Cinder Hill Campground

A lot of people really love this campground and I had high hopes, but I was disappointed.  This campground is right on East Lake at Newberry National Volcanic Monument.  It's fairly long and narrow with quite a few sites, some right on the water.  No sites have utilities and the bathrooms were old, fairly dirty pit toilets (except one which had two flush toilets).  

The first issue I had with this campground was that the sites are fairly closely packed.  You can see in the photos below that there was little privacy.  The second issue I had was the bathrooms were old, rundown and quite smelly.  The worse issue though was the bugs.  They were horrible.  I'm willing to concede they probably are not all year, but our 4 days were not good.

Pros:

* Lake access with fishing, kayaking, etc...

* Close to the East Lake Resort if you want a bite to eat out

* Hiking trails leave right from the campground

Cons:

* Bathrooms

* Insects (at least seasonally)

* Little to no privacy

OK:

* The lake was not pristine, it looks like its been invaded by non native grasses and algae

At the end of the road, after passing several other campgrounds, RV parks and cabins, you'll come to Cinder Hill campground. Quite a few spots, so if you've tried to get something at East Lake campground or another nearby and it's booked up, this may be your best bet.

In general, a nice campground with lake access and a beach and bathrooms. The main thing to know about this one in particular is that there are some really nice spots and some that are way less nice. As you're approaching the campground, for example, there's quite a few very tiny spots that are right on the road with no privacy at all. Others closer to the lake are huge with semi-direct access to the beach. Some are super deep with lots of room but no easy access to water, others are on weird slopes but with great views.

Overall, if you can, take your time and you may find a really nice spot. Or at a minimum, a place to lay your head if others are booked.

Nice campground on East Lake. Stayed here for a night in August, and it was very pleasant.  Having the East Lake resort and store close by is a nice amenity, as we were able to pop over to pick up some food and essentials. Of course there are a bazillion hikes and things to do in the area, so all around this is a well rounded camping option.

Really nice big Campground with bathrooms and water.  

We were at campsite 59 which was full of ants (the camp host said that one was one of the worst and the people before us who had severe allergies had to leave).  Also in front of a mini trail to the lake so lots of people walking through our site.  Also had to walk all of our stuff in as the parking lot is right there but a bit down (Which I prefer but people with ADA issues may want to be aware). Overall more of an RV park but a nice place.

Beautiful campground. No utilities. Lake and sky gorgeous. Boats max 10 mph so everyone can enjoy.

Beautiful campground location on the shores of East Lake. Many campsites available along the shoreline with gorgeous views. Other spots are less exciting but still close to walk down to the busy and popular beach.

Flush toilets. Boat launch available. If you aren’t along the shoreline, many of the spots are not that secluded. As it is the end of the road, you're more often able to find available camp sites, though you are further from Paulina Lake lodge, the visitor center, and other park amenities.

Gets cold at night but perfect during the day.

My wife and I went camping here with some friends in the summer of 2017. The site we stayed at (number unknown) was clean and there was easy access to a water pump and bathrooms (actual plumbing). The East lake and Paulina lake area have some good trails to hike and ride horses on that are well-used and matched the maps that we downloaded. If you hike them, bring lots of water since it's a dry area and there are not a lot of streams to refill and filter water from. Also bring plenty of sunscreen since the forest canopy is not very thick.

The lake is wonderful! The water was crystal clear and a comfortable temperature for a post-hike swim. Be sure to wear sandals on the beach since it is made up of coarse volcanic rock. You can walk barefoot, but you sure as heck won't be recreating any Top Gun volleyball scenes. If you're using inflatable furniture on the beach, I recommend putting down a tarp to protect from any sharp edges.

Dang, Paulina and East Lakes are beautiful. Walk out to the lake on a clear, dark night for the most beautiful view of the stars you've ever seen. We loved our time here. Some great hikes start from this area, and the lake is great for water activities. Make sure to check out the hot springs along the shore of Paulina Lake. Oh, and it IS pronounced Paul-I-Nuh. I'd heard that and Paul-eeh-nuh. And turns out the first is correct.