Since we arrived in Oregon, we had nothing but clouds and rain continuously. One day we had a break in the rain and Mama Nomad and the boys went hiking. I still had work and figured I would get a chance to go hiking too. After all, it can’t rain all the time. Right? Ummm…wrong. Almost 3 solid weeks of clouds and rain had set in. That was, until one Tuesday afternoon (November the 29th). The sun was out and no clouds were in sight. Mama Nomad asked if I wanted to go hiking and it took me about a second to say “yes!” I rescheduled some appointments and we were out the door.
There is a place we heard about that sounded very intriguing. It is called the Tamolitch Blue Pool. Apparently this is where the McKenzie River seeps to the surface through underground lava fields. We found it interesting that a river that traveled south and cut through Eugene, where you need a large bridge to cross it because it is hundreds of feet wide, originates in a very unassuming, seemingly slow moving pool. It was decided and we headed out to find it.
One thing that we noticed, while in Oregon, is that the landmarks and trails are not as clearly marked as we have found in other states. We found a few different sets of directions that did not really lead us to it. So, I will do my best to make it easy for you. Starting in Eugene, Oregon, you will head East on State Road 126 for about 66.5 miles. You will go through the city of McKenzie Bridge (unincorporated city) and continue until you see the Trail Bridge Reservoir sign. On the north side of the Trail Bridge Reservoir, you will see county road NF-730. The approximate GPS coordinates are 44.284890, -122.041410. Turn left onto NF-730, cross a bridge and then immediately follow to the right, which will take you by the Trail Bridge Campground. Head down the road about 1/2 a mile and you will see an area to park on the right. Note, this is before the road begins to turn to the left. See map below
When you get here, you will see some signs that talk about the hike and you should see a sign directing you towards the Tamolitch Blue Pool. The trailhead is on the northern end of the parking area and follows the McKenzie River upstream. The approximate distance from the trailhead to the pool is about 2 miles.
We began our journey along the trail. We entered the forest around the area and it felt like we were on Endor. For those of you who are not Star Wars fans, that is where the Ewoks lived in Star Wars – Return of the Jedi. The trees were huge; both tall and big around. Large masses of moss, ferns and other vegetation abounded around us. And almost the entire time, we were walking next to the McKenzie River (although many times it was 50+ feet below us). The trail took us through forest, across a bridge made of logs, twisting through a field of old lava tubes and through various shallow puddles of mud and water.
After about an hour, we arrived at the Tamolitch Blue Pool. It was about 3:30pm to 3:45pm. I will be the first to admit that the pictures I took do not do the pool justice. The water is completely clear and appeared in a sapphire blue hue. The water that seeped out from under the rock wall on one side of the pool was so calm, you almost could not tell where the water originated from. Mama Nomad and I stood there just saying how beautiful it was. She actually said it was her favorite hike. We must have snapped a hundred pictures while hiking around the edge of the pool.
Around 4:00pm to 4:15pm, we decided to head back. Why? Well, it begins to get dark at this time here in Oregon. We made it about 1/2 way back and it got to where we could not see. The canopy above was so thick that no moonlight could get through (if there is any). Good thing we are prepared Nomads. I took out our hiking flashlight and handed it to Mama Nomad. She brought up the rear while I took point. She shined the light just enough to keep me on the path and well enough to see where she was going without a problem. We finally arrived back at Ebony at 5:12pm. I looked at the time because I took the picture below to show how dark it was.
I am so glad that Mama Nomad suggested we go for this hike. It was a total blast once we found the place. Being able to enjoy this environment without rain and clouds really made up for some lost hiking time. And, it was a good thing we went. Take a look at the forecast for the next week.
If you are anywhere near Eugene, Oregon and want a great hike to see a wonderful natural feature, head on over to the Tamolitch Blue Pool and remember to enjoy the journey as well as the destination. Safe Travels.
