East Lake is a popular recreation lake in a setting of wooded shorelines, sandy beaches and brilliant blue-green water. The lake is one of two exceptional trout lakes nestled in the caldera of the Newberry National Volcanic Monument, the largest ice-age volcano in Oregon. In addition to fishing for kokanee, rainbow trout, Atlantic salmon, chub, and brown trout, people come to this lake to picnic and camp. East Lake shares this outstanding geologic area with Paulina Lake and both lakes are well known for their large brown trout. East lake is one of the finest and most traditional fisheries in Oregon, regularly producing brown trout over 10 pounds. The lake record for brown trout is a 22.5 pounds. Brown. Rainbow trout are also popular using all kinds of angling techniques. East Lake is 6,381 feet above sea level, is approximately a mile in diameter, and the average depth is just over 67 feet. The lake is fed by snowmelt and underground springs. Covering over 500 square miles, Newberry Volcano is one of the largest shield volcanoes in the lower 48 states. The area was named after J. S. Newberry, a scientist attached to the 1853 railroad surveying party. The volcano's summit contains a seventeen square mile caldera, also referred to as Newberry Crater, formed as the top of the volcano collapsed when the magma chamber beneath emptied out. The caldera may have Originally contained one large lake, like Crater Lake. However, more recent eruptions divided the crater into two crystal clear lakes, separated by pumice, ash, and lava flows. Motorized and non-motorized boats are allowed on this body of water. For boat launch information see East Lake Boating Site , Cinderhill Boating Site , Hot Springs Boating Site and East Lake Resort.
From Bend, OR: Travel south on Highway 97 for approximately 20.3 miles, then turn left at County Road 21 (Paulina-East Lake Road) and travel 16 miles to the East Lake Campground.