Oregon Route 27



Oregon Route 27 is an Oregon state highway located in Deschutes County and Crook County. OR 27 traverses the Crooked River Highway No. 14 of the Oregon state highway system. Known as the Lower Crooked River Back Country Byway, OR 27 has the distinction of being one of the only state highways in Oregon which is partially paved: out of its 44.79 mi total length, an 18.5 mi stretch of the highway is gravel.

Route description
OR 27 has its southern terminus at a junction with U.S. Route 20 at Brothers, east of Bend. It runs north, along the Crooked River, towards Prineville Reservoir and the city of Prineville. It terminates in Prineville at a junction with U.S. Route 26.

There have been numerous proposals over the years to pave the highway in its entirety; but no such projects have been undertaken due to lack of funding.

History
A small section of the highway was rerouted in 1961 when Prineville Reservoir was created and covered the roadway.

OR 27 used to extend further northwest to the town of Metolius, roughly following the present US 26.