McKenzie View Drive is a desirable location, but with only 50 or so houses, there usually isn’t much real estate activity.  Lately, that’s changed and we have had quite a bit of activity on McKenzie View.  McKenzie View is an interesting street, running between Eugene and Springfield, Oregon.  At only 6 miles long, it hugs the base of the Coburg Hills in between the Mohawk and McKenzie Rivers, and is very picturesque.  McKenzie View starts just north of Armitage Park and the historic Coburg Railroad Bridge, constructed in 1887, and moved it its current location in 1907.

Just before McKenzie View dives under I-5, is the Armitage Park Boat Ramp, providing access to the McKenzie River, renowned for its beauty and fishing.  Armitage park provides year round camping and also has the distinction of being one of the area’s few off-leash dog parks.  Almost every time I go by it there are dogs and their owners out having fun.

Growing up in Eugene, as kids we’d talk about Mt. Baldy for some odd reason.  It’s a weird bare patch in the Coburg Hills, visible to most of Eugene and Springfield, looking north..  It’s to the southeast of the KEZI towers.  Mt. Baldy was originally called Richy’s Butte, apparently named after a mentally challenged person, who lived in a shack and rolled rocks down the hill.  The area by Mt. Baldy was first homesteaded around 1850 by John Cogswell, who built one of Lane County’s first frame houses; log cabins were the norm back then. While Mt. Baldy in the Coburg Hills is a large example of a bare spot in the landscape, several other prominent bald spots also occur and are visible from McKenzie View; soils are thin in these areas and they only support lichens, moss, grass and maybe a little brush, but no real trees, hence they appear bald from a distance.  Mt. Baldy is accessible from McKenzie View, but only through private property.  The Coburg Caves, a popular climbing spot, are nearby Mt. Baldy.

Wildlife is common in the Coburgs and along McKenzie View.  It’s not difficult to see turkeys, deer, and the occasional bobcat.  Rare, but present, are bear, coyotes, foxes, porcupines and cougar.  There are nesting pairs of Eagles which are seen a few times a year and commonly seen are osprey.  One osprey lives on a telephone pole to the west of Hill Road.

Wild life of a different sort may also be found along McKenzie View Drive.  About a mile in from the Coburg side is Nudie Rock, which is a nude bathing beach.  When the weather is warm, it’s easy to find its location–just look for the flock of cars parked by the north side of the road.

Perhaps there’s something inspiring about the McKenzie River.  The initial meeting to form Nike happened in the late John Jaqua’s house on McKenzie view.  At one point, McKenzie View Drive housed another Nike heavyweight and one of Eugene’s most famous citizens:  Bill Bowerman.  Mr. Bowerman has passed on, so I can no longer ask, but I think it was at his house on McKenzie View that Mr. Bowerman used his wife’s waffle iron to create the waffle running shoe, which put Nike on the map.

Houses with valley views and river views are common, and they often fetch high prices.  Part of McKenzie View has a Eugene mailing address and is in the Eugene School System, and part is in Springfield.  McKenzie View is makes for a nice drive, if you want to get out of the city, and if you have questions on real estate, please contact me.

Purchasing or selling country property in Lane County is far more complex than for urban properties.  A good realtor familiar with rural property around Eugene Springfield can be an invaluable resource for you.  If you have questions about real estate, please contact me.  You can search listings here.