Activities at East Lake Resort

Spectacular scenery, mosquito-free camping, fishing, lake swimming, biking, boating, sailing, hiking and horse back trails await. The surrounding area offers miles of trails for the hiker and photographer. Nearby attractions include explorable caves, High Desert Museum, Lava Lands, Sunriver, bike tours, river rafting and award-winning golf courses.

Boating: East Lake has over a thousand acres of water activities. Sightseeing by boat, canoe, sailboat, kayak, or paddleboat takes you past towering rock bluffs and lava flows, into hidden coves, past thick forests and the famous white slide. Power boats have a 10 MPH speed limit, but no size limit. Sail boats have no restrictions. Guests are welcome to bring their own boat or rent one of ours as we have a boat to fit every need.  We do have a gentle launch and mooring slips available for guests to rent.  East Lake Resort also has a large fleet of boats to accomodate any need or size of group  boats available to rent are for a half or full day.  Canoes and kayaks are also available to rent by the hour or day.  Availability and prices are available on our reservations page.  If you have any specific questions regarding any boat that our website does not detail or if you would rather reserve over the phone, please call the resort office at 541-536-2230.
 

Fishing:  East Lake is one of the finest and most historical fisheries in Oregon, please read our Fishing Page for more details. Each season it produces Brown Trout over 10 pounds. The lake record is a 22-1/2 pound Brown, which is displayed in the cafe.  The new state record (according to many experts), is alive and well somewhere in the depths of East Lake.  Rainbow Trout are the mainstay, being brought in using all techniques: trolling, still-fishing, wet and dry fly fishing, and casting. Kokanee, introduced in 1993, have been caught up to 20 inches, as have Atlantic Salmon.. A detailed description of the types and techniques are found at the Fishing section.

Lake Swimming: The East Lake Resort shoreline in front of the recreation area is a soft gravel beach, perfect for sunning or wading. By June, the young and the brave get in and swim, but the water is usually chilly, due to the high altitude. The upper three feet will warm to a comfortable temperature by midsummer, especially in the shallows along the resort and campground beaches.
 
Mountain Biking: The Newberry Rim Trail circumnavigates the Caldera for a total of 21 miles (click here for map). There are numerous open viewpoints as well as forested areas, and some very interesting terrain, including pumice, with roads and challenging single track. The Peter Skene Ogden Trail is a steep climb 8.3 miles long from the Ogden Group Campground up to Paulina Lake. The trail is closed to downhill riding, a dirt road following a power line is used for the return. There are many other great riding opportunities in the area. Local bike shops are friendly sources of information, as well as Forest Service offices and the local mountain bike organization, the Central Oregon Trail Alliance (541-385-1985).

For a day of family fun, you can't beat the Paulina Plunge Mountain Bike Tour. It is a six mile, downhill mountain bike ride (bike and helmet provided), three 1/2 mile nature hikes, six waterfalls, 2 natural water slides, lunch, and two way bus service. The falls range from 10 to a spectacular 40 feet, and the water falls are safe to explore and play in. Recommended ages are 4 to 65. For additional info call Paulina Plunge at 1-800-296-0562 or click on their website www.PaulinaPlunge.com

White Water Rafting: Sun Country Tours offers a variety of rafting adventures ranging from 1-1/4 hours to all day. These take place on the Deschutes, McKenzie, and North Umpqua rivers, and include transportation to and from Sunriver and Bend. Ages 6 to 86. Wet, wild, and safe. For more information or reservations, call 593-2161 (Sunriver) or 382-6277 (Bend), or 1-800-770-2161 from outside Central Oregon. Check their website www.SunCountryTours.com.

Wildlife Watching: Bald eagles are a common at East Lake, which is also home to fish-eating osprey, migrating ducks, geese, and tundra swans. Dozens of other birds live in the Monument, including black-capped chickadees, woodpeckers, and warblers. Mammals include the shy and reclusive pine marten, badgers, deer, elk and bear. The entire Monument area has been set aside as a wildlife refuge to protect these animals in their natural habitat.

Camping: In addition to our Resort Cabins, camping is available at our RV and Tent Camping Park. Each campsite features water and electricity, a picnic table, fire pit and barbecue. There are also three U.S. Forest Service campgrounds nearby with nearly 200 campsites.

Horse Camp: Two miles away is a 14-site campground with a corral at each site. Many trails within Newberry Crater, as well as Paulina Peak, and Peter Skene Ogden are accessible from the camp. For fee or reservation information, call 1-541-536-8802. Horseback riders are welcome to visit and eat at East Lake Resort as tie-up places for horses are available.