Just got back from 3 days on the Mckenzie River trail in Oregon between Eugene and Bend. Took my 4 boys ages 8-14, my wife and sister in law. All 1st time backpackers except me and my 2 oldest boys. My boys have done quite a bit of hiking but no overnight backpacking. My wife likes to hike but grew up in Oregon and hates Utah hiking because it is "either up or down" and no tree cover. Sister in law is active but not much hiking experience. So basically a bunch of rookies.

We'd been wanting to do a family trip for my wife to try it out and the boys to have a taste. If you're looking for a doable backpacking trip with kids it is perfect. It is a beautiful, well-kept trail that follows the Mckenzie river so mostly all downhill. It is 99% covered with evergreens so beautiful and shady. You hit a few awesome waterfalls along with a few lakes and reservoirs. Water is readily available and if worse came to worse the highway is nearby so you're never more than a few miles from getting help if needed but there is no cell service. That being said you rarely hear the highway because the river is there and it feels remote. The whole trail is 26 miles but you could stop at Belknap Hot Springs and cut off about 6 miles without really missing anything. Apparently it is a popular biking trail so we had to step aside for the occasional bikers.

Makes me wonder why we ever left Oregon (then I remember seeing kids play soccer/baseball in downpours and I remember 🙂

Thanks to Triznaynay who gave me some 1st hand knowledge of the trail.