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Metolius River

©Harold Malde
 

Why You Should Visit    
An open meadow and riparian forest harbor a diversity of plant life alongside the cold waters of the spring-fed Metolius River.

Location
Near Camp Sherman, north of Sisters in central Oregon

Size
30 acres

How to Prepare for Your Visit
The best time to visit is June through September, with peak flowering in mid-June. Please note that the trail passes through other private lands as well as through the preserve. For more information, please see our Preserve Visitation Guidelines.

Directions

  • From Hwy 20/126, northwest of Sisters, take the Metolius River-Camp Sherman Exit (Forest Service Road 14)
  • Head north on 14, staying to your right (towards the “Headwaters of the Metolius”
  • Cross over the Metolius River at Lower Bridge Campground, and continue west (on 14) as it turns to cinder/gravel.
  • Take your first left on Forest Service Road 1298, which is closed to cars by a gate about a half-mile ahead.
  • At the gate, turn around and park (on the east side of the road, where you will not block emergency  vehicles), and continue down Forest Service Road 1298 on foot for approximately 1/4-mile.
  • An old logging road, marked by a small Nature Conservancy sign on a tree, heads downhill  (east/left) towards the river. Continue walking 1/4-mile to the preserve boundary. An undeveloped trail leads south along the west side of the river.

What to See: Plants
This cool, moist stretch of meadow and forest along the Metolius River supports a low-elevation fen, dry meadows and a mixed conifer river bottom old-growth forest. Conifer species include ponderosa pine, grand fir, Douglas-fir, western white pine and Englemann spruce. The meadow hosts a large population of the rare Peck's penstemon and other wildflowers endemic to central Oregon. The preserve also includes two river islands.

What to See: Animals
Along the river, bobcat, flying squirrel, northern watershrew, and bat species little brown myotis and long-eared myotis make their home.

What the Conservancy Has Done/Is Doing
The condition and status of rare species on the preserve are monitored by ecologists. Teams of volunteers assist periodically throughout the year with trail maintenance and removal of invasive, non-native species.