One of my favorite short hikes that my family and I have enjoyed for decades. Stunning views, safe…read moretrails, lots of hikers and cyclists, I feel safe here. One can make this a long hike, but I limit my hikes to an hour round trip--Benham Falls is the perfect weekend hike.

Beautiful falls and area to hike and bike. Porta potties at parking sight. Was not very busy. Road…read moreis bumpy and dusty. Trail to falls was nice, clean and easy to walk. Map of area located in the parking area. Had picnic tables on area and wonderful sound of the falls in the background. Recommend SUV or 4x4 due to pot holes. Would love to return.

Quite a stunning waterfall!…read more We wandered through much of Newberry Monument this weekend. It was a great time, as although some things aren't opened yet, most areas were and we were nearly alone at each stop. Paulina Falls is fabulous...it has height and a unique split stream that falls from separate sides. The surrounding forest is serene, and there's a decent amount of parking and a handful of picnic tables. There's a great trail back and forth to the lake, and a short zig zag trail down to the bottom for another great perspective. We really enjoyed the monument, and Paulina Falls was definitely a highlight!

Paulina falls is one of the best waterfalls in the Bend area. Also one of the easiest waterfalls to…read morewalk to. When in Newbury Volcanic National Forest., you definitely want to check this one out. From the parking lot, the upper falls viewing area is only .25 miles away. Of course you can continue walking upstream or downstream to see more! In mid May the stream of water coming down was impressive: so beautiful! Just be careful in winter time as there will be most likely snow, and even in springtime!

This is one of those places where it's pretty much impossible to describe how amazing it is. You…read morejust have to go. But I'll do my best! We visited here during a summer trip to Bend. Even though it had been described to me many times, I couldn't quite imagine what it was like until we got there. It's basically this huge mountain of glass! (Well, it looks like glass - it's obsidian.) Left after a massive eruption not that long ago geologically-speaking, at some point they decided to put in some stairs and make a loop trail to explore this geological landmark. It's definitely worth the drive from town to check it out; or there's plenty of camping nearby if you want to check out other sites in the area. We were there on a pretty warm day, but it's high enough in elevation that it wasn't too terribly unbearable on the flow. My biggest piece of advice is to bring STURDY shoes. I was wearing plain old tennies and wish I'd worn something with thicker soles!

I love this hike. It's short, less than a mile, but challenging because the footing is very rough…read moreand it's poorly marked (there are at least two places where the trail seems to dead-end, but if you backtrack a little you can find it again). But spectacular views. And spectacular rocks.

If you tend to have anxiety attacks or panic attacks when driving on steep mountain roads with…read moresevere drop offs, do not go here. The visitor guide only mentioned it was a gravel road. He did not tell us it was full of precarious switchbacks. Visitor guides need to be more transparent about roads such as this one. Had I been made aware of the driving conditions, I would not have made the trek. There is only one turn off, and it is before the road gets really scary. Once you pass that, you have no option but to continue on. By the time I reached the summit I could barely breathe. I was visibly shaking. I have no idea what the view is like as I literally huddled behind my suv in tears. My husband says it is one of the most amazing views he has ever witnessed. Thank goodness my husband was able and willing to drive my Expedition back down the road. He had never driven my car before, but I had no choice but to let him drive it as I was in the midst of an anxiety attack. I literally closed my eyes, prayed to Jesus, and barely kept from throwing up the entire way back down the mountain. I'm giving this a 5 star rating based on my husband"s experience. Mine would have been a zero.

An 8,000 foot lookout in the Deschutes National forest…read more From the peak you can see Paulina Lake, many mountains, and lava fields. Accessible by vehicle or hiking a two mile path. The path is moderately difficult, but offers fantastic views at various points along the way. There is a restroom at the lookout.

There's the falls, and then there's Pringle Falls Campground (USFS). One gets to the latter on a…read morefunky dirt road that leads into an even funkier dirt road One arrives at the campground and there are several sites along the Deschutes River and a couple more a bit inland. The road forms a loop at the campground. Though it wasn't a holiday weekend when we were there, all the river sites were taken. We got a secluded site away from the river, where the loop starts. It was quite adequate. One can walk down the river, and, I suppose, up it too. The walk downstream was a pleasant one. The campground opens in late April and shuts the end of October. It costs $10 (2016) per night, half that if you are old with a pass. No water available, but there's an outhouse. Bugs weren't a problem when was there. The falls (and by extension the campground of the same name) was named for Octavius Manthano Pringle (1832-1914), my sixth cousin four times removed, according to my genealogy file. Whether he is you cousin or not, you might enjoy camping here - I'd come here again....

August 26-29, 2025 - La Pine, OR…read more We've stayed at La Pine Campground a few times over the years, and each visit reminds us why we keep coming back. The campground is divided into three loops, each with its own character. The North Loop offers water and electric hookups, with sites that are more widely spaced than the others--something I really appreciate. That extra room makes it feel quieter and more private, and it's probably where we'll book our next stay. The Middle Loop has full hookups, while the South Loop is the busiest, featuring full hookups as well as some cabins. . There are many hiking/cycling trails (dog-friendly), and the Deschutes River runs through the campground. There is a short hike to a waterfall, and a large dog park. Unfortunately, we were a bit restricted in our outdoor activities because of the smoke from the two fires in the area. There was actually ash falling on one of the days. Also, there had been several sightings of a mountain lion in the area, so that added a bit of caution to our activities. Nevertheless, we will definitely come back.

We just stayed one night, right before the campgrounds closed for the year. The grounds were nicely…read moremaintained, and we enjoyed a very peaceful and quiet stay. Some sites are fairly tight, while others had some nice room. The trails here were very enjoyable. Serene surroundings around the river and through the trees. We saw lots of deer, birds, and other critters scrambling about. I'm sure it would've had a slightly different feel during peak season, but we very much enjoyed our night and day of off season.

This review is for 2 different trails. 1. Big Obsidian Flow…read moreTrail was a short and unique trail in Newberry National Volcanic Monument, Oregon. It was a ~0.7 miles round trip that took ~30 minutes to complete. Trail begins on a dirt path and shortly becomes a stairway to the obsidian lava flows. The lava flows were extremely rocky so hiking shoes are recommended. At the highest point of the trail was a distant view of Paulina Lake! Decent sized parking area at the trailhead. Restroom available at the parking lot. Short video of the hike for those interested! https://youtu.be/zshtzzNOCI0 2. Located 5 minutes from the Big Obsidian Flow Trail, Paulina Falls Trail was another short and rewarding trail. It was a ~0.5 miles round trip that took ~30 minutes to complete. Trail was mostly a decline towards the bottom of the waterfall on a dirt path! Limited parking area at the trailhead. Restroom available at the parking lot. Short video of the hike for those interested! https://youtu.be/Q28kfFT9QM0 The Lava Lands Visitor Center was about 30 minutes away.

We did the 1.1 mile Trail of the Molten Lands while in the Newberry National Volcanic Monument. The…read moretrail paved and in good condition. It is uphill and some spots are steep. There are informational signs in different sections of the trail. It was incredible to see how far the lava rock stretched. We stopped in the visitor center as well as the lava river caves and lava butte. We werent able to do the Pauline falls or Obsidian parts as the storms came in quick and hard. It is definitely a sight to see though. Its a milder trail than some others we've done this week and is an easier walk for most of the trail. There is also a half way point to loop around and you dont have to do the steep uphill portion to the look out area.

Archeologists discovered 70 pairs of sandals made of sage brush that are 10,000 years old -…read moreuncovered in the rock cave, evidence of early humans in North America. During the Ice Age, Fort Rock was surrounded by water. Before drying up around 10,000 years ago, the lake with its associated wetlands and wildlife was the foundation of life for prehistoric humans. Prairie Falcon, Golden Eagle, Western Medowlark, Rock Wren and Yellow Belly Marmots live here. Raptors are currently nesting and some trails off limits. With binoculars we saw 4 Prairie Falcons perching and two flying as fledglings sang through the high cliff recessions in raptor nest homes. Look for white poop splashes high up cliffs - that is where the raptors perch and nest! Wife and I hiked through lush high desert with lots of sage and pinkish-reddish spiny hops bush, horse bush and desert sage. Many wildflowers in bloom. Wild buckwheat dominating the landscape. Also there was paint bruch, penstemon and larkspur. What a grand day for a hike in the wondrous Oregon outback! Colors in rocks, flowers and sands! Smells fragrant!

Such a cool place to visit! About 70 miles southeast of Bend. There's a small gravel parking lot,…read morerestrooms with flush toilets, covered picnic area and a kiosk with information about the site. There are hiking options for everyone. It was pretty hot during out visit and no shade in the hiking area, so we only walked up to the base of the ring. It was still really cool to see. It's an old tuff ring set in what was a shallow sea in prehistoric times. The ring is about 4,460 feet in diameter and stands about 200 feet high above the surrounding plain. Sandals found in a nearby cave are the oldest ever discovered, dating back around 9,000-13,000 years. We really enjoyed our time here and the beautiful drive to the Oregon Outback. Would highly recommend.