McKenzie River Trail

Most people ride or hike it downstream, upper trailhead to lower, which keeps the grade mostly in your favor. Miles below are approximate, measured from the upper trailhead.

1. Upper trailhead to Clear Lake (0–1.5 mi). You start on an old lava flow from Mount Washington, cross a bridge over the newborn McKenzie, and wind through old-growth conifers to Clear Lake, where the Great Spring, a primary source of the river, bubbles up. Clear Lake has a resort with food and a day-use area.
2. The waterfalls (about 4–5 mi). Cross Highway 126 and the trail drops past Sahalie Falls and Koosah Falls. Cyclists must walk bikes on the Waterfalls Trail section or use the McKenzie River Trail alternate.
3. Carmen Reservoir to Tamolitch (about 5–11 mi). Around Carmen Reservoir the river goes underground for most of the year, so the trail follows a dry creekbed with several bridges and some rough lava rock, then reaches the overlook above Tamolitch Blue Pool, where the river reappears.
4. Trail Bridge to Paradise (about 12–23 mi). Past Trail Bridge Reservoir the trail rolls through old-growth forest, briefly joins Forest Road 610, and passes Olallie and Paradise campgrounds. The terrain is undulating, with a few short climbs.
5. Paradise to the lower trailhead (about 23–26 mi). The last stretch passes near Belknap Hot Springs and the McKenzie River Ranger Station and finishes at the lower trailhead, about 1.5 miles east of McKenzie Bridge.

The Forest Service lists ten access points, so you can do the whole thing or just a slice: upper trailhead (Forest Road 777, off Highway 126 just north of Clear Lake Resort), Clear Lake Resort, Clear Lake Day Use Area, Sahalie and Koosah Falls, the Tamolitch trailhead, Forest Roads 2654 and 2650, Paradise Campground, the ranger station, and the lower trailhead.

Doing it one-way

Because the trail is point-to-point, you'll need two cars or a shuttle. McKenzieRiverTrail.com runs shuttles to the upper trailhead.

Short-on-time favorites

The Waterfalls Loop (Sahalie and Koosah) and the out-and-back to Tamolitch Blue Pool from the Tamolitch trailhead are the most popular short versions. Expect heavy congestion near Paradise Campground and on the Clear Lake and Waterfalls loops in summer.

Potable water is available in the campgrounds along the way; treat any other water. Camping is limited to developed campgrounds for a section of the lower trail, so plan your stops around the campgrounds below. The Paradise trailhead has no restrooms or drinking water.

If you've ever wanted to ride your bike through an enchanted forest, chase waterfalls, and high-five a moss-covered tree, this is your trail. It winds like a spaghetti noodle through old-growth forest, lava fields and crystal-clear pools, technical enough to keep mountain bikers grinning and well-marked enough for everyone on foot. Moss so green it looks fake, water so blue you'll doubt your eyes, and lava rock reminding you Oregon has a fiery past. Go read it with your feet.