Submerged 100 feet deep in Clear Lake is a stand of upright trees that were killed approximately 3,000 years ago when volcanic activity created the lake. Clear Lake is fed from snowmelt that filters underground for over two decades before emptying into it. Just below Clear Lake are two notable falls that are accessible from the 2.6 mile waterfall loop hiking trail: Sahalie and Koosah Falls. The simple map below shows the location of the falls and course of the McKenzie River in Linn County just above Olallie Campground.
On day one, we put in at Olallie Campground and floated through the National Wild and Scenic River Corridor to Paradise Campground. This 9 mile section is said to be the most pristine, scenic, and exciting stretch of the river with continuous rapids including Fishladder Rapids (Class III), the most difficult on the section.The flow during our trip was around 2,500 cfs with water temperatures around 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Day two was from Paradise Campground to Hamlin Boat Launch. The map below shows some of the rapids and river access points. Corrections are appreciated.
The second day was mainly class II rapids with plenty of opportunities to take photos of Jeff and Marie navigating the rapids and rock gardens.
The flows in the McKenzie are fairly continuous from Olallie Campground. The waters are clear and cold, and the river is fed by a number of tributaries including the South Fork, which connects to the McKenzie about 8 miles below McKenzie Bridge community; Lost Creek, which joins the McKenzie just below Belkap Springs; and the Blue River (named for the color of rocks in its bed), which joins the McKenzie about 11 miles south of McKenzie Bridge. The entire river drops 3,000 in elevation before converging with the Willamette.
The McKenzie River supports spring Chinook salmon, winter steelhead and summer steelhead as well as native rainbow, cutthroat and bull trout. The high lakes have been planted with brown and brook trout. Along the stretch from Paradise Campground you will come to the Goodpasture Bridge, which is a covered bridge near the community of Vida. It is the second longest covered bridge in the state.
The river flow has been diminished by the Cougar and Blue River dams. After dam completion in 1968 average annual river flows were only 60 percent of the average annual peak flows that occurred before dam construction. Before the dams, a high flow of 31,000 cfs occurred every three years; since the two dams were built, the 31,000 cfs flow has an expected 100-year recurrence interval (McKenzie River Subbasin Assessment Summary Report, February 2000).
The clear, cold water was ideal for a mid-August weekend. The McKenzie is certainly one of Oregon's premier rivers with its crystal clear water banked by lush forests, and I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to experience this gorgeous area by boat.
