511now / Answers / Is McKenzie Pass open?
Is McKenzie Pass open right now?
Updated August 19, 2026 · Pictures refresh every few minutes
Only ODOT can say — and OR-242 closes every winter. Oregon 511 / TripCheck has today’s status for McKenzie Pass. That page is the rule.
The old highway is narrow, high, and snowbound for much of the year — the closure is normal, not news.
When does it open for the season?
There is no fixed date. ODOT usually reopens OR-242 in early summer after digging out the lava-country snowpack, and often opens the gate to bicycles before cars. The reopening moves year to year — the TripCheck status is the announcement, not last year’s date.
Is there a camera?
Honest answer: no. The published inventory has no still on OR-242, so we cannot show you the pass. The nearest cameras sit on the Santiam Pass route, which stays open year-round.
What to drive instead
Santiam Pass (US-20 / OR-126) is the year-round road between the McKenzie Valley and Sisters — and it has real cameras. Check the Santiam desk and the posted rule before you go.
Why the gate stays closed on a sunny day
The seasonal closure is about snow depth and a narrow, shoulderless road — not the weather the day you look. A blue sky does not open a gated highway. The posted status always wins.
Sources
- Oregon 511 / TripCheck — the posted rule.
- TripCheck mountain passes — every Oregon pass camera.