McKenzie Pass opens Monday
 Even without snow to blow, there is still plenty of work to do before the pass is ready to open. Last week, crews worked with vactor trucks to clean out culverts near the summit.
June 12, 2026
For more information, contact Kacey Davey, 541-280-2716
BEND -- After a long winter, crews have cleared McKenzie Pass and the gates will open to all travelers on the morning of Monday, June 15. The highway, also known as OR 242, has been closed for the winter season since Nov. 6.
As travel resumes, drivers are reminded to share the road with cyclists and pedestrians. The pass is a popular scenic route for a variety of travelers. Due to its narrow, winding design, vehicles longer than 35 feet are prohibited.
McKenzie Pass has a rich history. Originally built as a private wagon toll road in the 1870s, it became a seasonal scenic highway in 1962 after completion of OR 126. Even when it served as the primary route between the southern Willamette Valley and Central Oregon, its 5,325-foot elevation and sharp curves made it difficult to maintain year-round.
McKenzie Pass typically closes the Thursday before Veterans Day and reopens the third Monday in June, although snow and road conditions may alter those dates.
When the highway closes for the season, it is not maintained and remains closed to all vehicles, including bicycles, which are considered vehicles under Oregon law.
Even after the snow melts, crews have significant work to do before the road is safe for travel. Winter storms bring down trees, move rocks and debris onto the highway, damage pavement and create other hazards that must be addressed before reopening. Anyone who bypasses the closed gates does so at their own risk.
The seasonal closure applies only to the highway itself and does not restrict access to surrounding public lands.
To learn more about the annual reopening effort, visit our Flickr account for photos and videos of the cleanup and repair process.
 Before McKenzie Pass is ready to open, crews mow and remove overgrown bushes along the edge of the road.
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