Perhaps the most astonishing part of the 26.5-mile McKenzie River Trail is the short stretch to Tamolitch Pool, where the river vanishes into a lava flow, tumbles over an eerily dry, phantom “waterfall,” and then reemerges from a small turquoise lake. The 4.2-mile walk to this pool is easy enough for hikers with children. For a serious trek—or a mountain bike ride—start at the McKenzie Ranger Station and follow the McKenzie River Trail upstream past two visitable hot springs to Tamolitch Pool.

For the easy walk, start by driving . . .

This chapter is an excerpt from 100 Hikes : Central Oregon Cascades