This Pacific Northwest Scenic Byway Is The Road Trip Of A Lifetime

The West Cascades Scenic Byway is a trip into the deep wilderness of Oregon, past crashing waterfalls and glassy lakes, through old fir forests and along the slopes of towering mountain peaks. Running north-south along the west side of Oregon's Cascade Range, the route starts just south of Portland and travels through some of the most jaw-dropping landscapes of the Pacific Northwest.

This is the ideal road trip for outdoor adventurers, explorers, and nature-lovers. You’ll venture off the beaten track to discover the hidden Oregon, visiting its historic logging towns, wandering through forests, and bathing in mineral mountain springs. We’ve outlined a two-day itinerary to help take the stress out of planning your road trip and ensure you don’t miss any must-see stops.

Know Before You Go

The byway is 220 miles long. You can drive the entire route in around 8 hours, but we’re sharing a two-day itinerary so you can linger at the best stops and make the most of your trip.

While you can drive it year-round, the best time to take the byway is in spring and fall. In summer, there is typically more traffic at the best-known stops, and in winter, roads may be closed due to weather conditions.

The West Cascades Scenic Byway is clearly marked with directional signs, making it easy to follow. The route follows Oregon Route 224, Oregon Route 22, U.S. Route 20, Oregon Route 126, and Forest Road 19. Our itinerary travels from Estacada in the north to Westfir in the south. The byway is relatively remote and passes through large areas of wilderness, so plan accordingly by filling up on fuel and snacks before you set off.

Day One: Estacada to Breitenbush

Your journey begins in Estacada, a historic logging town on the Clackamas River founded in 1905. Nicknamed ‘the Christmas tree capital,' Estacada’s timber sector has given way to a thriving Christmas tree industry thanks to the proliferation of Douglas Fir in the area.

It’s worth taking some time in Estacada before hitting the road. Visit the Wade Creek Vintage Marketplace to pick up a souvenir from its large selection of quirky antique and vintage goods. The rustic store contains items from over 25 vendors, including clothing, jewellery, furniture, home decor, local honey, bath and body products, and more.

Don’t leave town without getting some snacks at a favourite local hangout, Timber Town Grub. This locally-owned food truck prides itself on serving ‘logger-sized meals’ from a menu of classics, including BBQ brisket and pulled pork mac and cheese.

Follow the river south out of town and into the Mt. Hood National Forest, where the 11,239-foot volcanic peak of Mount Hood rises out of dense Douglas-fir forest. There are around 1,000 miles of hiking trails in the forest, and you’ll pass a few trailheads on your drive, including the Clackamas River Trail, a 7.6-mile trail that runs along the river to Pup Creek Falls, a 237-foot waterfall that cascades into a forest clearing.

The byway turns south at the Ripplebrook Ranger Station, now a store and information center where you can pick up supplies, food, and maps. Travelling deeper into the backcountry, you’ll pass the Olallie Lake National Recreation Area, home to a 240-acre subalpine lake that’s known as a fishing hotspot. Further on, you’ll pass the tree-lined banks of the Breitenbush River. The forest foliage is a stunning display any time of year, but particularly beautiful in the fall. Take the roughly 2.5-mile South Breitenbush Gorge Trail to hike through old-growth forest along the floor of an ancient canyon.

After hitting the trails, treat yourself to a long, rejuvenating soak in mineral springs at your final stop for the day, the Breitenbush Hot Springs. An off-grid retreat and spa, The Springs offers overnight stays as well as day-use passes for their springs and sauna.

Day Two: Breitenbush to Westfir

After a restful night in the wilderness, you’ll continue along the byway to Detroit, where you’ll find the Detroit Lake State Recreation Area. This nine-mile-long scenic lake is a forested canyon reservoir with views of the Cascade Mountains. The recreation area contains campgrounds, boat ramps, a fishing dock, playgrounds, and a Visitor Center. Heading east and south out of Detroit, the byway enters the Willamette National Forest, a vast preserve that includes eight wilderness areas.

It’s a short drive through the forest to the Marion Forks Hatchery, a nursery for Chinook salmon and rainbow trout that opened in 1951. You can visit the hatchery to learn about the fish and the natural history of the area. Visitors can hand-feed rainbow trout in the hatchery’s large pond and see spawning salmon in the nearby creek from late August into September. Walking the grounds, you might also see deer, elk, grouse, bald eagles, and blue herons. Next to the hatchery is a campground and recreation area where you can pick up the trailhead for hikes to scenic landmarks, Marion Lake and Independence Rock.

Back on the byway, you’ll turn westward at Belknap Springs, home to bubbling mineral springs where guests have come to soothe their aches and pains since the late 1800s. You can experience the warming waters for yourself at the Belknap Hot Springs Resort, which features two mineral springs, lodge rooms, cabins, and landscaped gardens for guests to enjoy a quiet stroll after their bath.

As it comes to an end, the byway passes two pieces of Oregon history: the Belknap Covered Bridge, a 1966 span built on a site that has had covered bridges since 1890, and the distinctive red-colored Office Covered Bridge, the longest covered bridge in Oregon.”

You’ll find the Office Covered Bridge in Westfir, where the byway ends. Westfir was founded in the 1920s by the Western Lumber Company as a sawmill community and is now a laid-back base camp for hikers, bikers, and other adventurers heading into the Oregon outdoors.

A Backcountry Byway

Get lost in the wilds of Oregon and find new adventures along the West Cascades Scenic Byway. This isn’t your average road trip; this is a journey into the natural treasures and timeless beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Old-growth fir forests, snowcapped volcanic peaks, and alpine waterfalls make every bend on the road a photo opportunity. Covering a part of the Cascade Mountain range that most tourists miss, the byway is a must for intrepid wanderers looking to escape the crowds and get away from it all.