The Long Way
Linn County
A wooden viewing platform and staircase set within a lush forest with a waterfall.
Plate I. Boardwalk, Over the Rivers and Through the Woods Scenic Byway. From traveloregon.com
A waterfall flows through a lush, moss-covered forest with fallen logs over a stream.
Plate II. Waterfall along Over the Rivers and Through the Woods Scenic Byway. From traveloregon.com
A clear river flows through a dense forest.
Plate III. River view, Over the Rivers and Through the Woods Scenic Byway. From traveloregon.com
A tall rock pillar rises above a forested mountain slope.
Plate IV. Turkey Monster rock spire along the scenic byway. From tripcheck.com

Over the Rivers and Through the Woods Scenic Byway

Sweet Home, Linn County, Oregon. Scenic byway; Best time to drive: Year-round.

Details

Map. Sweet Home, Linn County, Oregon. Larger map
Where
Sweet Home, Linn County, OR. No street address stated. Directions
Getting there
Moving east from Interstate 5, begin at Brownsville.
Access
The byway starts at I-5 exit 216, about 25 miles north of Eugene, heading east on OR 228 toward Brownsville.
Phone
541-367-5168
Website
fs.usda.gov
Managed by
Willamette National Forest.

A 66-mile/106-kilometer byway climbing through five ecosystems from the Willamette Valley to the West Cascade Mountains.

Notable Events

  1. 1846Brownsville, the first town east of Interstate 5 on the byway, was settled and is Oregon's third oldest town. tripcheck.com
  2. 1847The tiny logging town of Holley on the byway dates back to 1847. tripcheck.com
  3. 1850sThe towering trees in the Cascade foothills attracted settlers and sawmills to Sweet Home. tripcheck.com
  4. 1865The Santiam Wagon Road, almost 400 miles long, served as the primary means of transportation across the central Cascade Mountains for most of the 74 years it was in use, as a livestock, freight and stage route. fs.usda.gov
  5. 1905The Santiam Wagon Road, which much of the byway parallels, was part of the first transcontinental auto race, when two cars left New York City for Portland, Oregon. tripcheck.com
  6. 1932The 105-foot Crawfordsville Covered Bridge, on the byway at Crawfordsville, was built across the Calapooia River. traveloregon.com
  7. 1986Brownsville, at the byway's west end, was the setting for the 1986 film Stand by Me. traveloregon.com
  8. 2001Sweet Home Mayor Tim McQueary was invited to take a tour of the proposed Scenic Byway. sweethomenews.com

People

  • Craig Martin, City manager; helped spearhead the project.
  • David Clyne, Brownsville City Administrator; helped spearhead the project.
  • Don Ware, Brownsville Chamber of Commerce president; helped spearhead the project.
  • Joanne West, Sweet Home Ranger District; spearheaded the byway project from start to finish.
  • Karen Owen, Economic Development coordinator; helped spearhead the project.
  • Mandy Cole, Oregon Tourism Commission; helped spearhead the project.
  • Mike Rassbach, Sweet Home District Ranger; brought up the byway idea after meeting with Pat Moran.
  • Pat Moran, Scenic Byway program manager; helped spearhead the project.
  • Tim McQueary, Mayor; invited to tour the proposed byway (May 14, 2001).

Sources

  1. traveloregon.com/things-to-do/trip-ideas/scenic-drives/over-the-river-and-through-the-woods
  2. obbg.org/blog/2023/02/over-the-rivers-through-the-woods-scenic-byway
  3. tripcheck.com/Pages/Scenic-Byways-Over-Rivers-Through-Woods
  4. fs.usda.gov/r06/willamette/recreation/over-rivers-through-woods-scenic-byway
  5. sweethomenews.com/scenic-byway-opening-celebrated-here
  6. fs.usda.gov/r06/willamette/recreation/trails/santiam-wagon-road-trail-oregon-historic-trail