Olallie Campground

A small streamside campground where Olallie Creek meets the McKenzie, and the put-in for one of the upper river’s steadier whitewater runs.

•Primitive access — unimproved or minimally developed access, maintained less often. Conditions can vary — best suited to hand-carried craft, and worth scouting before you rely on it for anything larger.

On the water here

confirm ratings locally

KayakWell-known put-in for the Olallie-to-Paradise run

Whitewater raftClass III

Drift boatRunnable by experienced oarsmen; tight and continuous water

FishingRiver and creek fishing right from camp

CanoeContinuous Class III water, not open-canoe terrain

PaddleboardCurrent and rapids make this unsuitable for SUP

Access type

Campground with informal river access; no developed boat ramp, hand-carry put-in used by paddlersverify

Managed by

U.S. Forest Service, Willamette National Forest — McKenzie River Ranger District

River side

North side of the river, along Highway 126verify

Coordinates

44.255° N, 122.039° Wverify

Day-use fee

$25/night camping; day-use parking generally requires a Northwest Forest Passverify

Nearest town

McKenzie Bridge, about 11 mi westverify

Olallie Campground is a small, 16-site Forest Service campground tucked where Olallie Creek runs into the McKenzie, about 11 miles east of the community of McKenzie Bridge. It doesn’t have a built boat ramp — there’s no concrete slab or trailer lane here — but it’s a well-established hand-carry put-in for paddlers running the upper river, and its lower loop sits close enough to the bank that campers can walk straight down to the water.

For whitewater kayakers, this is a functional launch point, not a scenic pulloff: it marks the top of the popular Olallie-to-Paradise run, a continuous Class III stretch through the forest.

More detail

Getting there & parking +

From McKenzie Bridge, drive east on Highway 126 for about 11 miles. Olallie Campground is on the north side of the highway; the entrance is well marked, and the lower camp loop sits closest to the river.

ParkingCampground and roadside parking near the lower loop; a Northwest Forest Pass is generally required for day-use vehicles

SurfaceGravel campground road, dirt/gravel path to the water

Trailer turnaroundNot applicable — hand-carry access only; there is no ramp for trailered boats

Facilities & accessibility +

Vault toilets
Drinking water
Picnic tables
Camp host on site
Firewood for purchase

Built for camping, not boat traffic — paddlers use the campground’s own access, so expect no dedicated launch infrastructure.

River conditions & hazards +

The run below Olallie is rated Class III and continuous, with almost nonstop rapids rather than long, calm pools between features — this is not a relaxed float. The notable named hazard downstream is Fish Ladder Rapid, visible and scoutable from Highway 126 near milepost 16. As on any forested stretch of the upper McKenzie, wood — fallen trees and sweepers — is the primary hazard to watch for, and it can change from season to season, so a visual check before committing is worthwhile.

Nearby landings & float planner +

Upstream — Trail Bridge Campground~1 mi · reservoir access, not river current

Downstream — Paradise Campground~8.3 mi · standard take-out for the Olallie run, Class III water

Olallie and Paradise form one of the most consistently run whitewater segments on the upper McKenzie.

Fishing at this landing +

Both the McKenzie mainstem and Olallie Creek offer wild trout fishing right from the campground, in classic cold, fast upper-river water.

Current ODFW regulations for the McKenzie zone →