Little Crater Day Use Site

About Little Crater Day Use Site

Paulina Lake is located within the caldera of Newberry Volcano. This collapsed crater or caldera is the result of more than 500,000 years of volcanic activity. This lake relies on rain, snowmelt, and hot springs for water.This boat ramp is on the southeast side of Paulina Lake and is adjacent to a campground and also offers picnicking opportunities, trailhead access to the Little Crater Trail and a shallow boat launch (no docks).Recreation Fee Site: Parking at this site requires a recreation pass. Passes are NOT available at this site, but can be purchased from Forest Service offices or vendors. Please check here for more information about recreation passes and where they can be purchased.Acceptable passes include:$5 Day PassNorthwest Forest PassInteragency Annual PassInteragency Senior Pass (America the Beautiful, Golden Age)Interagency Access PassInteragency Military PassEvery Kid in a Park PassNorthwest Forest ePass

How to Get There

From Bend, OR: Travel 23 miles south on Highway 97 then turn left onto County Road 21 and head east for 15 miles.

Plan Your Visit to Little Crater Day Use Site

Heading to Little Crater Day Use Site? A few things to know before you go:

• Reservations: popular sites fill up fast — check Recreation.gov 6 months in advance
• Fees: day-use and camping fees vary; check current rates on the official park page
• Trash & pack-out: follow Leave No Trace principles
• Wildlife: store food in bear boxes where provided; never feed wildlife
• Weather: the 5-day forecast above is updated every 6 hours; verify just before you go

References & Official Resources

• Official Recreation.gov page
• View on OpenStreetMap
• Driving directions (Google Maps)