Waterfall

McKay Crossing Falls

McKay Crossing Falls
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About This Waterfall

Located just outside Newberry National Volcanic Monument south of Bend. Follow Highway 97 21 miles south of Bend to Paulina Lake Road, signed for the monument, Paulina and East Lakes. Follow Paulina Lake Road for 3.2 miles and turn left at the sign for McKay Crossing campground. Follow this gravel road for another 2 1/3 miles to the campground. The falls occur about 500 feet downstream of the bridge over Paulina Creek - follow the sign for the falls at the main road (parking at the bridge is easiest).Through the wonders of the Internet, I was able to find mention of several small waterfalls along Paulina Creek in the stretch below Paulina Falls. One of which was called Boilerpot Falls. I had long assumed that this was the same waterfall located beneath McKay Crossing, but a quick consultation to the photo I originally found shows this not to be the case, so McKay Crossing Falls turns out to be an added bonus. This pretty waterfall splashes about 23 feet into a small gorge just downstream from a rather dusty campground. Upstream of the falls, Paulina Creek flows through pretty grassy meadows - more scenery well worth the attention of your camera. I don't know where for certain Boilerpot Falls occurs along Paulina Creek, but I imagine it is somewhere within a mile of this location. Since I wasn't able to locate the trailhead for larger Island Falls upstream, I will have to return at a later date to explore the area more thoroughly.

Waterfall Details

Waterfall Form

Plunge

Best Time to Visit

Year Round

Total Height

23ft

Tallest Drop

23ft

Number of Drops

1

Run

5ft

Avg Width

10ft

Pitch

90°

Magnitude

18.34

High Flow

15cfs

IWC Rating:0
Feeder Stream:Deschutes River Paulina Creek
View on World Waterfall Database

Getting There

GPS Coordinates

43.716610, -121.378900

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Quick Facts

TypeWaterfall
FormPlunge
Best SeasonYear Round
StatusCataloged

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Tips

📸

Best photos during golden hour or after rain.

🅿️

Parking available nearby.

Safety Info

Stay on marked trails. Rocks near waterfalls are extremely slippery.

Never swim at the top of a waterfall. Strong currents can be deceptive.

Respect the environment. Pack out everything you bring in.