West Cascades Scenic Byway
Encyclopedia
The West Cascades Scenic Byway is a 220 miles (354.1 km) National Scenic Byway
in the U.S. state
of Oregon
. The route is designed to provide a tour on the west side of the Cascade Range
along the east side of the Willamette Valley
.
southeast of Portland
to Oakridge
on the Willamette River
southeast of Eugene
. Much of the route is very sparsely populated, passing through timber regions in the Cascades.
From Estacada the route follows the valley of the Clackamas River
upstream on Oregon Route 224 into the Mount Hood National Forest
, then south along the Breitenbush River
to Detroit
on the North Santiam
. It follows Oregon Route 22 along Detroit Lake
to the junction of U.S. Route 20, then east a short distance on U.S. Route 20 to the junction of Oregon Route 126. It follows OR 126 south, then cuts through the mountain south to Oakridge, where it ends at an intersection with Oregon Route 58.
The route provides views of old growth
fir
trees and jagged volcanic
peaks. The driving time is approximately 7–9 hours.
National Scenic Byway
A National Scenic Byway is a road recognized by the United States Department of Transportation for its archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational, and/or scenic qualities. The program was established by Congress in 1991 to preserve and protect the nation's scenic but often...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. The route is designed to provide a tour on the west side of the Cascade Range
Cascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...
along the east side of the Willamette Valley
Willamette Valley
The Willamette Valley is the most populated region in the state of Oregon of the United States. Located in the state's northwest, the region is surrounded by tall mountain ranges to the east, west and south and the valley's floor is broad, flat and fertile because of Ice Age conditions...
.
Route description
The route is roughly north–south, from EstacadaEstacada, Oregon
Estacada is a city in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States, about 30 miles southeast of Portland. The population was 2,695 at the 2010 census. -History:The Estacada post office opened in February 1904 and the city was incorporated in May 1905...
southeast of Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
to Oakridge
Oakridge, Oregon
Oakridge is a city in Lane County, Oregon, United States. The population was estimated at 3,205 in 2010. It is located east of Westfir on Oregon Route 58, about east of Eugene, and southeast of Portland...
on the Willamette River
Willamette River
The Willamette River is a major tributary of the Columbia River, accounting for 12 to 15 percent of the Columbia's flow. The Willamette's main stem is long, lying entirely in northwestern Oregon in the United States...
southeast of Eugene
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
. Much of the route is very sparsely populated, passing through timber regions in the Cascades.
From Estacada the route follows the valley of the Clackamas River
Clackamas River
The Clackamas River is an approximately tributary of the Willamette River in northwestern Oregon, in the United States. As it drains an area of about , the Clackamas passes through mostly forested and rugged mountainous terrain in its upper reaches, and passes through agricultural and urban areas...
upstream on Oregon Route 224 into the Mount Hood National Forest
Mount Hood National Forest
The Mount Hood National Forest is located east of the city of Portland, Oregon, and the northern Willamette River valley. The Forest extends south from the Columbia River Gorge across more than of forested mountains, lakes and streams to the Olallie Scenic Area, a high lake basin under the slopes...
, then south along the Breitenbush River
Breitenbush River
The Breitenbush River is a tributary of the North Santiam River in western Oregon in the United States. It drains a rugged, forested area of the Cascade Range east of Salem....
to Detroit
Detroit, Oregon
Detroit is a city in Marion County, Oregon, United States. It was named for Detroit, Michigan in the 1890s because of the large number of people from Michigan in the community. The population was 262 at the 2000 census...
on the North Santiam
North Santiam River
The North Santiam River is a tributary of the Santiam River in western Oregon in the United States. It drains of the Cascade Range on the eastern side of the Willamette Valley east of Salem....
. It follows Oregon Route 22 along Detroit Lake
Detroit Lake
Detroit Lake is a reservoir impounded by the Detroit Dam on the North Santiam River southeast of Salem, Oregon, United States.The lake is adjacent to Oregon Route 22 near the city of Detroit....
to the junction of U.S. Route 20, then east a short distance on U.S. Route 20 to the junction of Oregon Route 126. It follows OR 126 south, then cuts through the mountain south to Oakridge, where it ends at an intersection with Oregon Route 58.
The route provides views of old growth
Old growth forest
An old-growth forest is a forest that has attained great age , and thereby exhibits unique ecological features. An old growth forest has also usually reached a climax community...
fir
Douglas-fir
Douglas-fir is one of the English common names for evergreen coniferous trees of the genus Pseudotsuga in the family Pinaceae. Other common names include Douglas tree, and Oregon pine. There are five species, two in western North America, one in Mexico, and two in eastern Asia...
trees and jagged volcanic
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
peaks. The driving time is approximately 7–9 hours.