If you’re heading to Bend, Oregon then you should add visiting Newberry National Volcanic Monument to your bucket list! Located in the high desert of Central Oregon, Newberry National Volcanic Monument is an outdoor lover’s paradise, and makes for a perfect weekend getaway near Bend. Below we lay out the perfect two day summer itinerary for visiting Newberry National Volcanic Monument. Our itinerary includes hikes in ancient volcanic landscapes, a visit to a natural hot spring, camping amongst towering Ponderosa pines, and epic underground lava caves. 

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Visiting Newberry National Volcanic Monument: two day summer Itinerary

Located approximately 40 minutes south of Bend, Oregon, Newberry National Volcanic Monument features over 54,000 acres of volcanic landscapes and geological wonders. The monument is named after the Newberry Volcano, a massive volcano that is over 500,000 years old. Within the monument, visitors can explore a wide range of volcanic features, including cinder cones, lava flows, lava tubes, and obsidian flows. Visiting Newberry National Volcanic Monument requires a $5 per car day pass, or an annual America the Beautiful pass.

What to pack for Visiting Newberry National Volcanic Monument 

Hiking essentials checklist

Below are our 6 major hiking essentials, which we almost always have with us on the trail!

1. America the Beautiful Pass. An annual America the Beautiful pass covers your entrance fees at all national parks. It also covers fees at other federally managed public lands, such as forest service and BLM sites. This pass is a great investment for people who love national parks and outdoor recreation!
2. Good hiking boots. Waterproof boots with good traction are essential, and a quality pair can last for years. We highly recommend Lowa’s Renegade hiking boots.
3. Water and a water filter. We love the Katadyn BeFree 1.0 Liter Filter Bottle for water filtration, and usually use a Nalgene water bottle or a HydraPak Water Reservoir for water storage.
4. Sun protection. We recommend the Sahara Sun Hoodie (for women and men), which is a sun shirt that offers UPF 50+ sun protection. For sunscreen we like Dermatone’s sport sunscreen and Skin Protector Balm (for winter).
5. A headlamp. The Black Diamond Storm 400 Rechargeable Headlamp is lightweight, compact, waterproof, and USB rechargeable.
6. A comfortable day pack. We recommend the REI Trail 25 (unisex), the Gregory Juno daypack ​for women, or the Gregory Inertia daypack for men.

Day 1: Mountain Peaks, Obsidian Flows, and Hot Springs

Hike to Paulina Peak

Start your visit to Newberry National Volcanic Monument with a hike along the Paulina Peak Trail, which starts at Paulina Lake and climbs to the top of Paulina Peak. Along the hike you’ll get sweeping views of the jagged and dramatic volcanic remnants of Paulina Peak. As you climb, you will begin to see panoramic views of Paulina Lake (the volcanic crater), and once you reach the top you will be treated to views of Mount Bachelor in the distance. This hike is 6.2 miles long and features a 1,610 foot elevation gain, making it moderate to difficult. If you’re up for the challenge I promise the views are worth it! Just be prepared with plenty of water, snacks, and sunscreen.

Enjoy a picnic lunch and hike at Big Obsidian Flow

After Paulina Peak, we recommend driving five minutes down the road to the Big Obsidian Flow Trailhead. The trailhead features picnic benches and bathrooms, which makes this a great spot for a picnic lunch.

The Big Obsidian Flow is one of the most unique and youngest lava flows in Oregon, at only 1,300 years old. This 1.0 mile (round trip) trail climbs through an incredible mountain of obsidian (black glass rocks) and pumice. Interpretive signs along the way describe the geological processes that happened here to create this epic landscape. This hike is relatively easy, and is great for families!

Don’t forget a water bottle and sunglasses. The obsidian gets hot, and can be bright!

Hike to Paulina Falls

No Newberry National Volcanic Monument summer itinerary would be complete without a trip to Paulina Falls. Paulina Falls is a stunning waterfall that drops 80 feet over volcanic cliffs, and is a must-see! 

The trailhead for the Paulina Falls Trail is located at the Paulina Falls Day Use Area on Newberry Crater Road. This short approximately 0.5 mile (round trip) hike has two options – a short trail to the top of Paulina Falls, or a short trail to the bottom of Paulina Falls. If you have the energy, I recommend both views!

Camp at Little Crater Campground

The Little Crater campground is located on the eastern shore of Paulina Lake. Almost all of the 49 sites have amazing views of the lake, and it is a beautiful place to watch the sunset. We recommend making a camping reservation on recreation.gov. This campground features camping spots for tents, trailers, and RVs. It also has drinking water, vault toilets, and picnic areas. 

Enjoy an evening soak at Paulina Lake hot springs

Located near Little Crater Campground, a soak at Paulina Lake Hot Springs is the perfect way to end your night! This hot spring requires a round trip journey of 2.8 miles, but is relatively easy. The springs are located in the shoreline of the lake and often need to be dug out, so I recommend bringing a small collapsible shovel with you. I also recommend a non-DEET bug spray – when we visited the mosquitos were out in force!

Day 2: Exploring the Lava Caves of Bend, Oregon

On day two head underground to explore the lava caves of Bend, Oregon! Don’t worry– you don’t need any technical skills or fancy equipment for these adventures.

Did you know that Central Oregon is home to over a thousand underground lava caves? These caves formed thousands of years ago when the landscape was more volcanically active. While lava no longer actively flows through the caves, what’s been left behind are these amazing long cave systems. Some of the caves are open to the public, some are closed for safety reasons, and some are closed to protect sensitive species of bats.

Note: For all of these cave hikes, we recommend bringing the following for safety: a bright flashlight (the caves are pitch black), sturdy closed/toed shoes, and warm layers (the caves are a constant 42 degree Fahrenheit year-round).

Explore the Lava River Cave

The Lava River Cave Trail, located off Highway 97 and about 15 minutes south of Bend, is part of Newberry National Volcanic Monument. The Lava River Cave is one of the longest discovered underground lava tubes in Oregon, and features an established underground hiking trail. This 2.2 mile underground hike (roundtrip) is self-led; it is not technical, but requires navigating through pitch-black darkness, and uneven floors. This hike takes most folks about 1.5 hours to complete. 

A day pass to explore the Lava River Cave costs $5 per car, or is  free with an America the Beautiful pass. Note that timed reservations are required for entry from May through September each year due to limited cave capacity. 

We recommend that everyone in your group pack a bright flashlight (make sure it has fully charged batteries)!

Hike the Trail of the Molten Land

After exploring the Lava River Cave Trail, head 5 minutes north to the Lava Lands Visitor Center. Spend some time at the visitor center checking out the interpretive exhibits, and talk to informative park rangers. From the visitor center, head along the path to the Trail of the Molten Land. This 1.0 mile hike (round trip) has minimal elevation gain, passes through old, jagged lava flows, and has interpretive signs along the way. The $5 pass you used for the Lava River Caves (or your America The Beautiful pass) is valid here.

Explore the Skylight Cave

The Skylight Cave is a bit of a drive (it’s located up north, close to Sisters, Oregon), but in our opinion well worth the trip. About an hour northwest of the Lava Lands Visitor Center, this cave is well off the beaten path. Similar to the Lava River Cave, the Skylight Cave is a lava tube that was formed thousands of years ago when lava flowed through it. The “skylights” in the cave ceiling appeared when the roof of the cave partially collapsed, allowing beams of sunlight to stream through!

For this cave, we recommend that everyone in your group pack a bright flashlight (make sure it has new or fully charged batteries)!

Dispersed camping in Deschutes National Forest

End your day by finding a spot to camp in Deschutes National Forest, which is a massive public land system surrounding Bend, Oregon. This national forest allows for dispersed camping, which is a more primitive way of camping than established campgrounds. The best part? It’s 100% free! However, dispersed camping means there are no toilets, running water, or other services, so you have to pack everything in and pack everything out (please Leave No Trace!), but at the same time you don’t need a reservation! We used our camper van, but you can also pitch a tent.

We found our camp spot on a Forest Service road off of highway 20, of which there are plenty! Forest Service roads are typically designated with a “NF-####” sign, and are generally not paved. Please check out the Forest Service website for more guidelines on the do’s and don’ts of dispersed camping.

Looking for more? Check out our list of 7 summer hikes near Bend, and our other Pacific Northwest travel blogs! You can also follow along on Instagram @gwynandami for more adventure itineraries!