Paulina Lake Hot Springs: trail, fee and best season
Paulina Lake Hot Springs isn't a built soaking site, it's a stretch of shoreline inside the Newberry Caldera called Hot Springs Beach, where informal pools form in the gravel along the lake. How much of the shoreline is exposed depends heavily on the lake's water level, which shifts through the season. It sits in the Deschutes National Forest stretch of our hot springs in Oregon guide.
Fact box
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Nearest town | La Pine, Oregon |
| Access | Hike, 1.2 to 2.3 miles along the Paulina Lakeshore Trail depending on which trailhead you start from |
| Fee | $5 day-use fee for Newberry National Volcanic Monument, or a Northwest Forest Pass / America the Beautiful pass |
| Legal status | Public, Deschutes National Forest, inside Newberry National Volcanic Monument |
| Best season | Summer, once lake levels drop and expose more of the shoreline; a Sno-Park permit is required for winter access |
| Temperature (source, historical) | The NOAA/NCEI thermal springs archive lists a spring in this area, recorded as "Paulina Springs," at 70°F (historical estimate, base year 1980) |
| Temperature (pools, recent) | Roughly 90–115°F in the shoreline pools, depending on which pocket of gravel you're in and how much lake water is mixing in, per current visitor reports |
Trail, fee and timing
Hot Springs Beach sits along the north shore of Paulina Lake inside the Newberry Caldera, reached via the Paulina Lakeshore Trail from either the Little Crater Campground trailhead (about 2.3 miles) or a shorter approach depending on your starting point (as close as 1.2 miles). A $5 day-use fee covers entry to Newberry National Volcanic Monument, and Northwest Forest Pass or America the Beautiful pass holders are covered as well. Winter access requires a Sno-Park permit, since the monument road isn't maintained for regular vehicle traffic once snow sets in.
Timing matters more here than at most springs on this list. In spring and early summer, higher lake levels submerge much of the shoreline where the pools form, so soaking spots are limited or absent. As the season progresses and lake levels drop, typically by mid-summer, more of the gravel shoreline is exposed and more pools become soakable.
The pools
Because this is an open shoreline rather than a built pool system, the pools here are small, informal, and shaped by both natural gravel deposits and prior visitors. Current reports put the soaking temperature at roughly 90–115°F, well above the NOAA archive's 70°F historical estimate for "Paulina Springs" in this area, a figure that most likely reflects a cooler, more diffuse measurement point rather than the warmest pockets bathers actually find along the beach. Some vents beneath the shoreline reportedly run much hotter, closer to boiling, so the pool you end up with depends on exactly where you dig in and how much cool lake water surrounds it.
How this guide was researched
This page draws on Deschutes National Forest and Newberry National Volcanic Monument recreation information, the NOAA/NCEI thermal springs archive, and published visitor reports. We haven't visited this site ourselves. Lake levels and access change seasonally; verify current conditions with the ranger district before you go. Last checked August 2026.
FAQ
How do you get to Paulina Lake Hot Springs?
Hike the Paulina Lakeshore Trail, 1.2 to 2.3 miles depending on your starting trailhead, most commonly Little Crater Campground.
How much does it cost to visit Paulina Lake Hot Springs?
$5 for a Newberry National Volcanic Monument day-use pass, or a Northwest Forest Pass / America the Beautiful pass.
When is the best time to visit Paulina Lake Hot Springs?
Mid-to-late summer, once lake levels drop and expose more of the shoreline pools. Spring and early summer runoff often submerges them.
How hot are the pools at Paulina Lake Hot Springs?
Roughly 90–115°F depending on the pool, though some vents beneath the shoreline run much hotter.
Can you visit Paulina Lake Hot Springs in winter?
Yes, but a Sno-Park permit is required since the monument road isn't plowed for regular vehicle access.
We haven't visited these places ourselves, and every page says so rather than implying otherwise. Details are compiled from public land-manager, USGS and NOAA sources and cross-checked where possible; conditions, access rules and fees change without notice, so confirm with the managing agency before you go. Page last checked August 2026. Read our full methodology.