Metolius

Full Metolius Trip Report from 10/12/2025-- sharing because I would've appreciated this beta beforehand and know there's other folks here newer to central Oregon paddling. Portage descriptions (we had 3 plus a number of barely squeezable moves around wood) with their respective locations in the description of the Lower below.

We put in at Riverside Campground (practically the head of the Metolius) for the sake of doing the whole thing, and unsurprisingly had a bunch of janky wood and very low water in the stretch above (and immediately below) Camp Sherman. If you like feeling like a spawning salmon I'd highly recommend this section. Probably could've walked it faster than we boated it though. My first time running this as I had been shown the put in below Camp Sherman-- I now better understand why.

Upper Metolius: we know and love it. I appreciate the variety and accessibility of this first stretch even more having seen the whole shebang.

Lower Metolius (below Lower Bridge):

There were a few riverwide log boofs, the first and most prominent of which (right above Candle Creek campground) is good to go. This is the log jam the 2022 poster mentions. A notch has been cut in the middle of the log, so at 1300 CFS (standard non-melt flow) it's definitely runnable. I didn't get a location but looking at satellite view I think it's: 44.573068,-121.619304

Below this jam and above Candle Creek campground there's a long-ish rapid around a bend I'd called 3+. It's probably the most substantial rapid of the Lower. What do you guys call this one?

Significant log jam that looks enticing (first log boofable on right side) but sends you into a second, impassable log (see first photo) is at:

44.629054,-121.602657

Eddy out and portage on right

Island with log jam in right channel (see second photo), easy pullover and portage OR scrape down left channel:

44.666012,-121.581901

Libertarian logjam (just past the private inholding [you'll see solar panels and a bunch of equipment on your right] and below the rapid with some big high water marks in it). The older couple that lives here are nice provided you survive getting attacked by their 3 German shepherd police dogs and/or getting shot for trespassing. I learned this after an errant trail run last year from Monty.

44.644930,-121.513594

Eddy out right, portage right (see third photo). This is a crazy big jam.

One riverbend below there's the third mandatory portage-- easy eddy out on right and a bit of a hike along a decently developed trail to clear the brush and get to a decent put in.

44.643163,-121.509667

Eddy out right, portage right.

The only other notable feature on the run was a pillow piling up/off of a wall on the right, shortly before Monty. It looks appealing to run up onto but as you get closer you'll see that the wall is quite undercut and there's a nasty seam just downstream of the pillow. Would recommend staying away.

We got to see spawning salmon (90% sure they were Kokanee) cruising up the Whitewater River, would highly recommend a stop there! Fall colors of the understory, particularly the vine maple, were amazing. Grateful for this place and for the opportunity we have to inhabit it for a moment!

Two of us kayked from House on the Metolius to Monty Campground on 2025-10-11. We were able to average about 6 miles per hour. The fall colors were amazing and we saw lots of eagles and ospreys. It is an amesome run that I am surprised doesn't see more boaters.

The wood was all visible and we were able to easily catch eddies and portage around it. We portaged everything on river right. Locations:

Portage: 44.629175° N 121.602494° W
Large Log Jam: 44.644586° N 121.513364° W
New Log Below Large Log Jam: 44.643272° N 121.510072° W
Log in Rapid (can paddle around, but comes up quickly): 44.496556° N 121.636022° W

You can also look at the Strava recording and see the locations of the pictures on the map: https://www.strava.com/activities/16109515353/overview Feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions.

May 29, 2022 Put in at lower bridge to run the Lower to Monty Campground. Were surprised with new river wide tree 1/4 mile or so below Candle Creek Rapid. Started searching for eddies as soon as log came into view (150 yds?) but saw no opportunities, just the typical fast current through thick brush. The eddy we went for was on the right just before the tree, but, unfortunately, it was guarded by a log of its own. Two boaters were rejected attempting to boof into eddy and were swept under river spanning tree with many limbs. they fortunately flushed minus boats/paddles. One boater successfully made the boof into the eddy and helped the fourth who did not attempt the boof but decided to grab vegetation on boof log to stop....and hang on until rescue. This log looks like it might be there a while. I'd recommend looking for a river right exit at the bottom of Candle Rapid to portage....don't wait until the tree is in view.

We ran this on May 19th 2021. Flow on the gauge was about 1600 cfs. We put-in right next to Gorge Campground. 30 yards or so from the Gorge Campground gate (which was closed) there is a pull-off right on the river. Note that this is the campground road that parallels the main access road. For take-out we used Candle Creek campground. The run took us about 1h and 40 min, but we didn't play much. There are some nice boofs and a few small surfing waves. The rapids are class FUN. I think 3, but nothing too hard. We were giggling all the time. The last 2 miles or so into that campground are on a dirt road that is good-quality and all vehicles can go (I had a minivan) on it. You must mark your take-out well, it is very easy to miss because you're in the middle of a rapid. We took a few marks on the side of the river but what helped the most was the car parked right at the end of the campground in sight from the river. There are 4 bridges in total on this stretch. 3 of them were no problem in packrafts (probably also easy in kayaks). One bridge (Wizzard Falls hatchery - 3rd one) was bordeline low. I jumped out of my boat and floated under it holding the boat, my friend leaned way back and made it, but I am not that flexible. The first 2 bridges are on private property with signs saying please do not stop or get out of the river. There was 1 new tree in the river right near the put-in but you can either float under it on one end or around it at the other end. Apart from this there are other trees in the river that have been there for a while that have vegetation on them already, that are not a problem to go around. This is a very beautiful stretch of river with unique water features and river bed. Crystal clear water that is also cold. Bonus points that it can be done on a school night from Bend. I regretted not taking my poggies. I would not recommend this to total beginners because you need to be able to control the boat well, there are plenty of places to get snagged or swim under a log if not careful. There are also trees and logs on the river bottom, so it is best to stay in your boat. A swim in one of the rapids would probably end with some bruises.

We put in at Lower Bridge and did the the 17 mile run down to Monty Campground. We encountered two channel-spanning logs that came up quick and a few more pieces of wood in play. Use extreme caution as the logs are tricky to spot and require a quick move to get to shore. The first was located at 44.6483, -121.6140 and the second was at 44.6709, -121.5752. Both were portaged relatively easily but required a quick move into a very brushy and poorly-defined eddy above the hazard.

The river spanning log previously located near Lower Canyon Creek Campground (at 44°29'49.5'N 121°38'17.9'W (44.497083, -121.638306)) has since been moved to allow safe passage and maintain fish habitat! Many thanks to Bob Hennings and team with the Deschutes National Forest, Sisters Ranger District for making this happen. Cheers guys! Appreciate the hard work.

Ran the upper and lower sections July 28-29, 2018. 4 portages total along the way: 2 portages before Camp Sherman at 44° 26’44.17”, 121° 38’17.53” and 44° 27’22.28”, 121° 38’34.48”. Both are easily portaged on river right (or stand up and walk over the top of the first one). The second two portages are a ways past Candle Creek (no portages from Lower Bridge to Candle Creek). Located at 44° 38’54.96”, 121° 36’49.55” and 44° 38’40.45”, 121° 30’48.71”. Both portaged on RR. Need to be cautious of lots of other wood along the way, but well worth it.

I was informed last week that the Forest Service in conjunction with Trout Unlimited have been placing wood in the river for the past few years. I ran this twice, once in a 14' raft and once in an 11' raft back in 2008 with two log portages. By the way it was described to me, rafts are basically a no go these days and kayaks can paddle through with some effort...

I just ran the Metolius this weekend. The log that was there last year is now gone. However, there is a log jam at Canyon Creek Campgroung and easy to see. (I talked with the Forest Service and this may be removed soon) There is also a new log on the lower section perhaps a mile or so above Monty Campground. We were able to boat over it at 1600 cfs, but it may be a portage at lower levels.

Paddled solo from Lower Bridge to Camp Monty 8/15/05. The logs from put-in down to mandatory log portage about 6.5 miles down are more difficult than the rapids themselves. The character of the river is very swift with few eddies. The only portage, however, was at a large ponderosa with branches mostly intact making it clearly visible on the water. It is not marked, though it comes into view on a straight section just after spotting a few small cabins on the right bank. Small eddy on right allows for easy portage. The logs are much less frequent below here, making the run more enjoyable--but keep your eyes open in a few spots. There are several class III (mostly log-free) rapids below the confluence with the Whitewater river. Total trip time was approximately 3.5 hours.