Motorcycle Ride Planner · Routes · United States

McKenzie Pass Scenic Byway (OR-242)

United States · OR-242

One of America's most surreal rides, slicing through a 65-square-mile black basalt lava flow atop the Cascade crest. Narrow twisty asphalt past Dee Wright Observatory with views of Mt. Washington, North Sister, and Mt. Jefferson.

McKenzie Pass Scenic Byway (OR-242) runs 38 miles between Sisters, OR and Belknap Springs (OR-126 Junction), OR. We count about 210 corners along it, which is consistently bendy. Demanding, and not a road to meet in the wet.

Tank-bag quick reference

• StartSisters, OR44.2912, -121.5492
• High1,600 ft - 5,325 ftelevation range
• EndBelknap Springs (OR-126 Junction), OR44.1882, -122.0528

T-CLOCS before you go: tyres and wheels, controls and cables, lights and electrics, oil and fluids, chassis and stand.

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Questions riders ask

How long does McKenzie Pass Scenic Byway (OR-242) take to ride?

About 38 miles. At an unhurried pace with stops that is roughly 1 hour of riding, longer if you are stopping for photographs.

Where does McKenzie Pass Scenic Byway (OR-242) start and end?

It runs between Sisters, OR and Belknap Springs (OR-126 Junction), OR. Either end works as a start; the route reads the same in both directions.

Is McKenzie Pass Scenic Byway (OR-242) a twisty road?

We count about 210 corners across 38 miles, which is consistently bendy.

Is there a GPX file for McKenzie Pass Scenic Byway (OR-242)?

Yes. The GPX is free, there is no account, and the planner will build a route that includes this road alongside others nearby.

Where these numbers come from

Distances and corner counts come from the route's own geometry, not from ratings or votes. Nothing here is crowdsourced and nobody paid to appear.