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 South
Santiam Travel Corridor McKenzie
Travel Corridor
Dee Wright Observatory
Dee Wright Observatory is located at the summit of McKenzie Pass on McKenzie
Highway, State Route 242. The elevation of the observatory is 5,187 feet.
The viewing windows inside the structure are referred to as "lava
tube" viewing holes. Through these windows visitors can view and identify
several of the Cascade Mountain peaks. A bronze "peak finder"
is located at the top of the structure.
The Civilian Conservation Corps, Camp F-23 of Company 927, built
the observatory from lava rock during the Great Depression. It is
named after Dee Wright, the foreman in charge of the Camp.
Since its completion in 1935, the observatory has been a favorite attraction
for thousands of visitors each summer. Interpretive panels, located on
the paved trail to the observatory, tell the story of early travelers and
area geology. A restroom and the trail to the structure are accessible
for wheelchairs and, strollers. The
Lava River Interpretive Trail is located next to the observatory, offering
an unusual half-mile hike through young lava flows on a paved trail.
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