Metolius Springs, Natural spring at Black Butte base, Oregon, United States

Metolius Springs rise from two spring groups about 200 feet apart on the north side of Black Butte, near Camp Sherman in central Oregon. Their combined flow is enough to form the Metolius River at full volume from the start; it runs 29 miles through Deschutes National Forest to Lake Billy Chinook.

The springs formed roughly 1.5 million years ago when Black Butte erupted and blocked a river that had flowed north. The water then found new paths underground and has been emerging here ever since.

The name Metolius comes from a Warm Springs and Sahaptin word for salmon, reflecting the importance of these waters to Indigenous peoples of the region. Fish and fresh water have long defined how the land around here is used and understood.

A visitor area provides paved walkways, interpretive signs, picnic tables, and restrooms for visitors to learn and explore. The site is generally accessible during warmer months, and the terrain is flat and easy to navigate.

The two spring groups sit about 200 feet apart and together discharge enough water to form a full-flowing river at once, making the Metolius one of the largest spring-fed rivers in the United States. The name mitula, from Warm Springs or Sahaptin, means white salmon, referring to a light-coloured Chinook salmon rather than a whitefish.