A unique destination

Lately we've focused on lower-elevation hikes designed to be snow-free and take advantage of the fall colors. This week's hike to beautiful, deep blue Tamolitch Pool starts at only 2,200 feet. According to Forest Service information, it is open "most" of the year. It's not one of the better-known hikes in our area, but it's one of the easiest and most rewarding.

It's also one of the most puzzling.

From all appearances, this is where the McKenzie River begins. Yet, in our visit to Clear Lake two weeks ago, we proclaimed that to be the McKenzie's headwaters. So, which is it? The answer requires a little understanding of the hydrogeology of the area - and of a significant hydroelectric project.

The easy answer is that the river disappears into porous volcanic rock and lava tubes for the two miles between Carmen Reservoir and Tamolitch Pool. That's partly true; but most maps identify the site as "Tamolitch Falls." Indeed, the rock wall at the upstream end of the pool has the requisite components of a spectacular waterfall. Everything, that is, except the water.

When Donald McKenzie explored the region for John Jacob Astor's American Fur Company in 1812, the falls were more of a going concern. Since 1963, however, the falls have been mostly dry - except during extreme runoff conditions. In that year, the Eugene Water & Electric Board completed a hydroelectric project that rerouted, by concrete tunnel, most of the McKenzie's water from the project's Carmen Diversion Dam to Browder Creek and Smith Reservoir.

That water flow is then diverted through a power generation tunnel to the Trail Bridge Reservoir, where all the water finally has a chance to collect itself to resume being what we know as the McKenzie River. One wonders if Eugene's environmentally conscious residents appreciate the tradeoff necessary to create their continuing source of electricity.

The Tamolitch hike begins just above the northern edge of Trail Bridge Reservoir and follows the historic course of the McKenzie River 2.3 miles to the pool where the river's subterranean remnant resurfaces. This excellent, flat trail plunges into a dense forest with thick mosses. Fall colors provide a vibrant contrast to the rich greens.

Other notable plant life includes the Oregon grape (our purple-berried state flower) and our state nut (yes, there is such a thing), the hazelnut. A few huckleberries remain, and another unusual berry is that of the female Pacific yew tree, one of the few conifers to produce such a seed.

This hike stays near the river's edge and goes by quickly. When approaching the pool, the trail twists and climbs a bit to traverse a lava flow. Unlike most lava flows we see in our area, this one is not stark and barren. Instead, it's rapidly being buried under a carpet of plant life.

While negotiating this area, there are a couple of good reasons to keep an eye out for deep cylindrical holes in the lava rock. First, the holes are very interesting; and, second, you don't want to fall into one!

The holes tend to be about two to four feet in diameter, and some are quite deep. If you study them, it's not hard to deduce where they came from. Just as the region supports a healthy forest today, it also did 3,000 years ago when fresh lava poured over the land. The molten rock surrounded trees where they stood and solidified. When the trees disintegrated, the spaces they occupied were literally "cast in stone" and became the holes we see today.

As the trail winds through the carpeted lava, it suddenly opens up at the edge of a rock cliff surrounding Tamolitch Pool. With no visible inlet, the rushing river that emerges from the pool is all the more remarkable. The name Tamolitch comes from the native tribes' Chinook trading jargon and means "bucket" or "tub."

This scenic "tub" is an intensely blue pool where trout appear suspended in the crystal clear depths - even from the trail's vantage point more than 50 feet above the water. This is an easy hike, so there's no need to rush. Plan some extra time in the forest, then relax by the pool and enjoy the beauty.

To access this hike, take Highway 20 west over the pass and turn left at the Santiam "Y". Three miles later take Highway 126 left toward Eugene for another ten miles and turn right (west) off Highway 126 at the sign for Trail Bridge Reservoir. Turn right again immediately after crossing the river. Follow Forest Road 612 for half a mile to a sharp turn to the left. Park there to begin the hike; the round trip is about 4.6 miles.