"JEWEL OF THE CASCADES"
The McKenzie is one of the most beautiful streams in the Northwest and offers a fun Oregon whitewater rafting adventure. Clear, clean water reflects and enhances the turquoise of a summer day's sky to an unbelievably rich blue, a shade impossible to duplicate, much less describe. You must experience it for yourself.
Situated entirely in Lane County from headwaters to confluence, the McKenzie flows right through the backyards of Eugene and Springfield. We consider this jewel "our" river, but rather than jealously guard her, we gladly share with our River Friends.
Many people come just to admire the views, camp in beautiful old growth forests, hike the trails, stalk an elusive blacktail deer or Roosevelt elk, soak in natural hot springs, gape at spectacular waterfalls, or just relax in a natural setting that's remarkably close to the second- largest metropolitan area in Oregon.
There's lots of excellent whitewater to test your skills whether you're a veteran kayaker in search of new play spots, or a novice looking for a guided trip. Additionally, the McKenzie serves more utilitarian uses, supplying drinking and irrigation water to thirsty municipalities, plus generating electricity. McKenzie water quality was recently described as "outstanding" by a national water filtration expert.
Most passers-by snatch their first, and only, glimpse of the McKenzie while crossing the Interstate 5 bridge near Coburg. Just downstream is Armitage Park, a beautiful spot for a picnic, or to land after a float trip. This portion of the McKenzie, from Leaburg Dam downstream, is best identified as the "lower" McKenzie, a relatively quiet stretch where the river meanders the edges of Springfield's suburbs before joining with the Willamette River.
For a
real challenge boaters head for the higher reaches of the
McKenzie. Above Leaburg Lake are three distinct stretches.
The "upper" McKenzie rushes along at a brisk pace from
Olallie Campground downstream to Rainbow. Here the
adventure is in dodging rocks through shallow waters and
narrow passages, with barely a moment to appreciate the
beautiful forests and side streams whizzing past you. The
gradient is nearly 60 feet of drop per mile (fpm) in the
first nine miles to appropriately-named Paradise Campground
-- no place for beginners wondering where to steer the
raft! With a good guide, however, even the rankest novice
can enjoy this exciting ride. I've taken children as young
as seven along this run.
Important rapids on
this run include Fish Ladder (rated as Class III or higher,
for a driftboat), a half-dozen shorter drops rated as II+
to III, depending on river volume and boater experience
(Belknap or Salt Springs Rapid as most notable, and Lost
Creek log jam), plus plenty of long and involved whitewater
that's fun but tiring to paddle, like lower Paradise,
ending in a turquoise tinted pool across from the camping
area. (Boaters should stay in the picnic area/boat launch
area whenever possible to avoid conflict with campers,
especially on weekends and holidays. They should also avoid
running over bank anglers' lines or interfering with drift
anglers, so everyone has a pleasant experience on the
McKenzie.)
The toughest part is
the icy waters you do get splashed a lot unless you're in a
big raft, and then your body takes on the same blue tinge
as the river. Make sure you dress warm: a wetsuit and
booties for spring, or polyester fleece and shorts with
nylon rainsuit and wool socks with Teva river sandals on
hot days. Water fighting is fun, but chills you; save the
soakings for late afternoon. We always bring some extra
clothing (and we have wetsuits and paddle jackets available
for early season trips).
This upper run is at
its peak early in the season; some guides begin warming up
their rowing arms as early as March, but most guests want
to go later. By July, the upper river is a trickle -- the
ride is still fun, the scenery still breathtaking, but now
you must pinball through the rock gardens and some of the
hydraulics lose much of their punch. If you boat on your
own, be sure to inquire about current water levels and
river conditions -- the upper river can become extremely
dangerous overnight should a tree fall across the only
navigable channel of a tight bend. For updated information,
check with your guide or the
McKenzie Bridge Ranger Station (541-822-3381). Our guides are always on
top of current conditions on this river; because it's right
in our backyard, we work and play here most every day of
the year!
Camping,
hiking and exploring along the upper reaches is also
rewarding, especially before or after your raft trip with
Wild Water Adventures. Nobody boats above Olallie due to
hazardous falls and log jams, but the McKenzie River Trail,
a nationally-designated scenic trail, offers easy access to
hikers of all abilities. Both trail and river begin
at
Clear Lake, named
for waters that are so incredibly transparent that scuba
divers from across the country have it on their must-see
list. Like a window into another world, the crystalline
waters reveal the underwater scenery to any who pass by.
Boats are allowed on the lake, but no motors are permitted,
to retain the water's clarity and purity. Rental rowboats
are available at a lakeside concession, or you can bring
your own. Fishing is good, too. Your guides or shuttle
drivers know McKenzie country like the back of their hand,
and are happy to point you towards the best fishing spot,
or the best trail.
Skirting lake shoreline
the trail crosses Highway 126 and then begins a long
winding path paralleling remote reaches of the McKenzie,
first on the north bank, then crossing to the south.
Awesome waterfalls interrupt the river:
Sahalie, a
magnificent plunge featured on the Hollywood movie
"Homeward
Bound" (the
falls where the cat is swept away, obviously a stunt
dummy);
Koosah, just
downstream; and Tamolitch, an "occasional" waterfall that
sometimes disappears (it's most stunning in spring with
high water). The Tamolitch Valley around this pool is a
large preserve of native old-growth Douglas fir, draped
with vine maples and lush mosses. Our McKenzie scenery is
classic Oregon: green lands, blue waters, tall trees.
The McKenzie Trail detours around the far side of Sahalie;
for the best views, stop at the Sahalie Falls Rest Area on
the south bank, right off the highway. A paved, wheelchair-
accessible trail leads to outstanding views of this awesome
drop; you can even perch precariously close to the brink,
or feel the spray and revel in the rainbow at the base of
the falls. The short hike down to Koosah is also quite
rewarding.
The names of these
three major waterfalls derive from Chinook Indian jargon.
Tamolitch originally meant "bucket," and the broad blue
pool here surrounded by a rim of volcanic rock does remind
you of a giant bathtub. Above this hiker-only site, the
trail follows an old lava bed that once was the McKenzie,
but is now only dry basalt rock. During an ancient
eruption, lava flowed over the river, forcing it
underground. Enjoyable hiking continues along the
riverside, then the trail crosses over to finish through
deep woods, briefly paralleling the highway near McKenzie
Bridge. The trail is flat and easy to walk for the most
part; with few climbs or switchbacks. Ambitious hikers can
do all of the nearly 30 mile trek in a single day!
If
your feet are sore now, head for a McKenzie hot spring. Two
well-known natural springs are found here: Deer Creek, just
west where the same-name bridge crosses; and Cougar or
Terwilliger, along the McKenzie's South Fork (Forest Road
19). There is also a nice resort with a big outdoor warm
pool at Belknap Hot
Springs, just
beyond the junction with the scenic highway (242). An
enjoyable outing could combine cold water rafting on the
upper McKenzie with a hot water dip at Belknap.
Camping is free or low
cost along the upper river, with many sites along the
McKenzie, its tributaries, or their reservoirs (Trail
Bridge, Cougar, Smith, Blue River Lake). Developed camps
have restrooms, tables and firepits; for showers and RV
hookups, check out the many fine RV parks along the river.
Some trails and other pulbic recreation spots may require a
user permit (especially some of the Three Sisters
Wilderness Areas, and the new Fee Demonstration
areas);
check with the ranger station.
Exploring by foot or
car leads to many discoveries: Wolf Rock, one of the
nation's largest monoliths; covered bridges at Goodpasture
and Rainbow; inviting backwoods lodges that offer a taste
of luxury along with rustic charm (such as
Log Cabin
Inn,
Wayfarer
Resort,
Eagle Rock
Lodge,
Cedarwood
Lodge,
Loloma
Lodge,
Belknap
Lodge,
Caddisfly
Resort, The
Country Place, Harmony Farm, Holiday Farm
Restaurant & Cottages,
Fox Hollow Valley B&B -- check CVALCO
or chamber of
commerces). Or,
call our office for information about these getaways. We
can make recommendations and even help groups or travel
agents make bookings! Pick up maps and brochures at the
ranger station or the visitor center; close inspection
will reveal interesting-sounding places to investigate,
like
Deathball Rock,
Tidbits Creek, Gold Hill (yes, they once found gold in them
thar hills).
Fishing on the McKenzie has long been famous especially
combined with floating. This river produced its very own
fishing dory, the McKenzie driftboat. You'll see some bank
angling on the McKenzie, but for fishing, driftboats rule
the waters. Although we do not offer guided fishing trips
there are many outfitters in the area who do, so if you
want to fish, or just ride high and dry in the dory-style
driftboat, visit our preferred partner page for fishing
guides.
From
Rainbow to Blue River the McKenzie finally takes a break
from the restless pace of the upper reaches. Slowing to a
25-30 fpm gradient, now the river is broadening, gaining
additional volume from side creeks and tributaries. There
are several respectable rapids along this "middle upper"
section: most notably, the Delta log jam (located along a
horseshoe bend of the river downstream of the road 19
bridge; this has been a tight spot since 1985 floods, our
guides choose to avoid this problem area by taking out
above the bridge) and Redside Hole (a hydraulic, or
reversal, identify by the log scaling station located on
the far side of the highway, a fun surfing spot for
kayakers, but small rafts can flip).
The upper river becomes
the middle McKenzie at the Forest Glen Boat Landing in Blue
River. This is a popular put-in site with three paved boat
ramps all suitable for trailered boats. Please help our
guides be courteous towards other boaters -- we don't
inflate rafts on the ramps and we don't leave vehicles
parked there, blocking the access for boats on trailers.
(Almost always, our rafts arrive at the start of your trip
fully inflated and ready to go, so there's little
stand-around time.) There are restrooms here, and at the
popular takeout just above Vida, Helfrich Boat Landing
(another place to avoid ramp-hogging). Weaker boaters might
consider ending their trip at picnic and boating site Ben
& Kay Dorris State Park, just upstream of Thompson's
Lane access (the road into Helfrich), because the largest
rapid on the McKenzie is between these two boat ramps. With
our guides, however, this rapid (Marten) is a real treat.
We can run you through the sissy route, or right into the
big reversal, depending on how much excitement your
boatload of rafters wants!
Like most of the
McKenzie above Leaburg Lake, the middle is rated as Class
II+ overall, good for beginners on their first guided trip,
younger kids, anyone who wants a fun adventure and not a
death-defying whitewater trip (but we can trash you if
that's what you insist on!). Marten Rapids (as noted above,
also spelled Martens) is a very solid Class III
(intermediate level) which can approach Class IV (very
experienced level) if you wind up in the big hydraulic at
the bottom, or if someone falls out of your raft. If you
pay attention to your guide's instructions, though,
Martin's will give you a real whitewater thrill!
The
other high-adventure rapid is Brown's Hole located just
downstream of Bear Creek Rapid (scout location from
highway, as neither rapid is visible to drive bys). Both
rapids develop strong hydraulics during low summer flows,
which can "surf" a raft -- dramatic and exciting if you're
prepared, but dangerous for novices without a guide. Stay
out of these, and off the upper river, if you lack
experience or a good guide/suitable craft, or if you don't
have good life jackets (no Type II's, please -- these can
rip off your body in the turbulence -- we supply every one
of our river guests Ultra Float Type III personal flotation
devices (PFD) or life jackets, which are fully Coast Guard
approved for white water activity).
I know the power of the
McKenzie first hand. I have flipped, rolled, and high sided
many a boat far too many times. However I often take
costumers (or as we like to call you, our river friends)
who seek such thrill and adventure. If rafting on the wild
side is what you seek then make yourself known. Even a
Class II rapid can bump someone out of the boat and into
the river. Generally, on a guided tour, the run is tailored
towards each raftload, with the wave hogs right in the
middle of the action, all the while the nervous Nellies in
the next raft might decide to "sneak" around some waves or
hydraulics. However, whatever type of experience you seek,
from whitewater challenge to a scenic float, from spotting
bald eagles or osprey to lounging in camp or being pampered
in a streamside cabin, you'll find it all along Lane
County's magnificent McKenzie River.
Wild Water Adventures
runs white water trips on the McKenzie every day, all
season long, for groups from of six people and up to 50.
Call NOW to lock in
your Reservation! 541.895.4465
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