A black fortress high in the Oregon Cascades
DEE WRIGHT OBSERVATORY, Ore. -- From the smoothly sloping paved trail through the rocky lava field, the black basalt walls of the Dee Wright Observatory resemble some medieval fortification in an ancient European setting.
The multi-story structure hewn from the abundant lava rock offers 360 degree views of the high Cascades along the crest of the McKenzie Pass Scenic Highway.
The observatory was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression and completed in 1935. At 5,187 feet above sea level, the observatory is located near the McKenzie Pass on Oregon 242.
A bronze compass on the top floor points out the locations, names and elevations of the highest points on the horizon.
The second floor features windows trained on each peak and labeled with the name of the mountain.
Wheelchair-accessible interpretive trails help explain the volcanic past and scenic beauty of the region. Another 1/2 mile trail wanders through the lava-strewn landscape.
Oregon 242 is the original alignment of the McKenzie Highway (OR 126 East) between Springfield and Sisters, and is open only during the summer and early fall travel season.
The highway offers numerous recreational opportunities, including hikes to upper and lower Proxy Falls and access to the Three Sisters Wilderness.
Built in the mid-1930s, the highway became a seasonal scenic highway in the 1960s with the completion of the Clear Lake-Belknap Springs section of Highway 126.
Even during its tenure as the main route between the southern Willamette Valley and central Oregon, the narrow, twisting roadway and high elevation (the summit is 5,325 feet) made the highway too difficult to maintain and keep clear during the winter months.
During the summer, about 300 cars a day travel the highway, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation.
