You can park there in the overflow parking. Route 242, the way to McKenzie Pass, is a mile or two up the road.
This area around here is damp rain forest, judging by the side of the road verdant moss quotient.
This is where the McKenzie Pass Highway officially starts at its intersection with 126. There is a parking area here as well.
The first ten miles are rolling, but rising, and mostly a green tunnel.
Around mile 10, the character of the highway changes, becoming consistently uphill for about 7 miles, no flats sections whatsoever.
Despite the climbing, one can help but noticing all the natural beauty.
Still on a consistently uphill stretch at 3k, I'm wondering if I can make the remaining 2.3k.
Hitting 4k was a morale booster.
The shoulders on the road were often precarious. There were sections a lot worse than this, but these are the only photos I got.
Some fall colors, but evergreens predominate on this route.
Higher altitude arid forest.
Some of the very impressive lava beds that went on for miles.
5k? Practically done. Actually, after about 4300 feet, the ride became somewhat less steep, sort of a pleasant roll along the top of the mountain for about 5 miles before reaching the pass.
At last.
It was around 2pm when I got to the top and the weather was brilliant and short sleeve warm, actually a lot warmer than the shaded forest coming up or going down. I hung around up top for about an hour, munching clif bars and enjoying the view.
Then it was time to go back.
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