The McKenzie River!

August 2, 2015

When we headed up to Prineville this time, mom and dad told me they had a fun and special place they were going to take me!  They figured this would be the perfect time to take me to McKenzie country, since, it wasn't that far from Prineville!

We got out to stretch our legs and I was so excited to see my name all over the place spelled the correct way!

We thought we would check out the McKenzie River National Recreation Trail.  It is 26 mile trail that goes through the central part of Oregon.  

We had fun playing on the bridge and then got back in the car to go and see the McKenzie River!

Before I was born, Mom and Dad were trying to figure out a name for me.  Dad liked McKenzie like this river.  They thought it would be fitting to name me after water, since, so many important things for them happened around water (they got married by the ocean, engaged by a river, and first really hung out by a lake).  Mom liked McKenzie, but really wanted to find something shorter since McKenzie Nettleton is a pretty long.  

A few days before I was born, mom was praying over my name and she was given this verse to go with McKenzie since it is a river, "There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.  God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved, God will help her when morning dawns." Psalms 46:4-5.  A few days later I was born and given the name McKenzie Mae.

I don't have a river that I was named after, but I do have a lake that mom and dad said they would take me to some day.  I still had fun getting to explore McKenzie's river.  

There are some beautiful waterfalls along the McKenzie river, so, we thought we would go out on a hike to check a couple out and walk along the river.  

It was a beautiful walk along the river on the trail.  There were lots of cascades to view as we hiked along.  

We found an area that we could get down to the water and see it up and close.  

I wanted to put my hand in the water and see what it felt like.  It was sure cold.

I  wanted to feel the river just like my sister, so, Dad helped me.  Glad he helped me, so, I didn't fall into that cold river.  

It was fun playing in the water for a little bit.

It sure was a beautiful stretch of river that we hiked along. 

We came across some pools that were such a beautiful blue.  Mom tried to get a picture, but the blue still doesn't come out as blue as it was.   

The blue pools were just like the blue in my eyes!

Here is another waterfall we found along the way. 

The hike we did today was from one waterfall to another and then back to the first!  Here is the second major waterfall.

We headed on a little bit to find a good view point!

Mom tried to get a picture with us in front of the waterfall!

Then a nice fellow hiker offered to take a family picture for us.  It is always nice to get a family picture. 

A nice bench to rest on before we head back to our car!

It was a perfect day to be out exploring my river. 

I think this is the prettiest part of the river that we saw all day.  A beautiful river just like the beautiful girl.

We stopped by the McKenzie River Ranger Station to see if it just happened to be open to get a souvenir of our day.  It was closed for the weekend, but I got to get my picture taking in front of the biggest "McKenzie" sign yet.  

Makayla wanted in on getting her picture in front of the big McKenzie sign!

Then we saw this life size wood statue of Smokey the Bear and had to head over and get a picture.  

On our way back to Prineville, we took the McKenzie Pass to check it out.  Here are the Three Sisters in the background!

At the top of the summit, we got out to check it out.  There was a huge lava field that went right through it.  

Here I am at my very own pass.  Who knew there was so much named after me!

One of the coolest things we saw today was the lava castle at McKenzie Pass summit.  Okay, so it might not have been a castle, but an observation tower.  I am going to think it was a castle.

We hiked up to go and explore the castle.  We beat mom and Makayla up, so, they took a picture of us looking through the window.  

Welcome to my castle!

I had fun looking out all the windows and enjoying the views.

There were little window above the big window that would tell you what mountain you were looking at.

We climbed up to the top of the castle and a nice person took a family picture of us on McKenzie Castle.

It was sure an amazing day getting to see my river and castle!  We stopped in the little town of sisters on our way back to Prineville for some dinner.  I can't wait to sometime go back and explore more of the McKenzie river.