Climbing Paulina Peak, Oregon (09/05/2026)
Paulina Peak Trip Report, September 2026
Key Info
Trailhead: Paulina Lakes
You should know (I didn’t) that you can drive to the top of Paulina Peak. It won’t be as rewarding, but it’s just as beautiful, and a great option for anyone who wants commanding mountain views but can’t hike for whatever reason. It’s a gravel, washboarded road with some narrow, blind corners, so be aware and prepared.
Class: 1 (no scrambling; defined trail)
Ropes: Not needed
Helmets: Not needed
Trailhead Camping: Yes, for a fee, at Paulina Lake Campground (across the street from the trailhead)
Fee: Yes; you can purchase a $5 day pass on-site, or use your Northwest Forest Pass or America the Beautiful Interagency Pass
Permit: Yes, you must get a Central Cascades Wilderness permit
Mileage: 6.5 miles (10.4 kilometers) round-trip
Elevation gain: 1,900 feet (579 meters) round-trip
Paulina Peak is a beautiful straightforward climb; more of a hike than a climb, as there’s no scrambling or route-finding involved. But that doesn’t negate the fact that it’s a great outing and a worthwhile trek! (Yes, even though you can drive to the top, which I learned when I reached the summit…)
The route starts at Paulina Lake, or rather, right across the street. Like most hikes in this area, it begins in a lush, green pine forest with a defined, mostly flat trail.
Being that the route lies within the Newberry Caldera, you’re treated to phenomenal views of volcanic geological formations and an obsidian flow. Did you know that the Newberry Volcano is the largest in Oregon and is still considered active?
About a mile and a half in, the trail starts climbing, and just about all of the 1,900 feet of elevation gain are consolidated in the remaining 1.5 miles to the summit. It is quite steep in places. I, for one, really enjoyed the lack of lava rocks and volcanic scree after my previous two climbs: Diamond Peak in the Southern Cascades and South Sister in the Three Sisters Wilderness.
I went after a cold snap — a “false fall” as I’m learning the locals call it — and found some patchy snow starting around 7,500 feet. There wasn’t nearly enough to warrant any kind of winter footwear or traction devices, though I’m sure that’s soon to change.
I enjoyed the solitude on the ascent to Paulina Peak, only to chuckle and think to myself, “Well, that’s why there are no other hikers,” when I crested the peak and saw a Tacoma in a parking lot — with a bathroom no less!
On the descent, I learned that a number of people do, in fact, hike the trail to the peak. Perhaps that is because 1) it’s a gorgeous route and 2) the road to the summit requires a high-clearance, ideally 4×4, vehicle, according to various online reports.
Anyway, the descent was nice; not too steep and, again, a wonderful break from concentrated elevation change on slippery surfaces.
