Course
The McKenzie River originates as the outflow of Clear Lake in the high Cascades of eastern Linn County in the Willamette National Forest. Clear Lake is fed by Ikenick Creek and Fish Lake Creek, the latter of which flows from Fish Lake (a few miles north of Clear Lake, in Marion County). Fish Lake's main tributary is Hackieman Creek, which drains the north side of Browder Ridge east of Tombstone Pass. U.S. Route 20 crosses the pass and follows Hackieman Creek. The McKenzie River flows south from Clear Lake, paralleled by Oregon Route 126. It enters Lane County and flows west past the community of McKenzie Bridge. It receives the South Fork McKenzie River approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) east of Blue River. The South Fork rises near the Pacific Crest Trail in the Three Sisters Wilderness Area and flows north-northwest approximately 30 miles (48 km) through Cougar Reservoir and Cougar Dam.
After the South Fork confluence, the main stem McKenzie River flows west through a narrow valley in the mountains, past Vida and Walterville. As it emerges from the mountains it passes along the north side of Springfield and joins the Willamette from the east 5 miles (8.0 km) north of Eugene.
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