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    Green Lakes Trail

    4.8 (5 reviews)

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    Christopher C.

    This is one of my favorite hiking trails in the summer time. This trail can be accessed right off of the Cascade Lakes Highway. It has a pretty steady incline and you may want to have your day free if you really want to enjoy this trail. My advice would be to pack enough food and water for at least half a day. As you get to the lakes you won't regret this as you may find that you don't want to leave right away. The beginning of the trail follows a little creek through some dense conifer forests. As you start to ascend the trail there will be some meadows and patches of sun here and there. Once you hit the top of the last ridge you will find that you are above the treeline. The alpine terrain is closer to the sun than you might think, so be sure to bring sunblock just in case. Once you are in the alpine territory you will find yourself right in front of Broken Top Mountain. This to me is one of the most breathtaking views in central Oregon. From here you will find yourself walking up to the Green Lakes. I have witnessed Osprey catching fish in these lakes many times. You would be surprised at how many fish you may find in these lakes. I highly recommend hiking past the first lakes to all of the little lakes further along the trial. This makes a great spot to grab your lunch out of your pack and take a breather. Overall if you are looking for a beautiful hike, and have at least half a day to kill in the Central Oregon summer, this hike needs to be on your bucket list! Depending on the time of year you go, you are likely to find snow on this trail. For this reason, I recommend bringing some kind of weather resistant hiking shoe. The earlier start you can get on this trail the better, it is 9.3 miles long to the first lakes and you do not want to get caught in the dark out here. Here is a good link for a map and elevation information on this trial https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/oregon/green-lakes Here is a link to the land management agency for this area https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/deschutes/recarea/?recid=38872

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    Clear Lake - Drinks and fishing stuff

    Clear Lake

    4.5(12 reviews)
    16.8 mi

    Here is my review of clear lake for row boat use!…read more We got here at 930 am. Found the pay box at the entrance $9, no cash. There is an option to pay at the bottom which we should have done because they take the national park passes there (see picture). We were able to find parking in the main lot and there were a few people there. We weren't sure how the process of renting the boats or availability of life jackets. There is a shop that sells food, snacks, drinks, ice cream , and desserts. They also have a selection of fishing items, shirts, jackets. We paid for the boat - $60 for the large boat all day. The life jackets were plentiful and available. My husband rowed most of the time because I am not a good rower. We made it from the dock to the start of the river that you can't go past which is good since you could hear the rapids. The way to the left was a lot calmer and clear. We had a blast out on the lake. You could see down near the shallows but not in the middle of the lake. Make sure to bring sunscreen because there isn't much shade. The facilities are great!! Two bathrooms in the shop. Large tables to sit and enjoy a hot cooked meal or ice cream. I am so glad we were able to make a morning on the lake super easy and stress free! Next time I'm thinking of renting a kayak or a stand up paddle board. That would be fun! If you are in the area make sure to stop by early. As we were leaving, the parking lot was filled up so make sure to get there early! I hope my review and pictures help you plan for a successful visit to Clear Lake!

    A beautiful setting for the perfect romantic getaway or family weekend escape. The cabins are…read morecozy with gas stoves and heaters and the boat rentals are very affordable is you want to connect with the water. We enjoyed a wonderful hike around the lake which took us through forests, lava fields, and springs with wooden bridges. The views were amazing!

    Photos
    Clear Lake - Coffee and tea bar

    Coffee and tea bar

    Clear Lake - Bathroom

    Bathroom

    Clear Lake - View of the boat dock

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    View of the boat dock

    Tamolitch Blue Pools - You've passed the blue pools if you see this bridge!

    Tamolitch Blue Pools

    4.7(13 reviews)
    20.1 mi

    This is my second time completing this trail. It is very popular so make sure to get here early if…read moreyou don't want to park far from the trailhead. There are dig out restrooms available at the trailhead as well as a trash bin. The trail is easy though there are some boulders you need to scramble over in the lava fields. You will walk along a beautiful river and cross a couple foot bridges and streams along the way. Once at the blue pool you will truly see that the photos you've seen online are not edited! The water is unbelievable. You can walk down to the water but it is not recommended to jump in unless you are experienced. The water is 30 degrees year around and several injuries have occurred here- so be wise and have fun.

    It rained the whole drive over it seemed! But the trees kept the hike dry. Free parking and porta…read morepotties at the front entrance. The trail is a fairly easy one but you have to watch where you step. The first .75 miles was quite flat but the next .75 miles was fairly rocky. My husband and I both rolled our ankles at different points. Once you get to the actual spot to see the blue pools, there is one sign that says no biking. At that point, veer off towards the water area to see the pool! We missed it and were in the zone of walking and we ended up going too far! Don't go to the bridge that only has one side to hold on to. That means you've gone too far

    Photos
    Tamolitch Blue Pools
    Tamolitch Blue Pools - Standing at a ledge overlooking the Blue Pool.

    Standing at a ledge overlooking the Blue Pool.

    Tamolitch Blue Pools - Mossy rocks

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    Mossy rocks

    East Lake - East Lake

    East Lake

    4.5(2 reviews)
    27.4 mi

    East Lake is next to Paulina Lake just south of Bend. I brought my nephews to swim while I was…read morefishing from the shore. They had a great time playing out in the water. I had a few on and only reeled in one, but I was happy with my nice Kokanee. I tried different ways to interest the fish, but worms are what they really seemed to like. What I really didn't like about where we were had to do with people that had previously been there. We picked up quite a bit of broken glass. I wish people would respect the outdoors and everyone's right to enjoy it.

    This lake is located in the Newberry National Monument. It is one of the two lakes that are located…read morein the crater below Paulina Peak. Both of these lakes have hot springs in them, but in my opinion, the hot springs at Paulina Lake are much better than the ones here at East Lake. But as with those springs be better in quality, you might find the East Lake springs to be less crowded. East Lake is a bit further away than Paulina, but very much worth the trek. Both of these lakes can be fished from shore or a boat. Sailboats are often found at these locations and make for some really stunning photos. You can hike the shore from around this lake and will have many photo opportunities if you are a fan of wildlife. All while hiking through this lake you can see the peaks from the Paulina Crater that constantly remind you, that you are traveling inside of an active volcano. If you have an interest in geology you need to come here and just soak it all in. Nearby there are cinder cones, shield volcanos, calderas, and obsidian lava flows all within a few square miles. If it's hot out and you need a break from the heat, this lake is a great option. Just remember to bring some cash for the fees and to respect the environment to avoid any tickets. Here is a link to the land management agency that manages this area. https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/deschutes/recarea/?recid=66159 Here is a link to some other information about this lake https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/deschutes/recreation/recarea/?recid=71988&actid=42

    Photos
    East Lake
    East Lake
    East Lake

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    The Paulina Plunge - Great News- the kid from Oklahoma who took the wrong trail and got lost most of the day is now a state champion wrestler.

    The Paulina Plunge

    4.3(39 reviews)
    31.0 mi

    This was an ok trip but I had mixed feelings about it…read more Pros: The guide was nice (we had Lane), which made the ride more enjoyable. He knew all of our names before we even left the parking lot. The trail was in good shape from recent rain so a beginner would have no trouble participating. Cons: The email confirmation and website mentioned the bike shortage and that riders had to be a minimum of 4 ft tall with a 24 inch inseam but didn't really explain how to measure that, etc. Sure, I know what an inseam in pants is, but turns out an inseam measurement for bike riding is different. Would have been nice to know without having to look it up the night before and then worry my kid wouldn't be tall enough. Lots of standing around. We were on the 10-4 tour and though we arrived at 9:45 no one directed us to have our kids take the bike test to see if they could go and nobody got fitted for bikes until everyone in the booking had arrived. Then, the large 10 am group was split into two smaller groups and if you were in the second group, you had to stand around for 20 minutes killing time to give the first group a head start. Why not just stagger the starts and have a 10 am and a 10:30? From a customer perspective this sort of sucked. This was billed as a Mountain bike ride with waterfalls and slides, but it was more like, walking/hiking to see 3 waterfalls and then a very mellow 3 mile single track ride to finish. It would have been nice to sort people by skill or interest (shorter vs longer rides) as we definitely had some gung ho dudes in our group and some newbies like me. Two of the waterfalls (at least) were accessible via McKay campground, which was a little disappointing. I thought we would be off the beaten path, checking out a little known spot, etc. Overall, our young kids, 8 and 10 enjoyed it and had fun. It was their first time mountain biking. I'd rate the ride and scenery 4 stars but the administration and organization only 2 stars (I'm a fan of efficiency and customer service) , hence my 3 star rating.

    Was excited to go. Day of the trip for our group smoke was heavy. Hazardous in fact. His terms and…read moreconditions explain that you must show up no matter what the conditions. From there the group will vote and you must conform to the group decision. We were the only ones who showed up. The owner, Todd, decided after getting various voice messages the day before and the morning of, but he would cancel the event. Great! No pick up the phone and call your customers to make sure they don't waste their time and come all the way out to the top of a mountain only to find your experience was canceled. He claimed to have sent a text in the early morning hours. But I didn't get it until after the fact. Oh well, not great but not terrible. Did waste a lot of our time driving out there on a horrific weather day for smoke. Talked to Todd personally later, and he said "no problem I'll give your money back." Refund it all of it except our deposit, then wouldn't answer the phone or return multiple calls. In my final message I reminded him of his neglect as a business owner and a conscientious honest human. Told him repeatedly he needed to refund my deposit, as there were no terms or discussion of anything other than a full refund. Really annoying to deal with business owners who aren't conscientious. Really detracts from your credibility. So here's the review I promise to leave you if you went another two weeks without returning my calls again. Gave you four chances Todd.

    Photos
    The Paulina Plunge - At the third waterfall.  Such a great time

    At the third waterfall. Such a great time

    The Paulina Plunge
    The Paulina Plunge - A swallowtail resting beside one of the waterfalls

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    A swallowtail resting beside one of the waterfalls

    Green Lakes Trail - lakes - Updated May 2026

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