A scenic paved road to Santiam Pass in central Oregon

Santiam Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.471m (4,826ft) located on the boundary of Linn and Jefferson counties, in the US state of Oregon.

Santiam Pass

How long is Santiam Pass in OR?

The road to the summit, also known as Lakes Pass, Minto Pass, and Hogg Pass, is totally paved. It’s called McKenzie Pass-Santiam Pass Scenic Byway. The pass is 29.12km (18.1 miles) long, running west-east from Santiam Junction (in Linn County) to Black Butte Ranch (in Deschutes County). The pass was discovered in 1859 by Andrew Wiley and was named for the Santiam Indians, a Kalapooian tribe living near the Santiam River.

Is Santiam Pass in Oregon open?

Set high in the Cascade Range in the central part of Oregon, the road is usually open all year round, but short term closures are common in winter due to dangerous weather conditions. As you climb to Santiam Pass, you’ll see a side road for Hoodoo Ski Area which features downhill and cross-country skiing from December to March. Hoodoo Ski Area, which opened in about 1940 and operates under a U.S. Forest Service special-use permit, is located just south of the summit.