The Oregon Department of Transportation will close eastbound McKenzie Pass on Thursday, about seven miles east of the Highway 126 junction to the Dee Wright Observatory.
Westbound McKenzie Pass from Sisters to Dee Wright will remain open, with a tentative closure date of Nov. 1.
The westbound gates could close sooner depending on snowfall.
The highway will reopen fully in late spring or summer 2022 depending on road condition.
ODOT’s records indicate that the earliest closure of the Old McKenzie Pass Highway happened on October 18, 1996.
The latest closure happened on January 10, 1939.
Please contact either the Willamette or Deschutes National Forests to learn about the status of campgrounds, trailheads and other facilities.
For the latest real time traffic information go to TripCheck.com. More Info Here
The first route over the McKenzie Pass, known as Craig’s McKenzie Salt Springs/Deschutes Wagon Road, was completed in 1872.
The McKenzie Pass Highway became a seasonal scenic highway in 1962 with the completion of the Clear Lake-Belknap Springs section of OR 126.
