Six Lakes Trail - Doris and Blow Lakes

Finding a trail I have not hiked before is getting harder all the time especially one worth sharing.
Just past Elk Lake with a sign labeled Six Lakes Trailhead. Parking lot was paved and surprisingly few cars considering I past Green Lakes Trailhead and Devil's Lake that had at least 40 cars parked off the high way for each because their parking lots were full.

For the first mile the trail starts off as nothing special. Mostly old burn area with lodge pole pine.

After finally cresting the hill the landscape changes.

The trail does not go directly to the lakes, you have to use trails created by fellow hikers to reach them. And there are more than one.

After Blow Lake then you run across the seasonal creek beds some still have water in them leaving a marshy area along the trail.









Another mile and a half and you reach Doris Lake. It took me an hour and 30 minutes to reach Doris so this hike is good for day hiking. These pictures don't do both of these lakes justice. To the left of the photo on the bottom is the other section of the lake. There were about 4 groups of people out there and they all had dogs, they should rename the lake Dog Lake. Unlike Blow Lake there were some sandy areas you could call a beach. Blow Lake had more rocky beach area. Both lakes were warm and shallow but I did see inflatable boats on them.

After walking back I ran across a woman jogging the other way and warning me of hornets she was trying to get away from. A few seconds later a large looking horse fly landed on my legs, it had yellow stripes on his body so maybe a hornet. it quickly took off to continue to chase the woman I think, I guess it realized I was the wrong person. I decided to go off the trail a bit to be safe and low and behold I discover another lake or I should say pond.

Back to bugs. I was not bothered by mosquitoes at all but I heard they are really bad around July here. The large black flies act like they own the trail but only a few times seem to be interested in me. Some may be horse flies but one did appear to be a hornet. Hard to tell when they are flying.

Paulina Lakeshore Loop Trail

Paulina Lakes Trail Loop

At the Newberry National Volcanic Monument

The entire trail loop is 7.5 miles long and took 3 hours to complete, with stops and detours along the way. Driving there can take 40 minutes. So I would give yourself 5 hours for this trip. I started out at a parking lot near the lodge and started my loop at where the trail goes behind the lodge where I had to cross the bridge and then take a left right away where the gate was.

The trail starts out with my surroundings very dry but heavily wooded. After going around the lodge it gets near the shore. I was worried the whole trail would be as arid as what I had experience so far on the west side. Luckily that would not be the case.

 The highest point is right above the red cinder area

Just to the left you can see the beach and the hot springs

As soon as I got the north part the environment changes. There are more grasses and gravel shoreline. The trail becomes more challenging with a few switchbacks when your forced to go up to and around to avoid the red cinder rocks shown here. 

After that trail stays mostly flat. One hour into the hike you finally reach the hot springs. Watch for these small signs to show the detour.

I did not take pictures of the hot springs because there were  people in all of them. So I took a photo of a hot springs info page that was posted on signs. They look like the ones in the photo except there were at least 8 of them and they were all used. Except for one that looked like it oil in it and looked nasty. I put my hand in one and the water was lukewarm.

 Taking the way I took is the fastest way to get to the hot springs. The other way will add another hour unless you drive to the Little Crater campground way on the east side of the lake and it still take an hour to get there. Before and after the hot springs the environment changes to a sea shore look with low lying evergreens you would see near the sea and grasses. Parts of the trail is damp a few rare areas muddy but not bad. The you reach the large lava flow with lots of obsidian in it. You can see it in the previous photo with the hot springs in the far left. Its way on the other side of the lake show as black blob just as you get the east side of the lake. Getting around it means walking right along the shoreline. Very rocky at times

After that there are some parts of the lake that almost remind me of Clear Lake. In this picture there was the red hue along the shore line, not so noticeable in this photo. Also the forest seems more dense more evergreen rain forest with all the moss and lichen and other moisture loving plants.

Then I finally reach the Little Crater campground. There is a spur trail that goes to a high point I did not go on.

At this point you have to walk on the road between campsites. After you pass all the campsites there is a small sign telling you were the trail begins again. 

Once I start the southern part of the trail of the lake I think I got lost and the trail get hard to follow. You often have to walk on the shore that is mostly gravel and the trail look unkempt. I end up walking behind lodges. The environment is most grassy and marshes. 

At one point I came across these old cabins above the trail. I had to check them out because they had this cabin in the woods feel to them. Looked creepy. They were created by the Oddfellow organization back in the 1930s. More info here http://www.bendbulletin.com/localstate/deschutescounty/4364841-151/agencies-trying-to-save-paulina-lake-cabins

After that the forest get thicker and I needed hug this rock just avoiding falling in the lake with only a log to walk on. 

Finally the trail looks more like a well kept trail and before I know it I am back in the parking lot I started from.

Near the info station where I took that first photo at the very top, there were some more hiking trails but I did not have time.

Steelhead Falls

Steelhead Falls was not as large as I expected. But its a great swimming hole and was crowded with people. The trial is only a half mile long but wear good footwear because like the dirt trail going up Pilot Butte, most of it is steep going down and very sandy. Giving you very little traction. That did not prevent people going down the trail in flip flops though. There are several parts in the trail where you can go and just enjoy the river before and after the falls.

How to get there

From Bend take Hwy 97 north 22 miles to Terrebonne. Pass Terrebonne and a half-mile to the north turn left onto Lower Bridge Road, say Cooked River Ranch also. 

then  in 2 miles turn right onto NW 43rd Street

then 1.8 miles to a T. Go left on Chinook Road for 1 mile. 

then left on Badger Road. Sorry I took a pic head on of Badger Road, this is not the view you will see. Up to this point I had cars going 70 miles per hour passing me and other cars and driving recklessly. Now you want to slow down because there are a lot of blind corners. At one point you can't see the road in front of you because you are driving off a cliff so the road drops suddenly and makes a immediate right turn that you have to react to quickly.

Follow Badger Road for 1.6 miles to its end at Quail Road Turn right on Quail Road Then left on River Road. At this point there should be signs saying Steelhead falls that way.

Then take a right

Slow down because the road suddenly turns into a gravel road

The homeowner who lives nearby decided to make his point about the dangers of driving to fast.