Indian Ford Meadow was donated to the Land Trust in 1996 by a local landowner to protect its dramatic scenic views and important wildlife habitat. Bisected by Indian Ford Creek, this picturesque 63 acre meadow near Sisters (see map below) contains a unique diversity of habitats ranging from wetlands to pine forest. The Preserve also serves as a migratory corridor for mule deer and a breeding ground for migratory songbirds.
Hummingbird at Indian Ford Meadow Preserve. Photo: Jay Mather.
Watch for wildlife: With song birds nesting along the creek and local raptors using the ponderosa pines as hunting perches, bird watching is always interesting. More than 130 species of birds have been observed at the Preserve. See the Preserve's Bird List or help with bird surveys. The Preserve also serves as an important mule deer habitat and migration corridor as the deer travel from the mountains in the summer to the more temperate winter range in the east.
Enjoy scenic views: Walk our 1 mile Founder’s Trail to explore the meadow and enjoy the scenic overlook with outstanding views of the Cascade Mountains.
Discover native plants: The Preserve is unique for its diversity of plant communities ranging from wetlands to aspen stands to pine forests. These habitats include sedges, willow, lupine, grasses, bitterbrush, big leaf sage, ponderosa pine, western juniper, and various wildflowers.
Mt. Jefferson from Indian Ford Meadow Preserve. Photo: Gary Miller.
Indian Ford Meadow Preserve protects ~.66 miles of Indian Ford Creek, aspen groves, ponderosa pine stands, wetlands, and open meadow that provide a habitat for songbirds and raptors, migratory deer, and other wildlife.
Indian Ford Meadow Preserve also provides low-impact accessible recreation opportunities that allow the local community to enjoy and connect with the natural world, gain physical and mental health benefits, while also ensuring that our meadows and streams remain protected and available for generations to come. Other community values include helping maintain the scenic character of the region and protecting cultural and historic resources. Finally, Indian Ford Meadow Preserve helps mitigate the impacts of climate change by helping store CO2 and by growing native vegetation that removes CO2 from the atmosphere. Land conservation is climate action!
Aspen at Indian Ford Meadow Preserve. Photo: Byron Dudley.
The Land Trust manages Indian Ford Meadow Preserve to protect and, where necessary, restore fish and wildlife habitat. Since acquiring the Preserve in 1996, the Land Trust has completed a variety of restoration projects including:
Managing weeds. Noxious weeds are a reality at all Land Trust protected lands. If they are not actively managed they compromise healthy native plant communities.
Aspen restoration. Aspen stands at the Preserve have received a helping hand over the years. Learn more about these efforts.
Pine restoration. Ponderosa pine stands at the Preserve have been thinned to encourage the growth of the pine trees and native bunchgrasses. Snags were also created in the process to benefit wildlife.
Indian Ford Meadow Preserve is open to the public during daylight hours year-round.
Indian Ford Meadow Preserve offers the following amenities:
Trailhead with informational kiosk.
Vehicle parking is on the side of Indian Ford Road. Please be sure you park safely along this busy road. Bike parking for several bikes.
~1 mile Founder's Trail: ¼ mile of wide (~36”) loose gravel trail; ¾ mile of narrow (<36”) natural surface trail. Minimal elevation gain/loss. Trails can get muddy in the winter and spring, please avoid using them during these times. Learn more about trails and routes at the Preserve.
Scenic overlook with wooden benches and interpretive signs.
Trailside wooden benches.
No restroom, drinking water, or trash removal services. Shade is variable. Cell phone reception can be limited. Snow may block access to the Preserve in the winter.
Preserve guidelines
Use of Indian Ford Meadow Preserve is conditional upon following these and any other posted rules:
Dogs must be kept on leash. Please clean up after your pet.
Pedestrian travel only; no bike, horse, or motorized vehicle use.
Stay on trails and respect restrictions as posted.
Removal or disturbance of plants, wildlife, and historical artifacts is prohibited.
No hunting, camping, campfires, smoking, or unmanned aircraft use.
Commercial use and private events are prohibited.
Please note: Indian Ford Meadow Preserve is private property owned by Deschutes Land Trust. Your use of the property is conditional upon these and any other posted rules. Preserve users failing to observe posted rules are trespassing and subject to applicable laws and penalties. Visitors to the Preserve may encounter risks associated with terrain, wildlife, and weather. Please exercise appropriate caution: the Deschutes Land Trust is not liable for injuries to Preserve visitors.
Indian Ford Meadow Preserve is located north of Sisters, Oregon. The map below shows the location of the Preserve along with other Land Trust conserved lands. Driving directions can also be found below.
To Indian Ford Meadow Preserve: Indian Ford Meadow Preserve Trailhead Coordinates (UTM NAD83): 617104, 4909247 Download the driving directions in English and en Español. From Sisters: Turn north onto N. Locust St. (Camp Polk Road). Drive 2.7 miles and take a left onto Indian Ford Road. The Preserve is on the left side of the road.
From Hwy 126 (Redmond, Madras, Prineville): Turn right onto Camp Polk Road. Drive 3.5 miles until you reach the Camp Polk Road/Wilt Road intersection. Turn left onto Camp Polk Road. Continue 0.2 miles and take a right onto Indian Ford Road. The Preserve is on the left side of the road.
From Hwy 20 (Bend, La Pine, Sunriver): Take Hwy 20 towards Sisters. Turn right on Cloverdale Road (between mile markers 5 and 4). Continue driving until the Hwy 126 intersection. Take a left on Hwy 126, drive 0.25 miles, and turn right on Camp Polk Road. Drive 3.5 miles until you reach the Camp Polk Road/Wilt Road intersection. Turn left onto Camp Polk Road. Continue 0.2 miles and take a right onto Indian Ford Road. The Preserve is on the left side of the road.
Members of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs help with restoration plantings at Whychus Canyon Preserve. Photo: Jay Mather.
From time immemorial, Native Americans, including the Warm Springs, Wasco, and Paiute tribes, lived in this region or visited it to hunt, fish, gather foods, and trade. Indian Ford Meadow Preserve is within the lands ceded to the United States in the Treaty with the Tribes of Middle Oregon in 1855. The bands that signed the 1855 Treaty moved onto to the Warm Springs Reservation and are known as the Wasco and Warm Springs tribes. Paiute people began settling on the Warm Springs Reservation in 1879 and, along with the Wasco and Warm Springs tribes, now comprise the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon. The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, by virtue of the Treaty of 1855, have legal rights to harvest and manage wildlife and, by implication, the right to habitats suitable to support wildlife populations. The Land Trust considers the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs an important partner in management and restoration of the property.
The first Euro-Americans began to arrive in Central Oregon in the 1800s as trappers, explorers, and survey crews began mapping the region. In 1843 westward migration began along the Oregon Trail as the federal government forcibly re-settled Native Americans and offered western lands to Euro-Americans.
Drawing of Indian Ford Meadow from the Abbot and Williamson journals of 1885. Courtesy of the Bowman Museum.
Records suggest that in 1825 Peter Skene Ogden of the Hudson Bay Company camped and grazed his horses in the meadow now know as Indian Ford. In 1855, Lt. Robert S. Williamson and Lt. Henry L. Abbot camped at Indian Ford Meadow as part of their expedition to explore railroad routes from the Mississippi to the Pacific Ocean.
In 1865, the Santiam Wagon Road, which followed Indian Ford Creek towards Camp Polk Meadow was completed. It provided direct access to Central Oregon from the busy Willamette Valley. A key settlement in the vicinity of Indian Ford Meadow Preserve was Hindman Station at nearby Camp Polk Meadow. Hindman Station was a stopping place for travelers on the Santiam Wagon between 1868-1885.
As Central Oregon was homesteaded, Indian Ford Meadow became part of the Willows Ranch, one of the earliest ranches in the area. Later known as Indian Ford Ranch, the ranch became a recreational resort and residential community.
The Deschutes Land Trust established Indian Ford Meadow Preserve in 1996.
Hummingbird at Indian Ford Meadow Preserve. Photo: Jay Mather.
Mt. Jefferson from Indian Ford Meadow Preserve. Photo: Gary Miller.
Aspen at Indian Ford Meadow Preserve. Photo: Byron Dudley.
Members of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs help with restoration plantings at Whychus Canyon Preserve. Photo: Jay Mather.
Drawing of Indian Ford Meadow from the Abbot and Williamson journals of 1885. Courtesy of the Bowman Museum.