McKay Creek Loops A and B (Hwy 33 and 27)

Location

Leave Prineville north on Main Street. Travel three miles from the edge of town and N. Main becomes McKay Road (Forest Road 33). Stay on 33 and follow it until the pavement ends (the paved road becomes Hwy 27 just after entering the National Forest). This is approximately 25 miles. This road takes you into the Ochoco Mountains and stops can be made at your leisure. There are two big loops you can take here. Consult the text below and carry a good U.S. Forest Service map so you don’t get lost. It’s easiest just to go up this road until the pavement ends and then turn around and return the same way. There are many areas of insect-killed forest and forest clear-cuts. Side roads are abundant but a forest service map is necessary if you get too far off the pavement.

Loop A McKay Creek – Zero your odometer at the Cemetery on Main Street in Prineville.  Travel north on Main/McKay/FR 33 for 13.8 miles and turn right on the dirt road (this is still FR 33).  Travel east for 4.8 miles to the Green Mt Trailhead and hike the trail if you feel like it (44.468010, -120.628518).  Continue east on FR33 for 5.9 miles to Mill Creek Road (44.458762, -120.596515).  You can detour here to the nearby Wildcat Campground.   Turn south on Mill Creek Road and travel 10 miles to Hwy 26 (stop and check out Ochoco Reservoir) and head west back to Prineville.

Loop B Little McKay Creek – Zero your odometer at the Cemetery on Main Street in Prineville.  Travel north on Main/McKay/FR 33 for 13.8 miles where FR 33 splits off and becomes a dirt road.  Stay on the pavement (now FR 27) and take this road north and east for 10.3 miles.  Turn south on FR 3320 (44.500177, -120.582818) and drive 5.0 miles to the Green Mt. Trailhead.  Turn east on FR33 for 5.9 miles to Mill Creek Road (44.458762, -120.596515).  You can detour here to the nearby Wildcat Campground.   Turn south on Mill Creek Road and travel 10 miles to Hwy 26 (stop and check out Ochoco Reservoir) and head west back to Prineville.