Welcome to Oregon’s longest linear park. The 100-mile trail is built on the old railbed of the Oregon, California and Eastern Railroad (OC&E). Open all seasons to non-motorized recreation, the trail begins in the heart of Klamath Falls and extends east to Bly and north to the lush Sycan Marsh.
The trail is continuous and offers various sections for recreational activity. See our trail guide for more information and a detailed map.
This paved section of the trail is typically bustling with joggers, walkers, in-line skaters and bicyclists. Mt. Shasta rises to the south as the trail passes through farmland on its way to the tiny community of Olene. Approaching Olene, notice Olene Gap, a naturally-formed narrow opening in the mountains that allows just enough space for the trail, Highway 140 and the Lost River to course through.
This graveled section travels through Olene Gap and north through juniper and sagebrush before swinging east at Swede's Cut, a portion of track that was cut through high ground in order to maintain a gentle grade. The section is named for the Swedish workers who used star drills and black powder to move more than 10 feet of boulders and hardpan soil. Continuing east, the trail skirt the town of Dairy, named for the Dutch dairymen who first settled there.
As the trail descends into the Sprague River Valley, it traverses timber and ranch lands and passes the Sprague River. This scenic section is rich in wildlife and waterfowl. Agricultural activities abound in this fertile valley, and trail users may encounter livestock. The main trail consisting of rough, loose rock and grass, continues east to the end of the line at the quiet town of Bly, once a booming mill town.
The spur trail splits off and heads north in Beatty. This rough section passes from open farmland to thick woods, then crisscrosses over Five Mile Creek at mile 10.
If you are planning an adventure on the trail, please call for the most up to date conditions at 541-783-2471. Please bring plenty of water — there is no drinking water available on the OC&E trail.
The Klamath Falls Municipal Railway was the dream of journalist, railroad scout and publicist Robert E. Strahorn. He envisioned a railroad that would connect Klamath Falls to Lakeview, Burns and Bend. Construction began on July 6, 1917. By 1923 the line had reached the community of Sprague River. Six years later, the railway reached Bly. The new railroad brought growth to the area. Logging camps with spur railroads sprang up almost overnight, and by 1919, four lumber mills were located on the main line. The engines transported carloads of enormous pine logs to the mills, often carrying as much as one million board feet a day. In 1990, OC&E’s use as a logging railroad ended. Weyerhaeuser Co. railbanked the right of way to the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, and the transition from a railroad to a trail began.