The Best Way To Hike The McKenzie River The McKenzie River Trail is just over 25 miles long, perfect for mountain bikers to bomb down in a day, but not day hike-able for most of us. Luckily, the ...

The most common way to hike to popular Blue Pool on the McKenzie River Trail will be closed on weekdays from July 16 to July 30 for a habitat restoration project.

Urness is the author of “ Best Hikes with Kids: Oregon ” and “ Hiking Southern Oregon.” He can be reached at [email protected] or (503) 399-6801. Find him on X at @ZachsORoutdoors.

The McKenzie River disappears at Carmen Reservoir, then resurfaces several miles downstream at Tamolitch Falls (also commonly known as Blue Pool), another beautiful 2-mile day hike.

The McKenzie in the late winter and spring is just as alluring, albeit for a different reason — the waterfalls that are a main attraction of the river are gushing in all their glory.