First, for those unfamiliar with the Preserve’s creation story, it took an 18 month capital campaign and 950 donors to help raise the $2.6 million needed to make the Preserve a reality! At the time, the Land Trust was less than seven years old, had only five staff, and had yet to lead a capital campaign to acquire such a large and significant property. Luckily, our community showed up (and continues to show up!), and we successfully conserved the land, creating a Preserve to be cherished by future generations of Central Oregonians for years to come.
With towering pines, lush creekside corridors, beautiful western larch and vine maples, and 10+ miles of trails, there is much to love and cherish about the Metolius Preserve. Here are some of our staff favorites:
- Allen: Butterflies, snowbrush, larches, hiking and biking trails, THREE forks of Lake Creek...what's not to love about the Metolius Preserve?!
- Amanda: The butterflies, of course!! With more than 50 different species of butterflies flitting about its forests, meadows, and streams, the Metolius Preserve remains one of my favorite places to observe butterflies in Central Oregon!
- Gabriel: My favorite part of Metolius Preserve is the conifer diversity and the cold waters of Lake Creek!
- Jen: The two words I would use to describe the Metolius Preserve are peace and comfort. Peace: When I visit the Preserve, there are rarely folks about and I can feel free to get lost in my thoughts or my work, or both. Comfort: Compared to many of our other Preserves, the terrain of the Metolius Preserve is less extreme. Fewer hills and rocks make for easy hiking and the trees provide shade and shelter during the heat of summer.
- Natasha: My favorite thing about Metolius Preserve is the solitude and fall colors.
- Pat: The Metolius is one of my favorite Preserves. I love the smell of the forest as I hike the trails; the sound of the wind whispering through the pine trees; the fall colors of the larch and vine maple trees; the clear, babbling water of the streams/creeks that you come across on the trails; the quiet sense of peacefulness away from the noise of everyday life; the colorful butterflies flitting about on a warm summer day; the sound of the birds; the grandeur of the tall pine trees;sharing it with family and friends of all ages because it has something for everyone and it is so beautiful!
- Peter: I love the larch and vine maples in the fall!
- Rika: My favorite thing about Metolius Preserve is seeing the seasons change through the vibrant colors of the trees, plants, butterflies, and snow!
- Sarah Holcombe: The Metolius Preserve was the first Land Trust Preserve I visited, many years ago, before joining the Deschutes Land Trust team. It is a special place in my life as a place that inspired me early on to have an appreciation of Central Oregon. Going back this year as a Land Trust staff member, surrounded by other Land Trust members and the beautiful western larches, made it even more impactful to now be a part of this mission.
- Sarah Mowry: I love the Metolius Preserve for so many reasons! The quiet you find in the forest. The easy, accessible trail system with lots of loop options for kiddos when they are small. The golden bracken fern in the fall. The large ponderosas you need to hug. The brilliant vine maple along Lake Creek. The bright green soft larch in the spring. The collective, community fun of a snowy Tree Hunt!
- Serena: All the beautiful butterfly species!!
What do you love about the Metolius Preserve? Let us know and then make a donation to support the Land Trust so we can continue to conserve and care of places like the Metolius Preserve into the future!
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