^Mhi^niounds
Following the McKenzie
“What nature delivers us is
never stale liceause what nature
creates has eternity in it
Isaac Hashes is Sniper
Spring in Oregon is the out
door lover’s paradise.
Opportunities abound lor
enthusiasts to till their leisure
time hiking, fishing ami camp
mg. ami threaten to infringe on
non-leisure time as well A short
drive from Kugene can transport
one to a place perfect for such
outdoor pursuits the utopia
that is the McKenzie River
frail
Hu ill as a National Recreation
Trail in 1976, it was the first of
its kind in Oregon The 26.5
miles of riverside pathway pro
vidcs access to several
breathtaking sights and also to
the Paradise. Olallie. I rail
Bridge, lee Cap and Cold water
Cove campgrounds The trail
begins 55 miles east of Fugenc
on Highway 126. 15 miles past
the hamlet ol McKenzie Bridge,
and ends one mile from Clear
lake on the Old Santiam Wagon
Road A gentle l.5<X> climb
awaits the hiker, ami not to
worry, the trail is elosed to ail
stock and motorized traffic
Near the end of the trail a recent
addition adds another 5 miles by
circling Clear lake
The trail has a long history,
stretching back 5.(XX) years Ac
cording to Phil Raab of the IJ.S.
Forest Service, the area below
Koosah Falls has yielded some
archeological finds known as
"lilhic scatter sites." These
sites have produced a variety of
small objects, including pieces
of obsidian left front tools
manufactured by early
inhabitants
The Tamolitch Valley also
contains evidence of the trail be
ing used as an important travel
corridor in earlier times
About ten years ago. the U S
Forest Service began construc
tion on what is now the lower
half of the trail The upper half
was built in I WO
Over three miles of the con
necting loop around Clear l-akc
were built by a lone volunteer.
Raah says. The entire lo»>p will
he dedicated and the volunteer
identified in a formal ceremony
June .V
Use of the trail varies from
section to section Raab
estimates that 1,000 hikers per
year use the full route, " and
that's an optimistic outlook." he
adds. The stretch between Ice
Cap Campground and Clear
Lake has 5,000 users per year
But use of the trail near McKen
zie Bridge by joggers and sum
mer residents adds to the figure
As for trail facilities, tradi
tionally ill campsites are open
by Memorial Day weekend
Many open with reduced sei
vices in time for fishing season,
then expand to full service by the
holiday. Raab says Small por
lions of the trail close during
winter snows, but it is rare to
find the entire trail closed,
Hquipmcnt required for the
hiking trail includes only the
basics For the upper end of the
trial, Kaab recommends sturdy
hiking shtx*s. a day pack with
minor essentials, anil, of course,
a map of the trail The lower
portion, from the trailhead to
Paradise bridge, can he hiked in
tennis shoes.
For the hiker coming from
town. Lane Transit District of
fers buses that go to the McKen
zie Ranger Station in the morn
mg and return in the afternoon
“It gives the hiker that doesn't
want to drive up an opportunity
to get in five or six hours of hik
ing," Raab says
“It's a neat concept The trail
is a raw gem waiting to be
discovered."
Rut statistics alone cannot
convey the sense of peace one
can find on the trail That is an
experience all its own
The adventure begins with a
relaxing drive through such pro
verbial “wide spots in the road”
as Walterville. Ixaburg and
Vida, twisting beside the
McKenzie's course and offering
spectacular views of rushing
water, the Goodpasture Covered
Bridge, and occassionally the
Three Sisters peaks when the
sky is clear
The trail officially begins at an
unpretentuHis little sign just over
a mile past the McKenzie River
Ranger Station A few steps off
the highway lakes one into what
appears as the heart of
the wilderness, and
only the roar ol the
ri ver breaks the
silence
The trail is narrow,
but the vegetation has
been trimmed enough
to allow hikers to
travel single file As
the sun filters through
the magnificent old
growth, a lull range
of typical Western
Cascade slope flora
and fauna thrive
below Thitnblcbcrry,
sallal. trillium and the
fragile lady's slipper
orchid can be spotted
At this time of the
year. Oregon grape
and wild rhododen
dron are in full
flower. Lichens cover
the rocks with their
mosaic patterns while
the mountain runoff
creates tiny grottos,
teeming w ith life. Lull
is also a spectacular
time on the trail,
when magificent color
abounds
Wildlife watching is
sporadic on the (rail,
but you can see coyote
and an occasional
black bear now and
then Deer and elk
Photo by John Giustina
koosuh Falls (above) is one of two spectacular falls on the
McKenzie River Trail. The narrow Trail Bridge (below), was
built from a single log. It is located above Sahalie Falls.
arc common during winter mon
ths and migrating ducks use the
reservoirs as stopovers. Squir
rets and other small mammals
are year round sights
At the six mark the trail
crosses Buck Bridge and swit
ches to the other side of the
river. Farther up you discover
the Hugenc Water & Electric
Board's spawning channel, and
lust past the channel you find the
rustic Trail Bridge, created Iron)
a single log Below, the river is
w ide and turbulent, hut the clari
t> of the water is remarkable due
to the filtering performed b\ the
volcanic rocks on the bottom.
The most breathtaking sights
on the trail, and well worth the
21 mile hike to get there, are the
Koosah and Sahalic waterfalls.
If you happen to possess a faint
heart or are “weak of sole",
however, you can gain highway
access to Sahalic around the
22-nnle mark
An ominous thunder w arns the
approaching hiker, and suddenly
the McKenzie spills over a sheer
drop into a violent, churning
pool The wind wafts a cooling
spray upward, refreshing the
air The water at the bottom of
the pool appears carbonated, a
mass of bubbles. The
aquamarine blue of the pool
seems almost artificial, but
you’ll find nothing like it outside
of nature.
The trail climbs precariously
between the falls, much steeper
and more winding than its
previous miles, bui alter scarce
ly a mile, awe inspiring Sahalie
Falls appears
The trail ends at Clear Lake,
aptly named for the visibility
that divers claim extends to 2(X)
feet. Fishermen sometimes com
plain that the divers are all too
visible to the fish inhabiting the
icy waters, hampering the area's
angling
Other sights along the trail in
elude the numerous bridges, the
Fish l.akc Guard Station, which
was originally built as a pack
station for horse travelers, and
the wild rhododendrons that
embellish one of Oregon's most
scenic and rewarding areas
- MKLISSA St'HUKAK
Photo by John Giustina