to the U.S. Forest Service, the Paulina Lake ash flow spread from near the south caldera wall to Paulina Lake.

Eventually the riding surface turned from dirt to pumice as we advanced along the trail and began descending the ridge. The loose terrain felt almost like popcorn as our tires dug into the light gravel. Riders should exercise extreme caution on this steep, downhill section through tricky terrain.

According to the Forest Service, about 1,600 years ago, one of the Newberry Volcano’s many eruptions produced the Newberry pumice-fall deposit, which blanketed the east flank of the volcano with the pumice there today.

Turning and braking through the pumice was difficult, but we slowly reached the east end of the loop. There the trail continues uphill again, and this was where we started losing steam — and praising our wise choice to shuttle Paulina Peak.

After a long climb, we eventually arrived at a wide-open area that offered a sprawling view of the entire Newberry National Volcanic Monument.

East Lake sat hundreds of feet below. Towering above the lake was craggy Paulina Peak, where the ride started. Neighboring Paulina Lake could be seen just off to the west.

Mt. Bachelor ski area adds mixed-use trail to the mountain

Downhill rewards

From the viewpoint, we continued to the north side of the loop, which took us on a steady climb through thick, shady forest. On this side of the loop, the trail connects with the Swamp Wells Trail, which leads north all the way to Horse Butte, in southeast Bend. Hardcore mountain bikers could ride singletrack all the way from Newberry Crater to Bend, if they really wanted to.

After more than three hours of riding that included significant climbing, we welcomed the 6-mile downhill stretch that would take us back to the car at Paulina Lake Resort. The section was sandy and somewhat treacherous, but we made it through the precipitous descent, completing the loop in a little more than 3½ hours.

Trail conditions should improve with some rain and milder temperatures as fall approaches, quelling the dust and sand that has accumulated during the summer. But mountain bikers who want to ride Newberry Rim should plan their trip no later than October, before the caldera is once again covered in snow and ice.

After completing our ride, we enjoyed a late lunch, craft beers, and soothing live music on the scenic shore of Paulina Lake. Then we drove back to the summit of Paulina Peak to fetch the other car, extremely satisfied with our smart decision to shuttle.