Peter Skene Ogden Trail Guide

18 miles - Hard Effort
Or: 9 miles one-way, or 12 miles round-trip from McKay Crossing
7-8 Hours (Total)
2,100 Total Feet of Climbing
Max Elevation of 6,350 feet
Leashed Dogs Allowed

The Peter Skene Ogden Trail is a hidden gem. Although it is not widely known among the hiking community, it is designated a National Recreation Trail (NRT) because it "represents its region, supports a diverse community, and is among America's best trails," this hike is worth a visit. You'll hike along Paulina Creek, passing numerous waterfalls, and arrive at Newberry Volcano's caldera at the end. The volcano is the largest in the Cascades arc, still active, and a smidgen smaller than the size of Rhode Island. This hike has a lot going on!

In this Guide:

Video and Turn-by-Turn Directions
Peter Skene Ogden Trail Parking & Trailheads
Recommendations for the Hike

Quick Links:
Parks Pass - Park Website - Weather Forecast - My Oct 2024 Gear

Where is the Peter Skene Ogden Trail?

The official start of the trail is about an hour south of Bend, OR, and a short distance from La Pine, OR. Use this trailhead address:
Ogden Group Camp, Paulina-East Lake Rd, La Pine, OR 97739

You need a National Parks Pass or Northwest Forest Pass to park at any trailheads here.

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 3 — The parking area of the Ogden Group Camp is huge. You won't have trouble parking here.

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 4 — There's a vault toilet.

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 5 — You'll see a trailhead sign on the east side of the lot—park around here.

Other Options

If you'd like to do the shorter 12 mile round-trip hike, continue toward Newberry Crater and park at the McKay Crossing Campground.
You can also do the hike described here in reverse. Park in the big lot by the boat launch at the Paulina Visitor Center.

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 2 — If you have extra time, plan on doing some sightseeing around the caldera. You can easily hit the beaches, the Big Obsidian Flow, and a food joint after doing this hike.

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 40 — The Big Obsidian Flow is spectacular and worth the extra time if you're driving up from the start of the hike at Ogden Group Campground.

Gear For the Hike

The trail is singletrack in excellent condition. However, it will become covered in snow in the winter but clear from May to November. If you are on a shoulder season, bring micro-spikes in case there's snow at the higher elevations. Facilities along the caldera are generally open from June to September.

Otherwise, the hike is straightforward when it comes to gear. There's plenty of water along the creek; bring a filter. Most of the hike is shaded by lodgepole and Ponderosa pines. Make sure you have enough snacks and an extra layer or two.

There is no overnight camping along the trail outside of designated campgrounds.

Gear That I Love Right Now

Nothing is sponsored or promoted, just the actual gear that I use.

Garmin InReach Mini 2Hit SOS or just tell loved ones that you're running late where your cell phone has no service. Review here.

Topo Pursuit 2The best hiking footwear I've ever owned. No blisters. Get them wet, they dry quickly. Lots of cushion and comfort.

Garmin Epix ProHiking maps, route info, and fitness stats on my wrist. Review here.

Osprey Hikelite 26Lightweight, carries all your gear, and your back doesn't get sweaty. Oh yea, it's also one of the most inexpensive packs you can get.

Check out the complete list here. ( Updated October 2024)

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Maps

While there are a few tricky points I'll point out in the directions below, overall, it's a straightforward trail that follows Paulina Creek from start to finish. You'll see numerous side trails heading to the water, but the well-worn Peter Skene Ogden Trail is always easy to spot. The trail is shared with equestrians and mountain bikes, which are only allowed to ride uphill.

Use This Map:
View in CalTopo | PDF Map | GPX File

How Will You Navigate?

Using the Apple Watch for Hiking

Garmin Fenix 7 & Epix Review For Hikers

How To Read a Topographic Map

Garmin GPSMAP 67i Review

Elevation Profile

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Guide Elevation — This one-way profile from Ogden Group Camp to Paulina Lake is deceiving. Although you will cover over 2000 feet of uphill, it's gradual and never feels like a big climb.

3D Map

Hike Brief

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Guide Old Photo — This bundle of joy is Peter Skene Ogden, who lived from 1790-1854.

Peter Skene Ogden worked for the Hudson Bay Company as a trapper, manager, and explorer. The amount of ground he covered in the 1820s is impressive: from Vancouver to the Great Salt Lake to the Sea of Cortez and back. At the time, this area was either part of the disputed fur trading area called "Oregon Country" or belonged to Mexico. But of course, this entire area belonged to Native Peoples, and Ogden had a bad reputation when it came to them, having at least one documented murder and more likely in his travels. Yet he also had several Native wives. It was a different time for sure, and I wouldn't be surprised if they changed the trail name at some point. You can still read the book he wrote about his times exploring.
If this trail was named after a fur trapper, you could probably guess it's rich in wildlife. I've seen several mink along the trail, and if you keep your eyes open, you might spot deer, eagles, and other wildlife along the way.
Paulina Lake, at the end of this hike, is the caldera of Newberry Volcano and part of Newberry National Volcanic Monument. Unlike a "traditional" conical volcano like Mt Hood, Newberry Volcano is a shield volcano, which is much lower yet wider. The full size of Newberry Volcano is just a bit smaller than Rhode Island; it's the largest volcano in the Cascades volcanic arc. The USGS assesses its threat potential as "very high," and it last erupted about 1300 years ago. Today it's mainly known for its good fishing (it's stocked with trout and other fish).
The magma chamber is about 3km under the caldera, and is still active. Earthquakes and tremors are relatively common here. Illustration - University of Oregon
The oldest dwelling in North America was found along the lakeshore in 1998. It's believed to be 10,000 years old and was preserved after being covered by an eruption 7,500 years ago, much like the discoveries at Pompeii. It's thought that the Windust hunter-gatherers used the dwelling. You can still find Windust-era blades and tools made out of obsidian from the Newberry Volcano in the area.

Peter Skene Ogden Hike Directions

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 6 — Go past the big trailhead sign in the parking lot.

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 7 — And then cross the bridge over Paulina Creek.

Paulina Creek and Paulina Lake are named after the Northern Paiute chief Pahninee. His story follows the same tragic script of other Native peoples trying to defend their homeland.

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 8 — From here it's roughly 9 miles to Paulina Lake, the source of the creek.

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 9 — The trail follows the right bank of the creek upstream.

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 10 — The first few miles of the trail go through a relatively open mixed conifer sub-forest. As we climb along the trail, the habitats will change.

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 11 — There are several sections of the early trail that offer creek views and access.

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 12 — Keep your eyes open for volcanic rocks such as pumice and basalt.

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 13 — At about a mile in we cross to the left bank, which we'll follow until the end of the trail.

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 14 — At about 3 miles in the trail skirts around McKay Crossing Campground. There's a waterfall right before you get to the camp. There are also bathrooms here.

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 15 — At the end of McKay Campground, cross the road.

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 16 — And continue the trail on the other side. If you are starting at McKay Crossing Campground, this is where you'll start.

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 17 — Continue to follow Paulina Creek upstream.

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 18 — You enter a new-growth forest just past McKay.

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 19 — You'll see lots of dead trees along the creek, likely the victim of the mountain pine beetle, which kills lodgepole pines.

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 20 — The new growth ends and you enter an older-growth lodgepole pine sub-habitat.

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 21 — Follow the creek upstream, and if the trail is not evident in front of you, look for a switchback off to the left. There are several sections where the trail moves away from the creek to climb.

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 22 — The climbs are steeper than before but not too long.

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 23 — As the canyon walls get steeper, the waterfalls become more dramatic.

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 24 — There's a great double falls that you can walk down to. If the water is flowing you can stand in front and feel the spray.

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 25 — At about 6 miles in you'll reach a junction. Hike straight through.

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 26 — Here's the sign from the junction.

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 27 — Keep following the creek. Look for ponderosa pines mixed amongst the lodgepole pines.

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 28 — At around 6.1 miles in you'll reach a big cleared road, which can be confusing. Bear to the left.

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 29 — And then look for the singletrack trail to continue on the right.

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 30 — You'll start to climb more, and Paulina Creek sits a hundred feet or so below in a gorge.

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 31 — Look up to the right to catch a glimpse of the highest point in the area, Paulina Peak, at 7,984 feet.

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 32 — At about 8 miles in you'll see many dead trees littering the forest floor.

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 33 — And at about 8.3 miles you'll see a split. Go right for the spectacular Paulina Falls viewpoint, and then continue on the Peter Skene Ogden Trail when you're finished.

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 34 — There's a stone viewpoint area. And there's another viewpoint across the creek that you can reach by car.

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 35 — Enjoy the 80 foot double waterfall, Paulina Falls.

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 36 — Head back to the Peter Skene Ogden Trail and continue.

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 37 — And here you are, at the end of the trail!

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 38 — Continue to the road and bridge for a view over Paulina Lake, which is one-half of the caldera of Newberry Volcano.

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 39 — You can also walk another minute on the road to check out the Visitor Center.

Peter Skene Ogden Trail Directions 41 — From here, just turn around and head back down the way you came. That's the hike!

Need More Info?

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When planning, always check the park website and social media to make sure the trails are open. Similarly, check the weather and road conditions.
Do you have an update to this guide? View the Youtube comments for this video. Leave a comment and I will do my best to update the guide.

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This Guide Was Written by Cris Hazzard

Cris Hazzard 4 Mile Trail Yosemite
Hi, I'm Cris Hazzard, aka Hiking Guy, a professional outdoors guide, hiking expert, and author based in Southern California. I created this website to share all the great hikes I do with everyone else out there. This site is different because it gives detailed directions that even the beginning hiker can follow. I also share what hiking gear works and doesn't so you don't waste money. I don't do sponsored or promoted content; I share only the gear recommendations, hikes, and tips that I would with my family and friends. If you like the website and YouTube channel, please support these free guides (I couldn't do it without folks like you!). You can stay up to date with my new guides by following me on YouTube, Instagram, or by subscribing to my monthly newsletter.