Newberry makes an impression

 

They are Oregon's other crater lakes, the ones you probably have never even heard of.

Two of them sit at the bottom of the expansive Newberry Caldera in Central Oregon, about 20 miles south of Bend.

Paulina Lake and East Lake are much smaller than Crater Lake, the gem of Crater Lake National Park, but both stand out in their respective settings as they sparkle in the sun reflecting the mostly blue skies above and greenery around them.

Paulina Lake boasts two boat docks, a lodge, and a scenic loop trail around its shores, while East Lake is more forested with its own resort tucked into the southeast corner.

Together they are the centerpiece of the 55,500-acre Newberry National Volcanic Monument created inside the Deschutes National Forest by an act of Congress in 1990.

In between is a small forested and cratered cone with its Little Crater Trail, and to the south is the aptly named Big Obsidian Flow.

Evidence of the area's volcanic past is everywhere.

A huge magma chamber under ground has emptied its contents and everything on top of it collapsed downwards, creating the caldera -- much in the same way Crater Lake was created when Mount Mazama erupted.

Ensuing volcanic activity created Little Crater and Big Obsidian Flow and other area features. The last of the smaller eruptions came in the year 690 AD, but the entire Newberry Volcano is still considered active and closely monitored.

Recreational opportunities now abound, from boating, rafting and fishing on the lakes to hiking the many trails that crisscross and encircle the scene, which is all overlooked by 7,984-foot Paulina Peak to the south.

Paulina Lake has hot springs across the water from the lodge, which is located near the trailhead for Paulina Creek Falls on the southwest corner of the lake.  The Paulina Visitor Center is also located near the road as it enters the area.

Camping is offered at numerous locations, especially near the lakes.

East Lake covers 1,050 acres and is located at 6,400 feet in altitude.  Paulina Lake is somewhat lower at 6,331 feet above sea level and larger at 2.394 square miles.

How to get there:

Paulina Lake Lodge is located at 22440 Paulina-East Lake Rd., La Pine, OR 97739 while the overall Newberry National Volcanic Monument headquarters and the Lava Lands Visitor Center is at 58201 US-97, Bend, OR 97702.  East Lake Resort is at 22430 Paulina Lake Rd., La Pine, OR 97739.

Call (541) 383-5300 for information.

The entrance to the area is an eastward turn off Highway 97 on route 21 between La Pine and Sun River.

Photos of Paulina Lake (top) and East Lake (bottom) and text by Tim Clinton.

 

Wild ride pays off in great views

It's worth the wild ride to get to Windy Ridge on Mt. St. Helens' blown out Northeast side.

The road weaves its way through thick forest as you head south from a turnoff on Washington's Highway 12 near the town of Randle.

Vehicles dip in and out of ruts and potholes galore, as the foursome I was with found out on a late August day.

Barry and I bumped our heads on the ceiling frequently in the back seat, while Nancy and Ethan in the front fared little better on the jolting trek.

A different kind of shock awaits you as you get closer to the mountain, as you suddenly pop out of the forest into a world of much smaller and evenly sized trees.

You are now entering the blast zone carved out when the mountain blew her top during a massive landslide the morning of May 18, 1980.

Life is slowly but surely returning to the area, from alders, firs and alpines to flowers and brush.

Thanks to the smaller size of the trees, the mountain itself comes into view and reappears again and again along with its close neighbors Mt. Adams and Mt. Rainier.  Oregon's Mt. Hood even appears for a brief moment.

The path offers vistas from pullouts along the way until at last you come to the wide parking lot at Windy Ridge.

From here you get a view of the Northeast side of the mountain, right into the crater with the lava dome that gradually built up since the 1980 blast.

A switch-backed path goes up a hillside and offers a view over some hills and trees in between the ridge and the mountain, and on one side of the lot you can look down on the log-strewn remains of Spirit Lake.

Once you are done taking in the sights and absorbing the size and scope of the 1980 disaster, it's time to hit the long and winding road out once more.

How to get there:

To get to Windy Ridge, take Highway 12 from either Interstate 5 to the west or from the Yakima side to the east.

Follow the Mt. St. Helens and Windy Ridge signs south from near Randle.

Text and photos by Tim Clinton.