OC&E Woods Line State Trail
| OC&E Woods Line State Trail | |
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OC&E Trail through Klamath Falls at Wiard Park
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| Type | Public, state |
| Location | Klamath and Lake counties, Oregon |
| Nearest city | Klamath Falls |
| Coordinates | 42°12′27″N 121°45′07″W / 42.20749°N 121.7519°WCoordinates: 42°12′27″N 121°45′07″W / 42.20749°N 121.7519°W |
| Operated by | Oregon Parks and Recreation Department |
| Open | Year round |
| Status | Day use, fee-free |
The OC&E Woods Line State Trail is a rail trail in Klamath and Lake counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is Oregon's longest state park. The trail follows the old OC&E (Oregon, California and Eastern) and Weyerhaeuser railroads from Klamath Falls to Thompson Reservoir. Along its 105-mile (169 km) length it passes through the communities of Olene, Sprague River, Dairy, Beatty, and Bly.
The OC&E Woods Line State Trail is paved from Klamath Falls to the community of Olene, approximately 8 miles (13 km). Beyond Olene, the trail surface is graded and compacted, which attracts mountain bikers, hikers, anglers, equestrian users, and wildlife watchers. Additionally, the trail has a gentle 2 percent slope grade.
Construction on the OC&E Railroad (also known as the Klamath Municipal Railway) began in the summer of 1917 as part of a grand scheme to connect Central and Eastern Oregon with rail lines and take advantage of timber opportunities. Initial development efforts involved bonds sold by the city of Klamath Falls. Logging camps with spur railroads sprang up almost overnight, and by 1919, four lumber mills were located on the main line. After several delays, the OC&E was declared open in the fall of 1923, and in 1927 was extended to Bly.
Southern Pacific and Burlington Northern (and their pre-merger railroads) operated the line jointly from 1925 until 1974, when it was purchased by Weyerhaeuser, who solely operated the entire railroad in support of its timber operations. At peak production in the late 1970s, the OC&E was reported to be transporting 35,000 loads of wood products a year.
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