A day trip to a gorgeous alpine lake, a stroll through charming downtown, a float through one of the West’s best wave parks, sigh, yawn. Do Bend’s best outings have you a little bored? Here we offer a collection of hidden gems to spice up your season. This roundup offers tasty tidbits from culture to adventure, places and experiences that are not exactly secrets, because we do believe that some places deserve to remain hidden. And yet we hope this smattering of off-the-beaten-path options will brighten your days and enliven your senses as summer takes hold. Have fun exploring! [Photo above at Newberry Crater, by Max Rhulen.]

Outdoor Adventure Near Bend

Paulina Plunge ▲

The Paulina Plunge is a mix of waterfalls and slippery slopes along Paulina Creek in Newberry National Volcanic Monument that offers hikers and bikers a refreshing dip on a hot summer day. It’s one of Central Oregon’s best kept secrets and was thousands of years in the making. The waterslides have natural bumps, and it’s ride as you are (no tubes, please). Paulina Hot Springs are a bit more like warm springs and are rustic with no adjacent services. A National Parks Pass or Northwest Forest Pass is required to park at the trailheads.

• Distance: 6.5 miles out and back
• Difficulty: Moderate, but with some challenging sections
• Dog and older kid-friendly

A VOLCANIC EMERGENCE: Best known as “Newberry,” this Forest Service-managed monument stretches from Benham Falls along the Deschutes River to Paulina Peak in Newberry National Volcanic Monument. Many features in the monument bear the Paulina name, which honors a Northern Paiute chief called Paulina or Pahninee who fought to protect his homeland against settlers and the army
in the 1860s.

The heart of the monument is Newberry Volcano, named for John Strong Newberry, an American physician and geologist who served on an 1855 western railroad expedition. It’s a massive shield-shaped volcano which extends across 1,200 square miles in Central Oregon. Active for more than 500,000 years, this volcano had an eruption event that emptied an underground magma chamber and resulted in a collapse of the overarching strata some 75,000 years ago, thus creating the high-walled Newberry Caldera.

The nearly 20-square mile caldera once held a single lake, but around 6,200 years ago an eruption and lava flow within the caldera divided that lake into two: Paulina Lake and East Lake, which are fed by rain and snowmelt.

EXPERIENCE THE FLOW: Paulina Creek twists and turns down the western flank of Newberry Volcano and plunges over resilient layers of basalt and past obsidian boulders to its confluence with the Little Deschutes River. The creek’s descent is interrupted by various waterfalls, most notably Paulina Falls, with an 80-foot vertical drop, and several other water slides which, collectively, have become known as the Paulina Plunge.

BY BIKE: Cyclists can either tackle a 12-mile loop from McKay Crossing Campground up to Paulina Lake (1,650-foot elevation gain) or ride the shuttle up to the Paulina Falls Day Use Area or Paulina Lake Lodge, then jump on single track mountain bike trails for a 6-mile downhill ride back to McKay Crossing Campground. Both sides of the creek offer short, unmarked side trails down to the creek to access the waterfalls and water slides.

IN THE KNOW:

• Mountain bike traffic along Paulina Creek is uphill on the north side and downhill on the south side.
• Watch for Paulina Plunge Mountain Bike Waterfall Tours, a family-run business, booking tours in 2026.

ON FOOT: Hikers take the Peter Skene Ogden Trail number 50 uphill from the McKay Crossing Campground to a plunge pool about 1.5 to 2 miles along the trail. This slippery slope forms a perfect water slide into a refreshing pool. Beyond this destination, hikers reach Twin Falls and a fenced viewpoint of Paulina Falls before reaching the Paulina Lake Lodge.

Find warm waters on the 7.5-mile loop trail around Paulina Lake, accessible from multiple trailheads, that pass by a set of hot springs located along the north shoreline. These shallow pools vary in size but are a testament to the geothermal activity still brewing below the caldera. Soak in a pool while gazing across the placid waters of Paulina Lake and up to the rocky prow of Paulina Peak. Look over to the younger—at 1,300 years old—Big Obsidian Flow to enjoy all things Paulina in Newberry National Volcanic Monument.

Tumalo Rapids ▲

These waters are perfect for any river-floater looking for more adventure and privacy. With sections boasting rapids big enough to flip a tube, come prepared! The adventure begins on the corner of Cline Falls and Tumalo Road where you can park cars and put your floaties in the water, and ends when the river crosses the Twin Bridges. There are some sections of the float that are so remote and undeveloped that you get to experience the same views of the landscape that early explorers had. Wear a lifejacket, plan for a shuttle and have fun!

◄ Riley Ranch Nature Preserve

Tucked away along the northwest edge of Bend, this 184-acre nature preserve features thirty-five acres along the meandering Deschutes River and another thirty acres along jagged rimrock cliffs. Unlike most parks in and near Bend, neither dogs nor bikes are allowed here, offering a unique opportunity to soak in the landscape and look for wildlife.

Lava Cast Forest

Lava Cast Forest is a little bit difficult to understand until you’ve seen it, but basically it’s a collection of fossilized trees, or really the fossilized absence of trees. Here’s how it works—lava flowed from the northwest flank of Newberry Crater 7000 years ago around a forest of living trees. The hot lava incinerated the wood within, but hardened into a mold of what had been there. An interpretive trail winds past several tree casts, and makes for an easy and interesting family hike.

Wizard Falls Fish Hatchery

Originally constructed in 1947, this hatchery is used for incubation and rearing of fish including kokanee salmon, rainbow trout, spring chinook and summer steelhead. See the fish from a viewing platform, bring a picnic to enjoy in the park-like setting and keep an eye out for Canada goose goslings in May and June. Closed in 2020, hopes are high that the hatchery will reopen this summer.

Caving

There’s a lot going on underground. Formed by lava flows many moons ago, underground caves remain to be discovered. Tour Lava River Cave, operated by Newberry National Volcanic Monument near Lava Lands Visitor Center in the summer or book a tour with Wanderlust tours. If you go out on your own, please respect these delicate environments, home to native bats and fragile ecosystems.

Stargazing ▲

Astronomy enthusiasts are spoiled in Central Oregon; wide open spaces combined with very low levels of light pollution make most of the region perfect for stargazing. There are a few observatories in and around Bend (even in a local brewery), and even more places to park a car and gaze out into the universe. Try the top of Pilot Butte, the Sparks Lake camping area or any other place with some elevation.

Culture

▲The Tin Pan Theater

This sweet little theater is tucked away in an alley in downtown Bend. Seating only 26, guests can grab a snack and a beer and kick back with friends for a very intimate showing of independent films. The pandemic didn’t stop this little spot, and owners BendFilm began showing films outdoors in the alley, a fun idea that just might stick.

Museum at Warm Springs ▲

Head north for a visit to the 25,000-square-foot Museum at Warm Springs, the first tribal museum in Oregon. See one of the largest artifact collections of any Native American museum, with family heirlooms and tribal keepsakes from the Warm Springs, Wasco and Paiute tribes on display. Discover Native American paintings, ceremonial clothes and beadwork, as well as more than 5,000 photographs dating back to the 1850s. 

Downtown Murals

An award-winning collection of public art can be found throughout Bend, much of it visible downtown and in the Old Mill District. Take an exploratory tour to find colorful tunnels under the parkway, stairs and walls in the Old Mill and the Tin Pan Alley art collection. Much of the art is accompanied by artist’s statements to enrich your viewing experience.

Fun for the Family

The Madras Aquatic Center ▲

Like an oasis in the desert, the Madras Aquatic Center is the perfect place to cool off when the high desert sun is high in the sky. The beautiful facility has a lazy river, a rope swing and a 300 foot slide, all with panoramic views of the nearby Cascade Mountains. Note: The Madras Aquatic Center is temporarily closed as of summer 2025, check here for updates on a reopening date and new schedules.

◄ Hot Air Ballooning

There is nothing like the feeling of floating on air beneath a huge colorful balloon. Based out of Culver and launching near Smith Rock, Big Sky Balloon Co. books private flights for two to six people. Float gently over the high desert terrain of juniper and sage, volcanic rim rock, deep river canyons, and rural farmland. It’s dreamy.

Pond Fishing

Remember tossing your first line in a pond when you were a kid? Bend kids can get that same thrill at two local parks, each featuring ponds stocked by Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife. Shevlin Park’s pond is open to youth, 17 years and under, and anglers with disabilities. At Pine Nursery Park’s pond, all ages can cast a line. Limit two fish per day. Fish on! ▼

Rockhounding

Rocks are all around us in Central Oregon, but most of the time we pay them no mind. Take the kids and go searching for thundereggs at public digging areas outside of Prineville or north of Madras. A bit further afield is the Sunstone Public Collection Area, north of Plush and the Warner Mountains in Southeast Oregon, where the Oregon sunstone is sparkling and there for the picking. Learn more about rockhouding in Central Oregon.

Elk Lake Resort Fun

There is so much fun to be had at Elk Lake. The shoreline is dotted with beaches, campgrounds, cabins, hidden coves, and stretches of quiet forest. There are pontoon boats to rent, as well as paddle boards, canoes and kayak rentals available. Elk Lake Resort also rents floating day docks for chilling with your peeps just offshore. 

Whether you’re a weekend adventurer or a daily lake lover, their private slips offer convenient, secure access to the crystal-clear waters of Elk Lake throughout the boating season. With stunning mountain views, easy access to resort amenities, and a supportive lakefront community, an annual lease ensures your boat is ready whenever you are. Learn more about Elk Lake Resort marina activities in the summer.