Our first couple of planned backpacking trips didn’t happen for one reason or another but we really wanted to get at least one overnight trip in before August. We’d picked up some new gear that we hoped to give a test run before a longer outing we have planned for August.
Recent reports of a heavy mosquito presence at our plan “A” location forced us to look for a plan “B”. We turned to one of the early trips that hadn’t happened, a hike along the Metolius River starting from the Lower Bridge Campground. Matt Reeder describes 10.1-mile hike to a former trailhead that once served the Shut-In Trail in his “101 Hikes in the Majestic Mount Jefferson Region”. By all accounts the Shut-In Trail was a brushy mess, at least beyond a mile from the former trailhead. Our plan was to set up camp at the old trailhead and then explore the Shut-In Trail as far as it was passable.
Reeder mentioned that ticks could be a nuisance in the Spring but by this time they and most of the mosquito’s wouldn’t be a problem. The downside of visiting this time of year though would be the heat with highs forecast in the upper 80s. The temperature was pleasant when we arrived at the trailhead just after 7am. We parked at a small trailhead across from the Lower Bend Campground.
We’d hiked through this trailhead during a 2012 hike starting from the West Metolius Trailhead (post). Lower Bridge which we’d used to cross the river had been the northern end of that hike. For this trip we would be heading further North and then East as we rounded Green Ridge (post) at the Horn of the Metolius.
To reach the trail we had to walk through the campground to the top of its loop and pass between a couple of occupied camp sites to a trail sign.
The sign is visible from the campground road.
The trail quickly reached the banks of the Metolius. This 23-mile river is fed primarily by a series springs and spring fed creeks beginning with the Head of the Metolius (post). The river ends at Lake Billy Chinook (post) where it joins waters from the Crooked and Deschutes Rivers. The spring fed water is cold and clear which makes the Metolius a beautiful river.
The trail passes a number of large campsites early on with numerous side trails for fly fishers to access the river. Reeder mentioned the trail petering out just over a mile and a half from the campground across the river from the Candle Creek Campground and recommended veering away from the river there and joining the Lower Metolius River Road.
Common mergansers
Ouzel
Goldenrod
Passing some of the campsites.
The Candle Creek Campground across the Metolius.
The trail seemed to be in pretty good shape as we passed the campground so instead of detouring to the road we stuck to the trail which was now more of a braided fisherman’s trail than a hiker trail, but it was passable without too much effort. That is until the final 100′ where we nearly lost the trail in brush before finding a very steep trail leading up to the road.
We actually went left below the stump here but, on the way back wound up coming downhill by the stump.
More campsites.
As we got further from the campground we encountered more and more brushy sections.
Another section with an increased number of obstacles.
Getting a bit brushier.
We left the river for the road at this bend.
Heading up to the road.
The use trail from the road.
Several opportunities to head for the road prior to this had us deciding that we would look for one of those on the way back instead of returning exactly the way we came. We followed this road a total of 6.2 miles to where the GPS showed the road ending and the Shut-In Trail beginning. We actually were passed by a gentleman in an SUV who was heading for one a small number of private cabins located approximately 3.7 miles from where we’d joined the road. He stopped to ask where we were headed and wished us a good hike.
We wondered what this post signified.
They were way past blooming but there were several mountain lady slippers along the road.
Osprey nest
Rock spire on lower section of Green Ridge. There are several interesting rock features higher up on the northern end of Green Ridge that were not visible from the road.
Orchid
Scarlet gilia
Some of the private cabins from the road.
A couple more cabins.
Based on the Oregonhikers field guide we had expected the road beyond the private cabins to have downed trees but instead found they had all been cut and there were even tire tracks, bicycle most likely, all the way to the Shut-In Trail.
The end of the private land.
The clear water allows for nice views of the rocks making up the riverbed.
Even though it had received maintenance the road was not in good enough condition for larger vehicles.
Pink monkeyflower
Lorquin’s admiral
The forest opened up near the end of the road where we set up camp.
Campsite
Yellow monkeyflower
We had arrived at our campsite a little before 12:15pm and it was really heating up, so we broke out our camp chairs and rested for several hours near the river before fixing an early dinner and setting off on the Shut-In Trail.
Lizard hanging out near the campsite.
After an early dinner we set off on the Shut-In Trail which we were surprised to find had seen some recent maintenance.
Grouse
The answer to the questions is yes bears do.
The Metolius through the trees.
Sagebrush mariposa lily. There also tire tracks in the trail behind.
Recent brushing had been performed through this area.
Looking up the end of Green Ridge.
This large tree had been cut fairly recently.
Flagging marking a reroute around a downed tree.
After a little more than a mile and a half of good trail things began to deteriorate.
Starting to get brushy.
View across the river to the Warm Springs Indian Reservation.
Flowers along the Metolius.
The Whitewater River was behind the rock formation on the far side. The Whitewater River begins at the Whitewater Glacier on Mt. Jefferson and flows roughly 7.5 miles through the Warm Springs Reservation to the Metolius.
More clear water.
Fireweed
Thimbleberries provided us with a few after dinner snacks.
Hedgenettle
The Shut-In Trail traveled right along the riverbank at times.
There was one section along the hillside that had experienced some pretty significant erosion.
There was a small set of boards nailed together to assist with crossing the sketchiest part, but they were just lying on the hillside and not anchored in any way.
Just under two and a half miles from our camp we arrived at County Road 64. One could continue along this closed road for 4.6 miles to a gate just beyond the Monty Campground. A seasonal gate is located another 1.7-miles from the campground along the Metolius arm of Lake Billy Chinook.
The Shut-In Trail from CR-64.
CR-64
After a short break at the road we headed back.
Frog on a skunk cabbage leaf. There were a few wet areas along the Shut-In Trail which meant a few mosquitos were present.
The Sun going down as we approached camp.
Our first day wound up being 15.3-miles, 10.5 to reach camp and a 4.8-mile round trip on the Shut-In Trail. The elevation gain was only about 800′ total.
We woke up early the next morning hoping to stay ahead of the heat. After breakfast and packing up we followed the Lower Metolius River Road a total of 8-miles before cutting down to the trail along the river.
Pinedrops
Squirrel
Bee sleeping on thistle.
Large boykinia
The gentleman that had driven passed us the day before passed us again on his way into the cabins shortly before we turned off the road.
We turned off the road here on a well-established use trail down to the water.
Red admiral. As far as I know this is the first one of this species of butterfly that we’d seen.
Common wood nymph
Across from the Candle Creek Campground.
Green Ridge through some smoke. A couple of new fires, one on the Warm Springs Reservation and one East of Eugene had started over the weekend.
Love the colors of the Metolius.
Skipper on a mariposa lily.
Lower Bridge Campground is ahead to the left in the trees.
Our return hike came in at 10.1-miles which was the distance Reeder indicated between the trailhead and Shut-In Trail. The elevation gain was under 500′ of very gradual uphill, mostly along the road.
Red is our return to the trailhead.
Heat aside this turned out to be a great backpacking trip. Over the two days we only passed one fly fisher (near Lower Bridge Campground), the private landowner (2x in his car), and a pair of hikers (again near Lower Bridge Campground). There were people across the river at Candle Creek Campground and in Lower Bridge Campground itself, but it was about as much solitude as we could have asked for. The condition of the trails was also better than we’d expected despite the rough end of the Shut-In Trail toward CR-64. It was a successful test run of our new gear as well and we now feel ready for our longer trip coming up in August. Happy Trails!
Flickr: Middle Metolius River
wanderingyuncks 