North Paulina

The North Paulina roadless area encompasses 19,670 acres of subalpine terrain across the Deschutes National Forest in central Oregon. The landscape is defined by volcanic peaks and buttes: North Paulina Peak rises to 7,984 feet, Kawak Butte to 7,359 feet, and Newberry Crater descends to 6,300 feet. Water originates in the high country and flows downslope through Hunter Butte headwaters and Mud Springs Creek, draining the volcanic substrate that underlies the entire region. The pumice and ash soils here retain moisture differently than surrounding terrain, creating distinct hydrological patterns that shape plant communities across the area.

The forest composition shifts with elevation and aspect. At higher elevations, Mountain Hemlock Dry PAG communities dominate, with mountain hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana) and the federally threatened whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) forming the canopy. Pinemat manzanita (Arctostaphylos nevadensis) and grouse whortleberry (Vaccinium scoparium) occupy the understory. Lower elevations support Lodgepole Pine Dry PAG, where lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) prevails, with snowbrush ceanothus (Ceanothus velutinus) and antelope bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata) in the shrub layer. Western white pine (Pinus monticola) occurs in Mixed Conifer communities. The volcanic soils support specialized herbaceous species including pumice moonwort (Botrychium pumicola), imperiled (IUCN), and Davidson's penstemon (Penstemon davidsonii), which flower in the brief growing season.

Wildlife communities reflect the forest structure and elevation gradients. Clark's nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana) harvests whitebark pine seeds, dispersing them across the landscape—a relationship critical to the tree's persistence. Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and elk (Cervus canadensis) move through the mixed conifer zones, while the federally endangered gray wolf (Canis lupus) preys on these ungulates. American pika (Ochotona princeps) inhabit rocky alpine areas, gathering vegetation for winter caches. Pacific marten (Martes caurina) hunt through the dense hemlock forests. In wetland areas and along Mud Springs Creek, the federally threatened Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) occupies shallow water margins. Suckley's cuckoo bumble bee (Bombus suckleyi), proposed for federal endangered status, pollinates the wildflowers of the understory and clearings.

Walking through North Paulina, the landscape reveals itself in distinct transitions. A hiker ascending from lower elevations passes through lodgepole stands where the understory opens to shrub and herbaceous layers, then enters the darker, more closed canopy of mountain hemlock forest. The air cools noticeably as elevation increases. Along Mud Springs Creek, the sound of water accompanies the transition to wetter microsites where specialized plants thrive. Breaking above treeline or crossing a ridge gap, the view expands across the volcanic peaks, and the wind-sculpted whitebark pines become visible against the sky. The pumice soil underfoot is light and loose, a constant reminder of the volcanic origin beneath the forest.

For at least 13,000 years, Indigenous peoples used this landscape for hunting, gathering, and seasonal residence. The Northern Paiute, specifically the Hunipuitöka band, inhabited the high plateaus of central Oregon including the Deschutes River basin. The Klamath Tribes, comprising the Klamath, Modoc, and Yahooskin-Paiute bands, historically used lands to the east, with the Yahooskin territory bordering this area to the south and east. The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Sahaptin-speaking bands based along the Columbia River, traveled south into the Deschutes basin on seasonal hunting and gathering rounds. Archaeological evidence documents summer residential camps with wickiup and teepee-like structures built from lodgepole pine posts. Hearth sites contain remains of processed chokecherries, hazelnuts, blackberries, and fernleaf biscuitroot. Indigenous residents actively managed the forest through cultural burning—light fires that reduced catastrophic wildfires and promoted the growth of huckleberries and other food sources. The region was traversed by complex trail networks used for trade and seasonal migration, networks that later formed the basis for modern roads and highways in Central Oregon. Obsidian extraction from nearby Newberry Crater provided material for tool and weapon making.

In the 1860s, Chief Paulina (Pahninee), leader of the Hunipuitöka band, organized guerrilla resistance against settler encroachment and forced relocation. In 1864, U.S. Army forces captured Paiute hostages, including Paulina's wife and son, on upper Paulina Creek, forcing temporary treaty negotiations. The area retains the chief's name.

The Deschutes National Forest was established on July 1, 1908, through Executive Order consolidating lands from the Blue Mountain, Fremont, and Cascade National Forests. The western portion of the Blue Mountain National Forest (west of the South Fork of the John Day River), lands around Newberry Crater previously part of the Fremont National Forest, and lands from the Cascade National Forest north of Township 25S and east of the Deschutes River were incorporated into the new forest. In 1911, a significant reorganization partitioned portions of the forest, creating the Ochoco and Paulina National Forests. The Paulina National Forest, which included the southeastern portion around Crescent, was discontinued in 1915, and its lands were reabsorbed into the Deschutes National Forest. During the same 1911 reorganization, the Sisters and Metolius areas were transferred to the Deschutes from the Cascade and Oregon National Forests, extending the western boundary to the Cascade Range summit.

From the early-to-mid twentieth century, logging companies including Shevlin-Hixon and Brooks-Scanlon operated extensive logging railroads and movable company camps in the vicinity of Bend and the Newberry area. No permanent company towns were located within the roadless area itself; historical company operations remained mobile or were positioned closer to Bend and La Pine. In 1961, 71,673 acres were transferred from the southern end of the Deschutes National Forest to help establish the Winema National Forest.

In 1990, approximately 50,000 acres within the Deschutes National Forest were designated as the Newberry National Volcanic Monument. The North Paulina area is now protected as a 19,670-acre Inventoried Roadless Area under the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule and is managed within the Bend/Fort Rock Ranger District.

Vital Resources Protected

Whitebark Pine Forest and High-Elevation Climate Refugia

North Paulina's subalpine ecosystem supports whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis), a federally threatened species that depends on the area's high-elevation, cold conditions for survival and reproduction. The roadless area's intact mountain hemlock and whitebark pine forests at elevations above 6,300 feet provide thermal and moisture conditions that allow this species to persist as climate patterns shift at lower elevations. Loss of this unfragmented high-elevation forest would eliminate one of the few remaining strongholds where whitebark pine can survive without intensive management intervention, and would sever the elevational connectivity that allows species like western white pine (Pinus monticola, near threatened IUCN) to track suitable climate conditions across the landscape.

Headwater Watershed Integrity and Amphibian Habitat

The Hunter Butte headwaters and Mud Springs Creek drainage originate in North Paulina's roadless terrain, providing cold, sediment-free water that supports sensitive aquatic species including the Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa), federally threatened. Headwater streams in intact subalpine forests maintain stable temperatures and clear spawning substrates because undisturbed slopes do not contribute erosion or silt. The riparian zones along these headwaters also support wetland-dependent plants like white bog orchid (Platanthera dilatata, vulnerable IUCN), which depend on the hydrological stability that roadless conditions preserve.

Interior Forest Habitat for Wide-Ranging Carnivores

The 19,670-acre roadless expanse provides unfragmented interior forest habitat essential for gray wolves (Canis lupus, federally endangered) and Pacific marten (Martes caurina, apparently secure IUCN), both of which require large, continuous territories free from road-related mortality and human disturbance. The mixed conifer and mountain hemlock forests across North Paulina's elevation gradient create the landscape connectivity these species need to move between suitable habitat patches without crossing roads—a critical requirement for small populations recovering from historical persecution.

Pollinator and Nectar-Source Connectivity

North Paulina's diverse subalpine flora, including pumice moonwort (Botrychium pumicola, imperiled IUCN) and flowering plants across its elevation gradient, supports populations of Suckley's cuckoo bumble bee (Bombus suckleyi, proposed federally endangered) and rufous hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus, near threatened IUCN). The roadless condition preserves the continuous distribution of flowering plants and nesting habitat that these species require; fragmentation by roads would isolate populations and reduce the availability of nectar sources across the breeding season.

Threats from Road Construction

Sedimentation and Temperature Increase in Headwater Streams

Road construction on steep subalpine slopes requires cut banks and fill material that expose mineral soil to erosion; even on gentle grades, road surfaces and ditches generate chronic sediment runoff during snowmelt and rain events. This sediment would degrade spawning habitat for Oregon spotted frog and other aquatic species by smothering the clean gravel and cobble substrates they depend on for reproduction. Additionally, removal of forest canopy along road corridors would increase solar exposure to headwater streams, raising water temperatures—a direct threat to cold-water species in a landscape where thermal refugia are already limited by elevation and climate.

Fragmentation of High-Elevation Forest and Loss of Elevational Connectivity

Road construction through North Paulina's subalpine ecosystem would divide the unfragmented mountain hemlock and whitebark pine forest into isolated patches, breaking the elevational gradient that allows species to shift their ranges as climate conditions change. Whitebark pine and western white pine depend on this connectivity to track suitable temperature and moisture conditions; fragmentation would trap populations in unsuitable habitat as conditions warm. For gray wolves and Pacific marten, roads create barriers to movement and increase vulnerability to vehicle strikes and human-caused mortality, reducing the effective size of populations already constrained by limited suitable habitat in the region.

Invasive Species Establishment Along Road Corridors

Road construction creates disturbed soil and edge habitat that invasive plants exploit; seeds of non-native species spread along road surfaces and in fill material, establishing populations that spread into adjacent forest. In subalpine ecosystems like North Paulina, where native plant communities are adapted to specific cold, dry conditions, invasive species can outcompete rare plants like pumice moonwort and white bog orchid, and can alter the composition of nectar sources that Suckley's cuckoo bumble bee and rufous hummingbird depend on. Once established, invasive species are extremely difficult to remove from high-elevation terrain, making early prevention through roadless protection the only practical conservation strategy.

Hydrological Disruption of Wetland-Dependent Species

Road fill and drainage structures alter the shallow groundwater flow that sustains wetlands and seepage areas in subalpine terrain, where water moves slowly through porous volcanic soils. White bog orchid and other wetland plants depend on consistent soil moisture maintained by undisturbed hydrology; road construction that diverts or accelerates water flow would convert wet microsites to drier conditions, eliminating habitat for these species. The same hydrological disruption would degrade the wet meadow and seepage habitats that support Oregon spotted frog breeding and foraging, reducing reproductive success in a species already constrained by limited suitable habitat across its range.

The North Paulina Roadless Area encompasses 19,670 acres of subalpine terrain within the Newberry National Volcanic Monument on the Deschutes National Forest. Elevations range from 6,300 feet at Newberry Crater to 7,984 feet at Paulina Peak, with access via Paulina Lake Road (County Road 21). A Northwest Forest Pass or $5 daily vehicle fee is required at most trailheads. The roadless condition preserves the undisturbed character of the caldera's headwater streams and maintains habitat connectivity across the volcanic landscape.

Hiking and Horseback Riding

The Crater Rim Trail (#3957) is a 17-mile loop circling the Newberry Caldera at elevations between 6,330 and 7,600 feet, rated difficult due to length and lack of water. The Paulina Peak Trail (#3951) is a 4.2-mile round-trip moderate hike with 1,415 feet of elevation gain to the 7,984-foot summit, where 360-degree views extend to Mt. Hood, Mt. Jefferson, the Three Sisters, Broken Top, and Mt. Thielsen. The Peter Skene Ogden National Scenic Trail (#3956) runs 8.5 to 9.5 miles one-way along Paulina Creek with 2,158 feet of elevation gain, passing more than 10 waterfalls including McKay Crossing Falls, Paulina Falls, and Lower Paulina Creek Falls. The Swamp Wells Trail (#3961) is a 21.6-mile primitive route with frequent deadfall in upper sections. Shorter day hikes include the Paulina Lakeshore Loop (#3955, 4.5 miles), Little Crater Loop (#3953, 1.5 miles), Lower Paulina Falls View (#3954.1, 0.2 miles), and Paulina Falls (#3954, 0.3 miles). High-elevation trails are typically snow-covered until late June or July; prime season is late June through October.

Mountain biking is permitted on the Crater Rim Trail in counter-clockwise direction and on the Peter Skene Ogden Trail uphill only—downhill travel must use parallel forest roads or highway. E-bikes are not allowed on the Swamp Wells Trail. Horseback riding is supported from Chief Paulina Horse Camp, with access to the Crater Rim and Newberry Crater trails (#3958, 8.9 miles). Horses are prohibited on the Paulina Lakeshore Loop; a bypass exists around the cliffy section of Paulina Peak Trail near the summit. Weed-free feed is required for all pack and saddle stock. Winter Nordic skiing and snowshoeing use designated Sno-Park routes.

Hunting

The North Paulina Roadless Area lies within the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Paulina Unit (Unit 35), which will become part of the Deschutes Hunt Area (DE-01) for mule deer management starting in 2026. The area supports populations of mule deer, elk, and pronghorn antelope; hunting for elk and mule deer is rated fair, and pronghorn hunting is excellent within the broader management unit. Upland bird hunting includes chukar and quail. Hunting is prohibited within the rim of Newberry Crater (approximately 15 square miles). Controlled hunts include Buck Deer (Paulina Unit 135, Paulina Muzzleloader 135M, Paulina Unit Bow 135R), Elk (Paulina - E Fort Rock 235X and 235Y, Youth 235T, Muzzleloader 235M), and Pronghorn (Paulina Unit 435, Bow 435R, Muzzleloader 435M). Firearm discharge is prohibited within 150 yards of residences, campsites, developed recreation areas, or occupied areas. The terrain is characterized by thick juniper and sagebrush requiring pre-season scouting. Access points include the 10 Mile and 6 Mile Sno-Parks and the Deschutes River Trail, though firearms cannot be discharged from or across the trail. The roadless condition preserves unfragmented habitat and allows hunters to access interior terrain without encountering roads.

Fishing

Mud Springs Creek and Hunter Butte Headwaters support native redband trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and are recognized by Trout Unlimited for safeguarding wild, native fish habitat critical to the downstream Deschutes River fishery. Paulina Creek, which flows from Paulina Lake adjacent to the roadless area, supports redside rainbow trout and brown trout. No stocking programs operate within the roadless area's streams. Anglers access interior headwaters via non-motorized travel from the Newberry Caldera rim or forest roads bordering the northern and eastern boundaries. The Paulina Lakeshore Trail (#3955) and Paulina Falls Day Use Area provide foot access to the western edge where Paulina Creek exits the crater. Fishing follows Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Central Zone regulations. The roadless condition maintains the cold, clean water and intact headwater habitat that sustains native redband trout populations in a remote setting distinct from the heavily visited Paulina and East Lakes.

Photography

Paulina Peak at 7,984 feet offers 360-degree views of the Newberry Caldera, Cascade Range peaks, and Fort Rock Basin. The Paulina Peak Trail includes a viewpoint at approximately 1.25 miles where the path breaks through forest. The Crater Rim Trail (#3957) provides continuous sweeping views of the volcanic landscape and the two lakes below. Paulina Falls is an 80-foot double waterfall with an accessible trail to an overlook. Paulina Lake and East Lake at approximately 6,331 feet offer reflections and volcanic textures. Primitive hot springs on the north shore of Paulina Lake and southeast edge of East Lake require hiking to access. The area supports bird photography during migration seasons, with documented sightings of bald eagles, mule deer, and pollinators on volcanic wildflowers. Paulina Peak is a documented location for sunset and night photography; the summit's high elevation and distance from urban centers provide conditions for viewing the Milky Way. Whitebark Pine (Pinus albicaulis) interpretation is available on Paulina Peak, and the Paulina Peak Trail features Forest Service interpretive signs on local flora and fauna. The roadless condition preserves the dark sky quality and undisturbed landscape character that support quality photography of the volcanic caldera and Cascade Range vistas.