4
Wednesday, July 19, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Easy hike along the Lower Metolius
By Craig F. Eisenbeis
Correspondent
While waiting for the local
high country to open up after
our big snow year, I did a bit
of trail wandering in more
accessible areas. Exploring
this part of the Lower
Metolius River is hardly a
challenging adventure; but,
if you haven’t visited this
stretch of the river, it’s worth
your time to see where our
iconic and scenic local water-
way morphs into a truly big
and powerful river.
Below Camp Sherman,
the Metolius is joined by
First, Jack, Canyon, Abbot,
Candle and Jefferson creeks,
as well as Allen Springs, and
the springs at Wizard Falls
and below Canyon Creek. By
the time this west-side trail
ends, there is a startling vol-
ume of river hurtling toward
Lake Billy Chinook and the
Columbia.
The trail I’m talking
about is hardly more than a
mile in length and takes off
from the west end of Bridge
99 below the Wizard Falls
Fish Hatchery. I’m hardly a
stranger to this friendly trail,
having traversed it dozens of
times over the last half-cen-
tury; but, in recent years, my
visits have been infrequent.
It’s actually possible to
travel farther downstream on
the east side of the river; but,
even there, the trail peters
out after a couple of miles
and requires extensive bush-
whacking unless you head
uphill to a private access
road away from the river
where hiking and biking is
permitted.
The west-side trail is very
lightly used and, even then,
mostly by fishermen.
The trail takes off down-
stream just across the road
from a shady parking area on
the west side of the bridge. At
times, the hiker may choose
between the fishermen’s low
road and a higher, straighter
route along the slopes of the
river bank. Any combination
of high and low is a pleasant
and scenic stroll in the woods.
As the trail nears the
Candle Creek Campground,
the route crosses Abbot Creek
on a very nice flattened log
bridge with a sturdy handrail.
The mouth of Abbot Creek
forms a rather large, and rare,
eddy of quiet water inside of
an unusual – at least to the
Metolius – sand bar.
From there, it’s only a
couple of hundred yards to
Candle Creek Campground
and the end of the trail. After
walking through the camp-
ground, we crossed the creek
and immediately encountered
what appeared to be another
creek. My first thought was
that Jefferson Creek was
closer than I remembered; but
further investigation revealed
that we were on an island,
where Candle Creek splits
near its mouth.
In reality, Jefferson Creek
is only another couple of
hundred yards farther down-
stream, but the trail I used to
take is thoroughly overgrown;
and I wasn’t in the mood for
bushwhacking. To the sur-
prise of many, Jefferson
Creek forms a boundary of
another sort; less than a mile
and a half below Bridge 99
is the Warm Springs Indian
reservation. We tend to think
of Warm Springs as a distant
entity up somewhere north of
Madras. In reality, the reser-
vation is our close neighbor
right here in our own back-
yard. From Jefferson Creek
on, the west and north side
of the river is all reservation
land.
As mentioned earlier, at
this point the relatively placid
stream flowing through Camp
Sherman has changed; and
the growing force and volume
of the river is befitting of its
upcoming “Wild and Scenic”
designation. As it races down-
stream, it gets even bigger
with the addition of Mariel,
Walker, Sheep, Code, Camp,
Racing, and Rainy creeks;
and, where the north-flow-
ing Metolius turns south, it
is joined by the substantial
Whitewater River.
For those thinking of tak-
ing watercraft down this pow-
erful stretch of water, don’t
do it. There are warnings of
Quality Truck-mounted
CARPET CLEANING
Quality Cleaning 16 years in
Reasonable Prices Sisters!
— Credit Cards Accepted —
ENVIROTECH
541-771-5048
Licensed • Bonded • Insured • CCB#181062
RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL
Fun Events & Great Food
Music Thursdays
6:30 to 8:30 p.m. (Cover by donation)
Barbecue Friday Nights
6 to 8:30 p.m.
Free Open Mic Saturdays
6 to 8 p.m.
541-549-2572 | 250 W. Cascade Ave.
Mon.-Wed. 11 to 4
Thurs. & Fri. 11 to 8:30
Sat. 8 to 8 | Sun. 8 to 5
Best Vue Blinds is looking
for a personable and well-organized individual
to assist our seasoned salesperson with
sales-related tasks in the window-coverings business.
• Full- or part-time position
• No experience necessary
(Prior experience in the window-coverings business
or interior design is a plus.)
• Great entry-level position that can lead to further growth
If you would like further
description of the job-related
details, contact us directly at
Airless
Paint
Sprayer
Walk Behind
String
Trimmer
Deck Sander
NEED IT, RENT IT!
541-549-0968
506 N. Pine St.
BestVueBlinds.com
541-549-9631
141 E. Cascade Ave., #202
A division of Lakeview Millworks
GET THOSE
SMALL
JOBS DONE!
Sales • Service
Rentals • Accessories
www.sistersrental.com
PHOTO BY CRAIG F. EISENBEIS
Below Bridge 99, the Metolius River widens near the mouth of Abbot
Creek.
multiple shore-to-shore log
blockades. They don’t call it
wild for nothing; and, oh boy,
is it scenic.
Below Bridge 99, the only
other persons we encountered
were fisherman. Whitefish
and bull trout (actually a
char, not a trout) are com-
mon in this part of the river.
The Metolius River is open
only to barbless hook fly fish-
ing above Bridge 99. Barbed
hooks may be used below
Bridge 99, and the entire river
is catch-and-release for all
trout, including bull trout.
To experience a taste of
this less-traveled stretch of the
Metolius River, take Highway
20 about 9 miles west of
Sisters and turn right (north)
toward Camp Sherman and
follow the paved road about
13 miles either through or
around Camp Sherman to
Lower Bridge Campground
at Bridge 99. Park on the left,
just across Bridge 99, and
begin your hike by walking
across the road and slightly to
your left.
Return by the same trail
or drop a second car at the
Candle Creek Campground
for a very short and easy
hike. We wrapped up our out-
ing with a stop at the Camp
Sherman Store for an ice
cream treat!
Join us for a very special FREE
presentation & book signing with
Tenkara
An Easier
Way To Fly
Fish!
EXPERT & AUTHOR DANIEL GALHARDO
D O
DO
Thursday, July 20 from 3 to 6 p.m.
151 W. Main Ave., Sisters | Open 7 days a week
541-549-FISH | www.flyfishersplace.com
Firstt Class
Fir
Cla ss in Se
Ser
Service,
er vic
vicee Sel
S Selection
l ecti t ion
i on & K Knowledge
nowleleedge
d g