The West Cascades National Scenic Byway

This West Cascades National Scenic Byway runs along the west side of the Cascade Mountain Range from Estacada, in the north in Clackamas County, through Detroit in Marion County, Linn County, and McKenzie Bridge to Westfir, near Oakridge, southeast of Eugene in Lane County.  Estacada is on state route OR211 which connects to the north with US26 at Sandy and to the west with Interstate 5 at Woodburn.

Maps:  Click here for a map of Oregon's counties. The Oregon Birding Trails web site has information about sites in the Cascades for observing birds and useful maps to assist with driving directions.  The page for the Three Sisters Loop has a map with good details for Deschutes County.  The Oregon Department of Transportation has very useful maps of Clackamas County, Marion County, Linn County and Lane County on its web site.

The first leg of the byway, north to south, follows OR224/The Clackamas Highway southbound from Estacada through the Mount Hood National Forest to Ripplebrook where it continues along Forest Service Road 46/The Clackamas River Road.  FS46 then runs east and south to Breitenbush Springs and Detroit on OR22/The North Santiam Highway (70 miles / 113 km) in the Willamette National Forest.  The Bull of the Woods Wilderness can be accessed from several points along Forest Service Road 46.  There are many opportunities for camping and observing wildlife in this area.

Parts of the FS46 leg are usually closed from late fall through late spring because of snow at higher elevations.  Check locally for road conditions or contact a forest service ranger office.

Detroit Lake State Recreation Area and the Mongold Day Use Area are adjacent to the byway near Detroit.  The photograph to the left shows the lake with Mount Jefferson rising above the Willamette National Forest.  The byway continues eastbound on OR22 then southbound to its junction with US20 at the Santiam Junction.  (31.7 miles / 51.0 km)  Most of this section lies close to the North Santiam River and provides scenic views and access to a number of recreational sites.

The Willamette National Forest has information about recreational opportunities in this area it defines as the North Santiam Travel Corridor.

The third section follows US20 westbound between the Santiam Junction and OR126 which runs south- and westbound towards the Eugene/Springfield area.  (3.4 miles / 5.3 km)  This is also part of the Santiam Pass Scenic Byway.  US20 to the west of this junction forms part of the Over the Rivers and Through the Forests Scenic Byway and the the Santiam Wagon Road and the Santiam Wagon Trail. 

	The section of OR126/The Clear Lake-Belknap Springs Highway that runs southbound from its junction with US20 to Forest Service Road 19 / Cougar Dam Road (29.4 miles / 47.3 km) forms another part of the byway. A short distance south of US20 the byway passes
the northern trailhead of the McKenzie River National Recreation Trail which includes the Clear Lake Loop Trail, around Clear Lake (photograph above), and the Waterfalls Loop Trail leading to Sahalie Falls and Koosah Falls.

Clear Lake is the source for the McKenzie River which runs adjacent to OR126 for most of its distance to Springfield. 

Information about recreational opportunities in the McKenzie Travel Corridor is available on the Willamette National Forest web site. The river, seen to the right as it passes Belknap Springs, is also popular as a location for whitewater rafting with trips organized by local commercial services.

The southern end of the McKenzie River Trail ends near the Willamette Forest Ranger Station east of McKenzie Bridge. OR242/The McKenzie Pass Scenic Byway has its western connection with OR126 between Belknap Springs and McKenzie Bridge.

The final section of the byway returns into the National Forest via Forest Service Road 19 / Cougar Dam Road towards the dam (photo to the right) and turns southbound to pass to the west of the Three Sisters Wilderness and on the north side of the Waldo Lake Wilderness to end at Westfir, near
Oakridge and OR58. (60 miles / 96 km to OR58).  The Middle Fork Travel Corridor map on the Willamette National Forest web site has information about recreational opportunities in this area.  The Office (Westfir) Covered Bridge is in Westfir.

Part of the route along FS19 is usually closed because of snow at higher elevations from late fall through spring.  Check locally for road conditions or contact a Willamette National Forest ranger office.

There are many scenic views and recreational opportunities for visitors to enjoy along this route so that they could spend a leisurely three or four days or more to experience all it has to offer.  There are many forest, state park and private  camping sites along the byway with motels and other lodging facilities near the northern and southern ends, in the Detroit area and along OR126.

The Oregon Department of Transportation has a very good article about the byway that will supplement the material above.  See also the West Cascades Scenic Byway and West Cascades National Scenic Byway the Robert Aufderheide Memorial Drive.

Except for Estacada, Detroit, and the McKenzie Bridge and Oakridge areas, services for gasoline are very limited along the byway.

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