June 17, 2023 7:00 a.m.

After a long winter, crews with the Oregon Department of Transportation have cleared McKenzie Pass on Highway 242.

A release from ODOT said the gates open for all travelers on Monday after being closed since November first. The highway runs from Belknap Springs through McKenzie Pass, to Sisters.

Drivers on this winding road need to be on the lookout for cyclists and pedestrians, as the popular scenic route has many types of road users. Vehicles longer than thirty-five feet are prohibited from using the highway, due to its sharp narrow curves.

The release said private funding built the highway in the 1870s for use as a wagon toll road. The pass became a seasonal scenic highway in 1962 with the completion of Oregon 126. Even during its tenure as the main route between the southern Willamette Valley and central Oregon, the narrow, twisting roadway and high elevation made the highway too difficult to maintain and keep clear for much of the year.

Each year ODOT plans to close the highway on the Thursday after Veterans Day and open it the third Monday in June. Snowfall times and amounts may change those dates.