Sahalie Falls was a quick stop on our way back to Bend from Clear Lake. We were able to find a…read moresmall parking stall right at the waterfall without having to run across the road with the kids. The walk to the lookout viewing area from the parking lot was very short. We walked a few yards down the trail past it to take pictures of the river. We then took a side trail down to the waterfall to get some pictures. This was a fun quick stop to see a beautiful waterfall.

Such a magical spot to learn about waterfalls and experience nature. There was a rainbow and snow…read moresimultaneously during our visit and it created the most magical wonderland. Must see and well worth the drive out.

I came here to see the source of the Metolius and was blown away by how well done they've made this…read morespot. Big parking lot, a beautiful paved path through the forest with a really nice rustic wood fence along the entire stretch. Takes you right to the source, which you can kind of see bubbling up out of the earth through the trees. There's also a nice view of the river with a snowy mountain (Jefferson?) in the background. I don't know that I need to come back, but I'm really glad I stopped by.

I'm a big fan of the Metolius River, it's just a stunning place for a hike. We didn't pull off to…read moresee the head last time so we decided to when passing through this weekend. While the air of mystery associated with the head is very cool...the river seems to appear from nowhere...the actual visual reward once there in person was definitely underwhelming. It's a very nice trailhead with lots of parking, picnic tables, and toilets (which were very clean). A short, paved, flat walkway takes you directly to the head. I'm not sure what I expected to see, but there's honestly nothing to take in. Maybe it would've been better to leave the head of the Metolius as a mystery! :) It's an easy find and a peaceful leisurely stroll to the head, but one and done. Save your time with this and just hike the beautiful river instead!

A beautiful hike. We did the waterfall loop, which is about a 3 mile hike that takes you by Koosah…read moreand Sahalie Falls. We brought the dogs and the kids, and we had a blast. The scenery was stunning and the trail condition was perfect. We'd definitely come back here again.

What a gift it is to be surrounded by so much natural beauty. Today I was able to hike Sahalie…read moreFalls, Koosah Falls, and Tomalitch Blue Pool, all in one out and back 10.5 mile trek. The drive to the trailhead took 2.5 hours from my home in Portland, so we left by 6. If you arrive after 9 or 10 you have to deal with the crowds. Sahalie Falls was first and can be accessed very easily from the parking lot - no hike required. Keep this one in mind if you have mobility limitations. If you're up for it, hit the trail here. A short distance along the Mckenzie Creek will take you to Koosah Falls. Gorgeous, with falling turquoise water. Want a scare? Look up the fools who cliff jump from here. Incredible. After that you pass by the reservoir, then have a nice hike along a soft pine needle path down to Tomalitch Blue Pool. Again with the cliff jumping. Don't do it! So dangerous. But do carefully follow the pink ribbons over the rock ledge and down to the shore. You can swim if you dare in the 38 degree water. At least dunk your feet. The hike back to where you parked at Sahalie is 5 miles. Pack a lunch, a lot of water (I finished my 3 liters), and enjoy the day.

Last stop on our trip to Oregon before heading back to San Diego. It was May 1st and we arrived…read morearound 9am so it was not that busy. Drive: Basic mountain roads. Most roads feel brand new with well marked lines and signs. Parking/trailhead: Signs clearly marked parking area for Blue Pool. Long road leading up to trailhead is unpaved and parking is only allowed on one side. Luckily we were early so got a spot not too far down. Two restrooms, pretty stinky but what can you expect? Trail: Pretty easy hike. Mostly even paths I think overall theres about 300 feet gain on it. Some parts were very muddy, a big portion is rocky with lots of lava rock. Some parts have tree roots sticking up. CAUTION: Parts of trail have a really high cliff that drops off into the river with no markings so be careful especially with dogs or kids. Pool: Of course amazing views once you get to the pool. The side you arrive on is on a cliff with the view of the pool below. You can hike down to the pool by hiking around the edge but some parts are really close to the edge. Descending and ascending is difficult and is not for the weak. Over all we had an amazing time. The hike was a little longer than I thought but nothing too crazy even for a novice hiker. I would suggest bringing water and snacks, we didn't and regretted it. If you get down to the water at least dip your feet in. We did and it felt amazing and we actually felt reguvenated for our hike back.

To many people. Hard to park anywhere. People jump in the water and go into shock and pass away…read moreyearly here. Cool view though

Pretty cool and secluded spot for an easy hike along the scenic McKenzie Pass…read more We decided to pull off and check out the short hike to Hand Lake last weekend. There's a wide shoulder on which to park, big enough for 5 or so cars, right across from the trailhead. The trailhead sign provides info, as well as the free self-issue Wilderness permits for access. (Short and easy form) The trail is short and well-maintained, easy for most anyone. After trekking a bit through the gorgeous trees it opens up to the lake at the small cabin shelter. Right now it's more of a palm only, as the water pool is small this time of year, but you can still see the dry fingers. Nice views of the Three Sisters from the middle. It's a short trail, definitely more of just a leg-stretcher only as you travel along the McKenzie, but a cool setting and I'm sure much more of a scene when the waters up.

I found the preserve on articles when researching where I could check out larches as they turn…read moreyellow. We'd been hiking around Camp Sherman before, but didn't even know the Metolius Preserve existed. There are 2 trailheads, North and South, each with parking. We chose to park at the North Trailhead, as we'd chosen to take the Larch Trail this day. There's a good amount of parking, and nice gravel roads throughout. Trails and trail intersections are signed well. The 10 miles of trails here are for hikers and bikes, although we only met a couple of each while there. The Preserve grounds are very pretty and serene. Gorgeous trees and fall colors (including turning larches) abound, as well as birds and the occasional critter in the brush. Everything we encountered while there was well-maintained and clean. Can't wait to check out the other trails.

I recommend parking at the Koosah Falls parking lot- there is ample parking available there…read more Parking at Sahalie Falls is overcrowded and some folks had to park across the highway. There is a dig out restroom available in the parking lot. The trails are very well maintained and the overlooks offer excellent views of the falls. The path between the falls offers views of the BLUE McKenzie River. Across the river you will see the McKenzie River Trail with runners and hikers. There are several unmaintained paths going from the trail to the river- wander down at your own risk! Definitely a low effort high reward hike! Do not miss this one!

Beautiful waterfall no where to sit and hangout there though. Other than that it was good I went on…read morea day where there wasn't a lot of people

South sister was my first big mountain I ever summited so it will always hold a special place in my…read moreheart. At 10,358ft it's no joke! The first time I did it, it felt like the hardest thing over ever done. I recently went back and did it again (after years of mountaineering in Colorado) and it felt very easy. To put it in perspective, it's a long hike (13-14miles) with over 5K elevation. However it's a gradual gain and only a class one! No equipment needed. So as long as you hike a lot and have good endurance it's completely doable and very low risk. Just bring lots of water and food! The view at the top is soo breathtaking and makes it worth all of the hard work. It feels like you can see every mountain in Oregon and you're just right next to middle and north sister. It's incredible! There's a gorgeous lake on the way up called teardrop lake. It's a nice place to rest before the last final push which is the hardest part. Once you get to the top, it's an easy 1/4 mile walk to the true summit. Don't miss it!

South Sister is an absolutely beautiful hike. I started off around 6am in the silence of the…read moreforest, hit the morning sun above the treeline, and summited by 10am. A number of other hikers in the upper parts of the trail. The views were amazing and the trail is gorgeous the entire way up. Don't forget to grab your permit.