Cascade Lakes, Paulina Lake, L2

Cascade Lakes 2025 / Paulina Lake
6/18/2025

     This trip is for the Cascade Lakes Event 2025. Registration will be available to Cascade Lake Event registered members only, on the night before the trip. Signup will be at the event headquarters campsite.

     Paulina Lake is a beautiful high alpine lake located within the caldera of Newberry Volcano. It has an average depth of 163 feet and a maximum depth of 250 feet. The scenic shoreline has relatively little development and much of it retains a varied wilderness character. The lake is fed by snowmelt, hot springs, and groundwater flows from East Lake.

Direction, Distance and Speed
To circumnavigate the lake, we'll paddle counterclockwise at a leisurely pace of 2 - 3 mph, closely following the shoreline, for a total distance of 5.5 miles. There are several points with relatively easy shore access for rest breaks.

Elevation and Temperature
     Paulina's elevation is 6,331 feet, so on a dry, sunny day, the air temperature should be roughly 10-15F colder than Bend. Expect 50-60F. As with all the Cascade Lakes, the water temperature remains cold even at the height of summer. Although it gets warmer in the shallows, for kayaking purposes you should expect average water temperatures of 40-50F. The water is generally colder in the middle of the lake and warmer in the shallower water close to shore.

Safety Note
     Be mindful of these water temperatures when you decide what thermal protection you'll wear on this trip. You're expected to dress for the water temperature, and after the safety briefing, we'll wade into the shallower, warmer water at the put-in for a brief swim-test of our gear.

     The current weather forecast is for partly cloudy skies so you may find yourself paddling on very cold water in direct sunlight. This is a common situation in the Pacific Northwest and is particularly true when paddling the high alpine lakes. In this situation, many paddlers underdress to avoid overheating, which is a safety hazard.

    If you aren't already very familiar with how to keep cool using evaporation, please visit the National Center for Cold Water Safety's webpage on this topic: https://www.coldwatersafety.org/hot-weather.
This will enable you to paddle safely and comfortably!

Wind
     At the time this trip report was written on June 5th, the wind forecast was for a maximum of 12mph out of the NW. Wind on Paulina builds in strength during the afternoon, generally peaking around 5pm, but we'll be off the water before it reaches that maximum level.

     Because of the orientation and topography of the lakeshore, we can expect some shelter from a W or NW wind during the latter quarter of the paddle. However, along the southeastern shoreline, we may encounter evenly spaced wind waves on our beam for approximately 1 mile. These should be 1 foot or less because the fetch is less than 2 miles.

Directions
     Driving Time from LaPine State Park is about 45 minutes.
Exit LaPine State Park and go all the way to 97 and turn right towards the town of LaPine.
After 1 mile, there's a sign for Newbery Caldera / Paulina - East Lakes. Turn Left
Now you're on County Highway 21 - also known as Paulina Lake Road
Follow that road up the mountain until you reach the entrance station to the recreation area.
After you pass the entrance station, it's 1.35 miles to the put-in.
Be on the lookout for Paulina Lake Lodge Rd on left. Keep going past that turn for 100 yards and turn Left on Paulina Lake Campground Rd, then Left into the Day Use area.

     I recommend pulling up Paulina on Google Maps using these coordinates 43.71251, -121.27610 before you leave home and selecting the satellite view so you can get a better feel for the area, topography, and the precise location of the boat ramp. Cell service at the campground is very poor and you may not have enough of a signal to load maps into a cell phone. This shouldn't be an issue with a dedicated GPS system like Garmin.
Moulton Avery
Meeting Time: 10:00:00 AM
Launch Time: 10:30:00 AM
Type of activity: Paddle Trip
Put in: Paulina Creek Boat Ramp (43.71251, -121.27610)
Take out: Same as the put-in
Route Alternative for bad weather: Trip goes rain or shine but may be cancelled if it's too windy
Required equipment: A minimum of 2 liters of drinking water. Sun shade hat, sunscreen, lunch & day snacks. Highly recommend to bring sunglasses. This is a level 2 trip, spray skirt is required. (OOPS Rules) Be prepared for cold water, air temperature extremes and sun exposure. This is rated as a Level-2 trip by OOPS Activity Policy, because of cold water. Wet Exit cert and Spray Skirt required.