Tamolitch Blue Pool
McKenzie River Trail from Trail Bridge Reservoir
Forest Order 06-18-01-26-13 closes the Blue Pool area and the McKenzie River Trail approach south from Carmen Reservoir. General Site Open banners do not override the dated order. Reopening after the order expires has not been verified.
Checked 2026-10-23 · Forest Service Closure Order 06-18-01-26-13 ↗The Route
The southern McKenzie River Trail approach crosses forest and rough lava terrain to the cliff-rimmed Blue Pool.
- Trail Bridge ApproachThe southern trailhead is near Trail Bridge Reservoir.
- McKenzie RiverThe trail follows the river upstream.
- Lava TerrainThe walking surface becomes rough and rocky.
- Blue PoolThe river reappears through porous lava beneath the falls basin.
Trail Bridge Approach
The southern itinerary follows the McKenzie River Trail north from Trail Bridge Reservoir. The Forest Service gives 2.1 miles each way, beginning around 2,200 ft and reaching the pool at 2,450 ft; that net rise is not cumulative elevation gain.
Forest & Lava-Rock Tread
The river corridor leads into rough, rocky lava terrain rather than a uniformly smooth waterside path. Alder and evergreen forest surrounds the cliff-rimmed basin. Cliffs around the pool range from 10 to 60 ft in the agency description.
Underground River & Falls
A lava flow buried a stretch of the McKenzie River between Carmen Reservoir and Tamolitch. Water re-emerges through porous lava at Blue Pool. The waterfall is often dry, while high winter flow can pass over the lava bed and restore the falls.
Other Approach & Closure Scope
Carmen Reservoir is a separate, longer northern approach. The October 19–23 area order also closes its southbound approach segment; it is not a workaround for the closed pool area.
Published reference figures for the named itinerary. Source dates and access notices are separate from current terrain observations. Reference Set: 2026-10-23.
Weather
Current forecasts open at the providers below. NWS forecasts describe a terrain grid cell, not an exact summit.
Access
Trail Bridge Approach, Oregon · McKenzie River
Current Order
Forest Order 06-18-01-26-13 closes the Blue Pool area October 19–23, 2026.
Both Approaches
The order also closes the McKenzie River Trail south from Carmen Reservoir for about 2.2 miles to the closure area.
Normal Southern Access
The published approach uses FSR730 and FSR2672-655 from Highway 126. These directions do not override the dated closure.
Parking
Parking is prohibited along Highway 126 and in front of EWEB access points when the lot fills.
Facilities
The trailhead lists a vault toilet, no potable water and no site fee; normal day-use hours are 6 AM–10 PM.
Other Road Closure
The Forest Service also lists FSR 2600-740 as closed to both vehicle and pedestrian travel. It is not an alternate access route around the separately dated Blue Pool closure.
Source information checked 2026-10-23. Road snapshots are dated separately.
Reports
Current Forest Closure Order
Open the publisher’s route-specific material and check its date and scope.
Forest Service Trail Information
Open the publisher’s route-specific material and check its date and scope.
Links open the publishers’ report pages. Reports are not automatically imported or filtered to a forecast date.