McKenzie River Oregon

You hear people quack on and on about the McKenzie River Trail and you begin to wonder whether any single trail can really be that great. Then you ride the McKenzie River Trail and you realize that, if anything, folks have been downplaying its greatness. It’s not that the McKenzie is incredibly challenging (though the lava rock sections on the upper end are a handful).

What makes the McKenzie so great is the almost seamless flow of winding singletrack. You bob, duck and weave, hour after hour, along a perfectly buff ribbon of riverside singletrack. No painful climbs or obligatory fireroads here. It’s just one constant blur of mossy, old growth forest. When all is said and done, you’ll have descended about 1,800 feet, been witness to scores of waterfools, deep blue pools and mountain biking Hallmark moments. It’s a slight downhill, perfect, really, for middle chainring cruising. But start early, this is still an all-day ride for fit riders.