forest service road 19

This alpine trail is perfect for both mountain biking and hiking. Bikers are respectful of pedestrians so both can use the same trail amiably. Spectacular views, waterfalls, water clarity beyond belief. Take the whole trail or walk in and back. Stunning scenery, nature at her best.

The 60-mile (each way) ride on the Aufderheide Forest Road (FS-19) starts in Westfir at the Office covered Bridge and ends in McKenzie Bridge (Rainbow) at the Belknap covered bridge. The two historic bridges would be enough of an attraction, but the route along the North Fork of the Middle Fork of the Willamette River, then the South Fork of the McKenzie River, is stunning! Very little vehicular traffic, icy cold, delicious well water at the Kiahane campground (mile 20), the summit at the Aufderheide monument (3700 ft), Cougar reservoir and dam, and miles and miles of gorgeous riverside scenery.We split the ride over two days, spending the night in McKenzie Bridge. Next time, I'll start there and spend the night at the Westfir Lodge, now under new ownership and a very cool place to hang out.

The Aufderheide! This route is full of surprises and unique flora and fauna. Whether you begin from the Oakridge area or the Blue River area, the road spends much of its time meandering along a river. From the Blue River, Cougar Reservoir area, it follows the South Fork Mackenzie River. From Oakridge it follows the North Fork Willamette River. This area is very densely forested with the West Slope Cascade Mountains typical wet forest. Huge trees such as Douglas Fir, Cedar and Ponderosa Pine dominate this landscape, with many deciduous trees mixed in, especially near the creeks and rivers. This type of environment with its abundant moisture is perfect for mycological growth. In other words, come in the fall when the leaves are changing colors and you can find millions of mushrooms of amazing variety. Very few of the mushrooms I have seen here are of the highly sought out choice edibles, but they are colorful and beautiful, and very photogenic. The Aufderheide is paved the whole way, making it a great route to ride a bike or drive a regular car. There are many nice campgrounds along the route, they are all pay for camping, and they are mostly right along one of the rivers. There are a number of trailheads along the way, so hiking and mountain biking options are fantastic here also. Combine all that with two different hot springs and the Cougar Reservoir for boating and fishing, and you have many reasons to visit!

Consider one of Oregon's most beautiful stretches of scenic highway, The Aufderheide was recently nominated for one of Oregon's special Scenic Bikeways. This is an epic 60 mile road bike ride from Blue River to Oakridge. Terwilliger Hot Springs is near Blue River and McCreedy Hot Springs is near Oakridge. In addition to road biking, it is equally beautiful for Motorcycles and autos.