Make the McKenzie Connection!

Hiking Trails


Backpacking Trails

 

Day Hiking

 


 

Trail Difficulty Ratings

Trail difficulty ratings are generally based on trail condition, steepness of grades, gain and loss of elevation, and the amount and kinds of natural barriers that must be traversed.

  • Easy: 20% grade, ranging from 18 to 24 inches wide with a spot gravel surface.

  • Moderate: 30% grade, ranging from 12 to 18 inches wide with roots, imbedded rocks and some logs in the surface.

  • Difficult: 30% grade, averaging 12 inches wide with no graded treads.

 

 

Hiking Tips (The 12 Essentials)

If you are a newcomer to hiking in Oregon, a few words of caution: weather is unpredictable and changes rapidly. Your trip will be more pleasant if you are prepared for rain or snow even on a sunny summer day. Water found along the trail should always be treated if you decide to drink it.

You should carry:

  • Map and compass

  • Flashlight and batteries

  • Candles

  • Matches, or other fire-starter

    •  make sure matches are protected

  • Small knife.

  • First aid kit

    • carry items that take care of blisters, headaches, etc. 

  • Sunglasses

  • sunscreen & mosquito repellent

  • Mirror & whistle

  • Rain-gear and extra clothing

  • Water

    • at least one quart

  • Extra food

    • high energy snack such as candy, jerky or meat bars


 

Remember: You can’t count on cell phone coverage in remote areas!

 


Trail Locations:


Bear Flat Trail #3301:

 Follow USFS Rd. #19 four miles. At Cougar Dam turn left unto USFS Rd. #1993 for 14 miles, then right to Pat Saddle Trailhead. Park and follow Olallie Trail 4 miles. Length: 7.1 miles. Use: Light. Difficulty: Moderate.


Benson Lake Trail #3502:

Drive on Highway 242 about 17 miles to the Scott Lake Road 260. Take the road to the end.

Length: 6 miles. Use: Medium to High. Difficulty: Easy to Moderate.


Buck Mountain Trail #3304:

Follow USFS Rd. #15 five miles. Turn onto USFS Rd. # 1509 for 0.5 miles, then turn left unto USFS Rd. #1510, go 3.5 miles to the trailhead. Length: 2.5 miles. Use: Light. Difficulty: Moderate to difficult.


Carpenter Mountain Trail #3302:

Follow Road 15 for 3.5 miles to the 1506 road. Travel east on the 1506 road for 7 miles, then turn north on the 350. The trail is located at the end of 350 about 6 miles up. Length: 1 mile. Use: Low. Difficulty: Moderate.


Castle Rock Trail #3506:

Follow USFS Rd. #19 for 0.5 miles. At the stop sign go straight onto USFS Rd. #19-410 for 1.75 miles, and then turn left onto USFS Rd. #19-411 for 2.25 miles. Length: 2.6 miles. Use: Light. Difficulty: Easy to moderate.


Chucksney Mountain Trail #3306:

Follow USFS Rd. #19 for 32 miles and turn right into the Box Canyon Horse Camp. The junction with the Chucksney Mountain Trail is a 0.5-mile hike up the Grasshopper Trail. Length: 6.0 miles. Use: Moderate. Difficulty: Moderate to difficult.


Clear Lake Loop Trail # 3507:

Access from the Clear Lake Resort or from Cold Water Cove Campground on the east side of the resort area. Length: 5 miles. Use: Heavy. Difficulty: Moderate.


Crossing Way Trail #3307:

Follow USFS Rd. #19 for 26 miles. Turn left unto USFS Rd. #1958 and continue for another 3 miles. Length: 6.3 miles. Use: Moderate. Difficulty: Moderate to difficult.


Deer Butte Trail # 3508:

Take Rd. 2649 (Scott Creek) about 8 miles to Rd. 676. Turn left and drive about  mile to the end of the road and Fingerboard Prairie Trailhead. The trail can also be accessed from the Benson Trail No. 3502; Park at the Tenas Trailhead on Rd. 640. To access from the Robinson Lake Trailhead, take Rd. 2664 (Robinson Lake) from Hwy. 126. Turn right and park at the trailhead about 4 miles down Rd. 2664.


Delta Nature Trail #3317:

Follow USFS Rd. #19 for 0.25 miles and turn right into the Delta Campground. Continue into the campground and park in the Nature Trail parking lot. Length: 0.5 miles. Use: Heavy. Difficulty: Easy.


East Fork Trail #3308:

Take USFS Rd. #19 four miles to the top of Cougar Dam. At the dam turn left unto USFS Rd. #1993 and travel 4 more miles to the far eastern end of the Echo Boat Ramp parking lot. Length: 5.9 miles. Use: Light to moderate. Difficulty: Moderate.


Echo Trail # 3309:

Follow Road 19 for 3 miles to Cougar Dam. Turn left onto Rd. 1993 for 2.8 miles to the East Fork Trailhead. Length: 2.6 miles. Use: Light. Difficulty: More Difficult.


Elk Creek Trail #3510:

Take USFS Rd. #19 for 24 miles, turn left unto USFS Rd. #1964 for 2.25 miles, and then turn left unto USFS Rd. #456 to the Elk Creek trailhead. Length: 8.8 miles. Use: Light to moderate. Difficulty: Difficult to moderate.


Foley Ridge Trail # 3511:

Take Road 2643 about 9-1/2 miles to junction with a spur road - stay left and follow the Foley Trailhead signs. Foley Ridge Trailhead is located at the end of the road, about 2 more miles. Length: 8.5 miles. Use: Medium to Heavy during big game hunting season. Difficultly: Moderate with steep pitches.


French Pete Trail #3311:

Follow USFS Rd. #19 for 11 miles to arrive at the French Pete Trailhead parking lot. Length: 9.7 miles. Use: Heavy. Difficulty: Moderate to difficult.


Frissel Trail #3512:

Take the dump road (Refuse Disposal Site) stay to the right on USFS Rd. #2633-705. The road forks again after app. 1 mile stay to the right on USFS Rd. #2633-700. At the junction of a private road, take the left fork (USFS Rd. #2633-704) for app. 3/4 mile. Length: 2.5 miles. Use: Light. Difficulty: Moderate to difficult.


Grasshopper Trail #3569:

Take USFS Rd. #19 for 32 miles to the Box Canyon Horse Camp. Length: 13.5 miles. Use: Light. Difficulty: Moderate to difficult.


Hand Lake Trail #3513:

Take Highway 242 about 18 miles to the Hand Lake Trailhead, a small pullout is located on the right side of the highway. Length: 9 miles. Use: Medium to High. Difficulty: Easy to Moderate.


Horse Creek Trail # 3514:

Take Horse Creek Road No. 2638 about 9-1/2 miles to Horse Creek Trailhead. Length: 13 miles. Use: Low. Difficultly: Moderate to Difficult.


Horsepasture Mountain Trail # 4347:

Take Horse Creek Road for 2 miles and turn right on Road 1993. The trailhead is located about 10 miles up Road 1993 on the right. Length: 1.2 miles. Use: Medium. Difficulty: Difficult.


Indian Ridge Trail #3315:

Follow USFS Rd. #19 for11.5 miles. Turn right unto USFS Rd. #1980-247 and follow it for 2 miles to an old clear-cut unit and the trailhead. Length: 2 miles. Use: Light. Difficulty: Moderate.


King Castle Trail #4326:

Take Horse Creek Rd. (#2638) and follow it 2 miles to King Rd. (#2639). Take King Road another 3.5 miles. Length: 3 miles. Use: Moderate. Difficulty: Moderate


Lava River Trail #3540:

Follow Hwy. 242 to the Dee Wright Observatory. Length: 0.5 miles. Use: Heavy. Difficulty: Easy.


Linton Lake Trail #3519:

Take Hwy 242 to milepost 65.5. The access point is 1/4 mile west of the Alder Springs Campground. Length: 1.2 miles. Use: Heavy. Difficulty: Easy.


Lookout Creek Old-Growth Trail #4105:

Take Forest Road #15 and continue driving 3 1/2 more miles, past Blue River Reservoir, to Forest Road #1506. Turn right and proceed about 7 miles to the lower marked trailhead or 10 miles to the upper trailhead. Length: 2.6 miles. Use: Low. Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult.


Louise Creek Trail #3520:

This is an internal wilderness connector trail, accessed from Separation Lake Trail #3536 or Foley Ridge Trail #3511. Length: 7.3 miles from Jct. Separation Lake Trail #3536 to Buck Meadows. Use: Medium. Difficulty: Moderate with steep pitches.


Lowder Mountain Trail #3329:

Take USFS Rd. #19 for 4 miles to Cougar Dam. At the dam turn left onto USFS Rd. #1993. Drive 10 miles to the junction of USFS Rd. #1993 and USFS Rd. #555. Length: 10.75 miles. Use: Light. Difficulty: Moderate to difficult.


McBee Trail #3523:

Follow USFS Rd. #19 for 32 miles to the Box Canyon Guard Station, turn left unto USFS Rd. #1957 and travel 0.5 miles. Length: 15 miles. Use: Light to moderate. Difficulty: Moderate to difficult.


McKenzie River Trail #3507:

Milepost 52 on Hwy. 126. Length: 27 miles. Use: Heavy. Difficulty: Easy.


Nash Lake Trail #3527:

Turn onto Horse Creek Road and travel 5 1/2 miles to the end of the road. Follow Horse Creek Trail for 6.5 miles. Length: 8.4 miles. Use: Heavy. Difficulty: Moderate with steep pitches.


Obsidian Trail # 3528:

Drive 16.7 miles up Highway 242 to the Obsidian Trailhead. Length: 4.2 miles. Use: Heavy. Difficulty: Difficult.


Olallie Trail #3529:

Take USFS Rd. #19 for 4 miles to Cougar Dam and turn left unto USFS Rd. #1993. Travel another 14 miles to Pat Saddle trailhead. Length: 12.2 miles. Use: Light to moderate. Difficulty: Moderate.


Olallie Mountain Trail #4100:

Follow USFS Rd. #19 for 4 miles to Cougar Dam. At the dam turn left unto USFS Rd. #1993 for 14 miles to Pat Saddle trailhead. From the trailhead hike up the Olallie Trail #3529 for 2.25 miles to the junction with the Olallie Mtn. Trail. Length: 1.4 miles. Use: Moderate. Difficulty: Difficult.


O'Leary Mountain Trail # 3321:

Follow Rd. 19 (Cougar Dam) to Rd 1900-410 for 2 miles toward the powerhouse at Cougar Dam and turn east on 1900-411 and proceed 2.5 miles. Length: 9.1 miles. Use: Low. Difficulty: More to Most Difficult.

 


Patjens Lake Trail #3395:

From Hwy. 20, go right to the Hoodoo Ski Bowl and turn right again. Follow USFS Rd. #2690 to the west end of Big Lake. Length: 5.6 miles. Use: Heavy. Difficulty: Moderate, occasionally steep.


Proxy Falls Loop Trail #3532:

Follow Hwy. 242 for 9.7 miles. Length: 1.5-mile loop. Use: Heavy. Difficulty: Easy.


Quaking Aspen Trail # 3332:

Take Rd. 19 for 3 miles to Cougar Dam and turn left onto Rd. 1993 for 12 miles to Lowder Trailhead. Length: 1.9 miles. Use: Low Difficulty: More Difficult.


Rainbow Falls Trail # 3543:

Take Road 2643 about 6 miles to trailhead on right side of the road. Length: 1-1/2 miles. Use: Low. Difficulty: Easy.


Rebel Creek Trail #3323:

Take USFS Rd. #19 for 14 miles to the Rebel trailhead. Length: 9.2 miles. Use: Moderate. Difficulty: Moderate to difficult.


Rebel Rock Trail #3324:

Take USFRS Rd. #19 for 14 miles to the Rebel trailhead. Length: 6.5 miles. Use: Moderate. Difficulty: Moderate to difficult.


Roaring Ridge Trail # 3312Take Rd. 19 (Cougar Dam) for 25.5 miles, turn left onto Rd. 1958 and continue on for 6.5 miles. Length: 2.9 miles. Use: Low. Difficulty: More Difficult.

 


Robinson Lake Trail #4342:

Take USFS Rd. #2664 (Robinson Lake Rd.) for 4 miles to the trailhead. Length: 0.25 miles. Use: Medium. Difficulty: Easy.


Scott Trail #3531:

Travel for 14 miles on Hwy. 242. Parking is across the highway on USFS Rd. #260. Length: 5 miles. Use: Heavy. Difficulty: Moderate to difficult.


Scott Mountain Trail #4339:

Take the Scott Lake Road 260 to the end, where the trailhead for Benson Lake Trail is located, then 3 miles to the junction of the Scott Mountain Trail. Length: 1 mile. Use: Medium to High. Difficultly: Moderate.


Separation Lake Trail #3536:

At Hwy. 126 milepost 53, turn right unto USFS Rd. #2643 (Foley Ridge Rd.). The trailhead is located on USFS Rd. #480. Length: 6 miles. Use: Moderate. Difficulty: Moderate.


South Fork Trail #3327:

Take USFS Rd. #19 for 23 miles to USFS Rd. #19-441. Drive 0.5 miles to the trailhead. Hike up the Olallie Trail #3529, for 1 mile. The South Fork Trail leaves Olallie Trail to the right. Length: 2.1 miles. Use: Moderate. Difficulty: Easy.

 


Terwilliger Hot Springs #3319:

Travel on Aufderheide Drive for 7.5 miles to Terwilliger Hot Springs parking lot. The hike is 1/4 mile to the hot springs. Use: Heavy.


Tidbits Trail #3328:

Follow USFS Rd. #15 for 4.7 miles to USFS Rd. #1509. Travel another 8 miles. It’s another 1/4-mile walk along the logging spur road to the trailhead. Length: 2.8 miles. Use: Light. Difficulty: Moderate to difficult.

 


Walker Creek Trail #3330:

Take USFS Rd. #19 for 4 miles to Cougar Dam. Turn left onto USFS Rd. #1993 and travel 10 miles to the junction of USFS Rd. #1993 and #555. The Lowder Mtn. and Walker Creek trailheads are on the right side of the road. Hike up Lowder Mtn. Trail #3329 for 2 miles to the junction of Walker Creek Trail: 8.4 miles. Use: Light to moderate. Difficulty: Difficult.


Waterfalls Loop Trail # 3507:

Access from the parking areas of Sahalie Falls and Koosah Falls Viewpoints. Length: 3 miles. Use: Heavy. Difficulty: Moderate.


Wildcat Trail #3331:

Take USFS Rd. #19 for 23 miles to USFS Rd. #19-441 and go 0.5 miles to the trailhead. Hike up the Olallie Trail #3529 for 4.6 miles. Wildcat Trail is on the right, just after the Rebel Creek Trail #3323. Length: 5.6 miles. Use: Light. Difficulty: Moderate.


Yankee Mountain Trail # 3318:

Take Rd. 19 (Cougar Dam) and proceed 11 miles to the French Pete Trailhead parking lot. Length: 3.7 miles. Use: Low. Difficulty: Most Difficult.

 


McKenzie River Reflections

 

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