Beautiful drive up the pass an the Dee Wright Observatory is a must stop along the way! Previous years fire on the east side has devastated the area, but the route is still beautiful.
Be careful of the bicycles using this route. Some will ride 2 or 3 side by side going up & down the pass. Please give them space because there not much of a shoulder. I usually tap my horn about 50 yards to let them know I am coming up from behind.
Tour groups please don’t use this route during busy times! It’s a recipe for getting someone hurt/killed. Steep grades, no shoulder, beautiful views an distractions galore just means driver & bikers will not be paying attention to the road! This is from someone who regularly...
   Read moreThe observatory, called the Dee Wright Observatory, is for viewing the mountains, not the sky. The restroom was closed "for construction" but there's no construction taking place. No water is available. There are no tables or benches. Please be aware that you'll pass through five miles of burned forest from the 2020 firestorm on the way up...
   Read moreThe Mckenzie Pass drive is beautiful and not crowded. It summits at the Dee Wright Observatory. On the side of the road is a small stone complex which allows for a view of several mountains and other geological rises in the region. Furthermore, the area is in a lava rock filed. These unique rocks add an other worldly feel...
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