| OC & E Woods Line State Trail is Oregon's longest linear park! This 100-mile, rail-to-trail conversion is built on the old rail bed of the Oregon, California, and Eastern Railroad. The trail is open for all non-motorized recreation, beginning in the heart of Klamath Falls, extending east to Bly and north to the lush Sycan Marsh. From its beginnings as a railroad carrying millions of board feet of timber and railcars loaded with cattle, to its present cargo of recreational trail users, this railroad line has always been on the move. As of November 2002, the OC&E Woods Line State Trail is paved from the Klamath Falls Trailhead to the small, rural community of Olene. This makes a total of 8 miles of paved trail surface where visitors can bike, jog, skate, and ride horseback. Here, people will experience the historic 1898 steel bridge spanning the A Canal and imagine the feel of an old-time steam engine crossing its riveted beams. From Highway 39, an unpaved trail emerges into a wonderful mixture of ranch lands, rivers, and forested buttes. All the original trestles are still in place, as well as unique engineering feats such as the double switchback. This trail section is more rugged and attracts mountain bikers, avid hikers, anglers, equestrian users, and wildlife watchers. From Beatty to the Sycan Marsh, trail users are in a national forest, with its lofty ponderosa pines, lively streams, and Horse Glade Trailhead camping. This section is host to the 400-foot-long Merritt Creek Trestle. Cross-country skiers will be delighted to find snowfall in the area is consistent. Sycan Marsh is an attraction for bird watchers. |
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