# Mckenzie Pass



## stunzeed (Jul 27, 2007)

Would like to take advantage on the car-less option for the next couple weeks and ride the route. 

How do most people do this ride if you wanted to do it solo?

Is it best to start in sisters?


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## [email protected] (Sep 12, 2008)

I always park on a dirt side road off of 242 a few miles before the gate. There's also a church and a school on 242 just outside of Sisters people use and a little parking lot a couple miles from the gate that's for camping or hiking (i think). Basically there's a lot of places to park along 242. I prefer to park closer to the gate as I don't really enjoy riding on that lower section of 242. I think the speed limit is 55 mph and there's no bike lane, just a small shoulder, granted tons of people do it...

It's a gorgeous ride... heading there in a few minutes myself!


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## stunzeed (Jul 27, 2007)

[email protected] said:


> I always park on a dirt side road off of 242 a few miles before the gate. There's also a church and a school on 242 just outside of Sisters people use and a little parking lot a couple miles from the gate that's for camping or hiking (i think). Basically there's a lot of places to park along 242. I prefer to park closer to the gate as I don't really enjoy riding on that lower section of 242. I think the speed limit is 55 mph and there's no bike lane, just a small shoulder, granted tons of people do it...
> 
> It's a gorgeous ride... heading there in a few minutes myself!


If I wasn't going to do it as an out an back, which was a nice ride? From Belknap or from sisters? Are the routes similar in ascent?


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## [email protected] (Sep 12, 2008)

I think I'd have to pick going from Sisters to Belknap... I REALLY like the descent on the west side, it's very smooth, fast, and twisty. The whole ride is my favorite ride around here and I like both sides... the west side feels a little steeper to me but overall you probably do close to the same amount of climbing.


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## [email protected] (Sep 12, 2008)

I meant to post this up before they opened the road to cars but didn't get around to editing it in time, oh well, here's a video of riding McKenzie Pass from east to west

McKenzie Pass before it's open to cars - YouTube


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