America's Byways® Press Room
November 14, 2005 - McKenzie Pass Highway Closed for Winter

McKENZIE BRIDGE – It’s a sure sign that fall is here. On Wednesday, November 2 at 7 a.m., the Oregon Department of Transportation closed the McKenzie Pass Highway (Ore. 242) to motorists. The closure came with heavy snow forecasted at pass elevation, which is 5,325 feet.

The highway is the original alignment of the McKenzie Highway (Ore. 126) between Springfield and Sisters, and is open only during the summer travel season. It opened this year on May 26. The 162-day open period was about average compared to most years. The longest open period occurred in 1934 when the pass was open for 250 days. The shortest open period was 90 days in 1999.

The highway has closed as early as October 18 (in 1996) and as late as January 10 (1939). The earliest open date was March 21 (in 1934) and the latest July 29 (in 1999).

Built in the mid-1930s, the highway became a seasonal scenic highway in the 1960s when the completion of the Clear Lake-Belknap Springs section of Ore. 126. Even during its tenure as the main route between the southern Willamette Valley and central Oregon, the narrow, twisting roadway and high elevation (5,325 feet) made the highway too difficult to maintain and keep clear during the winter months.

During the summer, about 300 cars a day travel the highway.

For more information, contact Lou Torres 503-986-2880

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