Here is the beach side camp site view. It is very nice to sit under some small trees in the shade on this beach. During the day, there are many families playing in the water. Fishing boats, kayaks, and other water craft abound. The Newberry Caldera is similar to the Crater Lake National Park. This is the lake inside an old volcano, and the elevation is 6800 feet. I had to be very careful outside here, the sun and elevation make the UVA and UVB rays extremely strong.
This view is from Paulina Peak, at an elevation of 7847 feet...pretty darn high unless you are a mountain climber. East Lake is to the right, and Paulina Lake is on the left.
Another view from the peak, these are the main volcanic mountains in Central Oregon. The Three Sisters, and Mount Jefferson on the right... the photo isn't as pretty, as the view is a little smokey.
This view is of East Lake, with the Big Obsidian Flow (only 1300 years old) very visible in the foreground.
The Newberry Caldera is about 25 miles south of Bend, Oregon. It is a National Monument, created in 1990. The elevation is much higher than many other lakes in the area. It is much cooler during the day than Bend. The earliest resort, East Lake, was established in 1915. I think that it was quite a trek to reach the area. People would spend 2 to 4 weeks at the lodge, and enjoy the hot springs and great fishing.
I spent the first 3 days at a Camptown Girls gathering at Paulina Lake. The campsite was not good, just a boring parking lot with many, many, mosquito's. Some gals were really bitten pretty badly. Then I moved to a lakeside campsite at East Lake Campground. The difference was amazing, a wonderful beach, lovely weather, and no mosquito's! It was difficult to pack up and leave this morning...
I will return next summer, this place is too nice to forget.
