Rivers
Six rivers. Twenty-seven adventures. Endless options for a wild and scenic summer.
THE INVINCIBLE
Metolius
THIS TWENTY-NINE-MILE-LONG RIVER apparently has a target on its back. Cascade lava flows have tried to squelch it no fewer than six times in the past five million or so years, including one particularly nasty attempt by Black Butte about a million years ago, when the volcano belched its fiery contents smack-dab into the riverbed. But the little river that could has always found a new path. Today, the Metolius wells up from beneath the bristled cone of Black Butte—at eighty feet wide, a river born almost whole—then races northward at nearly nine-hundred-thousand gallons a minute toward Lake Billy Chinook, where it makes a final wide turn into the Deschutes River. Despite its geological mystique, the Metolius is no mystery to fishermen, who flock to its banks in the summer to cast for brown trout and redband rainbows. Fittingly, given the river’s own hard-won survival, every inch of this serpentine stream is reserved for catch-and-release fishing.
FISH Historically, sockeye salmon have had a large run on the Metolius, but today, trout are king: brown, rainbow, redband, even the endangered bull trout all call the river home. When it comes to landing them, though, you’re more or less on your own. Because of a treaty with the Warm Springs Tribe—which owns the west bank of the lower river—the Forest Service has prohibited commercial guided fishing excursions on the Metolius. So stop into the Camp Sherman Store (campshermanstore.com), a full-service fly shop (see “Base Camp”), to find out what flies the fish have been taking.
HIKE While a handful of paddlers brave the Metolius’s cold, clear waters (the river flows at 48 degrees year-round), the paths surrounding the river are more popular, and they’re known as a haven from summertime heat. Old-growth ponderosa pines provide cooling shade on the six-mile West Metolius River Trail (www.fs.fed.us), which flits between forests and meadows. Bring a stash of quarters for your respite at the Wizard Falls Hatchery, about halfway up the trail, where you can buy fish food from the vending machines and play Santa to our finned friends in the open-air pools. For a tougher trek, take on the Metolius’s would-be murderer, Black Butte. It’s a quad-busting two-mile climb to the top of the 6,434-foot-high volcano, but the views of Mount Jefferson and the gnarled spire of Three Fingered Jack are to die for.
Published: July 2009
Morrison’s Rogue River lodge was an EXCELLENT place to stay on the Rogue (outside Grant’s Pass). The lodge itself has out-of-this-world food and quaint accomodations. I would highly recommend the raft trips Morrison’s offers, great guides and a 3-day trip I would do again in a heartbeat.
Morrison’s Rogue River lodge was an EXCELLENT place to stay on the Rogue (outside Grant’s Pass). The lodge itself has out-of-this-world food and quaint accomodations. I would highly recommend the raft trips Morrison’s offers, great guides and a 3-day trip I would do again in a heartbeat.
Morrison’s Rogue River lodge was an EXCELLENT place to stay on the Rogue (outside Grant’s Pass). The lodge itself has out-of-this-world food and quaint accomodations. I would highly recommend the raft trips Morrison’s offers, great guides and a 3-day trip I would do again in a heartbeat.
Morrison’s Rogue River lodge was an EXCELLENT place to stay on the Rogue (outside Grant’s Pass). The lodge itself has out-of-this-world food and quaint accomodations. I would highly recommend the raft trips Morrison’s offers, great guides and a 3-day trip I would do again in a heartbeat.
Enticing article, but sorely lacking in locations. To an Oregon newbie, the “maps” that accompanied the article were graphic and cute… and useless. Where, for example, is the Tamolitch Pool? Clear Lake? etc. Nice photography, though.
Enticing article, but sorely lacking in locations. To an Oregon newbie, the “maps” that accompanied the article were graphic and cute… and useless. Where, for example, is the Tamolitch Pool? Clear Lake? etc. Nice photography, though.
@Barry – Tamolitch Falls, Koosah & Sahalie Falls and Clear Lake are all in a line along Rt. 126 East of McKenzie Bridge, OR. Check out the second comment from this photo (http://www.flickr.com/photos/srlarsen/3005249676/in/set-72157608669242524/ ) for some basic directions to Tamolitch Falls or save yourself a lot of trouble and just pick up a copy of William Sullivan’s “100 Hikes in the Central Oregon Cascades,” the Bible of Oregon’s backwoods.
@Barry – Tamolitch Falls, Koosah & Sahalie Falls and Clear Lake are all in a line along Rt. 126 East of McKenzie Bridge, OR. Check out the second comment from this photo (http://www.flickr.com/photos/srlarsen/3005249676/in/set-72157608669242524/ ) for some basic directions to Tamolitch Falls or save yourself a lot of trouble and just pick up a copy of William Sullivan’s “100 Hikes in the Central Oregon Cascades,” the Bible of Oregon’s backwoods.
@Barry – Tamolitch Falls, Koosah & Sahalie Falls and Clear Lake are all in a line along Rt. 126 East of McKenzie Bridge, OR. Check out the second comment from this photo (http://www.flickr.com/photos/srlarsen/3005249676/in/set-72157608669242524/ ) for some basic directions to Tamolitch Falls or save yourself a lot of trouble and just pick up a copy of William Sullivan’s “100 Hikes in the Central Oregon Cascades,” the Bible of Oregon’s backwoods.
That photo is not the metolius river.
The photo that illustrates the Metolius River page was in no way taken on the Metolius. Are these articals just pasted up in the backroom using internet material?
“as they wiggle upstream toward the ocean to spawn” is one major biology error. Just to clarify fish swim upstream, meaning up a river, into tributaries and creeks to spawn. Upstream means toward the headwaters of the river.
Just wanted to share that Cog Wild Mountain Bike Tours, based in Bend, Oregon also offers multi-day tours on the North Umpqua Trail. Our tours are 3 days and include more time in the saddle for half the price. Check out details on our website for the North Umpqua Weekend Adventure at: www.cogwild.com.
:)
The best section of the Deschutes is the section around Maupin. It has the best rapids, Boxcar, Wapinitia and Oak Springs. You will get a better trip for a better price if you use on of the local companies. I have always liked using All Star Rafting http://asrk.com
I just moved to Oregon and can’t wait to explore my new home. My husband and I love to go river rafting, those look like some great locations! Do you have any recommendations for an Oregon river rafting company we can get some equipment from? A friend suggested I go to http://www.highdesertriver.com/, so I will have to see what their rates are. Thanks!