A hike along the East Fork of the McKenzie River

Step pools along the east Fork McKenzie River

A friend and I took advantage of a free Sunday to head out of town for a hike. We chose a nearby trail head - barely an hour from Eugene - which offered an almost guaranteed opportunity for a seven mile (one-way) wilderness walk along a gorgeous western Cascades stream without seeing another sole. We left town at 7:15 and, after a stop to fill the tank we arrived at the East Fork McKenzie River trail head at about 8:20. We were on the trail before 8:30 and quickly entered an old growth dominated canyon beside the snow melt filled, crystal clear East Fork. The trail has been maintained recently by the Lane County Department of Youth Services Community Service Forest Crew and is in great shape. We hiked the seven miles up to the East Fork USFS road and back down without seeing another hiker - indeed, aside from the recent trail work there appears to have been nobody on this trail all season. The lush, mossy forest floor, surprisingly open, and boulder strewn river channel provide for a very pleasant hike that, even at 14 miles round trip, went by too quickly. A great day - good to get out!

One of many tributaries entering the East Fork from snows melting high atop Sawtooth Ridge