Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Slovenia mushroom foraging
Slovenia • 6 days, 5 nights
Forest to Table in Alpine Slovenia
from
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The exterior of STRAAT.
STRAAT
The front of the St. Charles’ Church
St. Charles’ Church
The miniature theatre’s 200-seat capacity is slowly being filled with tiny figurines of beloved film characters, from classic movie stars to Muppets. Statler and Waldorf are perched in their usual spot at the front-right balcony. There’s even an ongoing call for visitors and locals to add their own favorite characters to the growing crowd.
East Van Vodville Cinema
Gombe mountains seen from Lake Tanganyika.
Gombe National Park
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Cacio e pepe lasagna combines two classics.
C'è pasta... E pasta!
Spaghetto taratatà is named for the sound of rattling sabers.
Giano Restaurant
The gnocchi here get blanketed in a sugo with braised oxtail.
Cesare al Pellegrino
Romans insist you should feel the cracked peppercorns and cheese grains on your tongue.
Flavio al Velavevodetto
Tripe is fried to a crisp.
L’Osteria della Trippa
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
The rocky Revere Beach coast in Revere, Massachusetts, just outside Boston.
Which Places With Bad Raps Are Actually Worth Visiting?
about 8 hours ago
A dugong displays the telltale “smile.”
Saving the Sea Cows of Vanuatu
about 8 hours ago
The first photo of the “woolly devil” made a stir among botanists when Deb Manley uploaded it to iNaturalist in March 2024.
How the Woolly Devil, Member of a New Plant Genus, Was Discovered on a Hike in Big Bend
1 day ago
You don’t need to go to Turkey to see hundreds of hot air balloons rising.
Dear Atlas: Where Can I Find the Most Unusual Festivals in the U.S.?
2 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Oregon Head of the Metolius
AO Edited

Head of the Metolius

Approximately 50,000 gallons of water gush from these springs, creating the Metolius River.

Camp Sherman, Oregon

Added By
hikerpeach
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Viewing area at Head of the Metolius   hikerpeach / Atlas Obscura User
Viewing area at Head of the Metolius   hikerpeach / Atlas Obscura User
Sign at Head of the Metolius   hikerpeach / Atlas Obscura User
Head of the Metolius   Doug Kerr/CC BY-SA 2.0
Head of the Metolius   Orygun/CC BY-SA 3.0
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

At this spot north of Black Butte the Metolius River flows from an underground spring. Water gushes from beneath the ground at a rate of 50,000 U.S. gallons per minute (190,000 liters per minute). At the viewing area, you can see the springs just below you, and look downstream to the fully-formed river flowing away to the north. 

The exact source of the springs is unknown, but it may originate near Black Butte Ranch, south of Black Butte. The springs are believed to have been created about 1.5 million years ago when Black Butte erupted and blocked a north-flowing river. With the natural channel blocked water back up south of Black Butte. The water made its way through porous rocks beneath the butte and emerged on the north side at the site of the spring.

Today, the Metolius is one of the country's largest spring-fed rivers. Its name comes from the Warm Springs or Sahaptin word mitula, which can be translated as "white salmon."

Related Tags

Geology Spring Water Rivers

Know Before You Go

From Camp Sherman drive three miles south on Road 14.

Community Contributors

Added By

hikerpeach

Edited By

Michelle Cassidy

  • Michelle Cassidy

Published

December 9, 2021

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metolius_Springs
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metolius_Springs
Head of the Metolius
Camp Sherman, Oregon, 97730
United States
44.434515, -121.633587
Visit Website

Nearby Places

The Fantastic Museum

Sisters, Oregon

miles away

Lost Lake

Sisters, Oregon

miles away

Metolius Balancing Rocks

Culver, Oregon

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Oregon

Oregon

United States

Places 208
Stories 31

Nearby Places

The Fantastic Museum

Sisters, Oregon

miles away

Lost Lake

Sisters, Oregon

miles away

Metolius Balancing Rocks

Culver, Oregon

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Oregon

Oregon

United States

Places 208
Stories 31

Related Places

  • A swimmer floats in the pool formed by the 30-foot crack in the riverbed.

    Homosassa, Florida

    The Crack on the Chassahowitzka River

    A hidden paradise in one of Florida’s most unique rivers.

  • Three Sisters Springs is the only place in the United States where visitors can legally interact with wild manatees.

    Crystal River, Florida

    Three Sisters Springs

    This natural spring is the winter home to the largest gathering of manatees in the world.

  • Rock Springs Run winds through a lush segment of semi-tropical forest.

    Apopka, Florida

    Rock Springs

    Approximately 65,000 gallons of crystal clear water pour out of this headspring every minute.

  • A large mineral column within a dark cave

    Garrison, Utah

    Crystal Ball Cave and Bates Family Ranch

    This prehistoric karst cave is situated near a working ranch and historic warm springs.

  • Sioux Falls Park

    Sioux Falls, South Dakota

    Falls Park

    More than 7,000 gallons of water pour over these cascading red quartzite waterfalls every second.

  • Wendell, Idaho

    Niagara Springs

    An impressive waterfall nestled in the cliffs of Idaho's Snake River Canyon.

  • Greer Spring

    Woodside, Missouri

    Greer Spring

    An underground river pushes more than 200 million gallons out of this Missouri spring every day.

  • Looking south in Afton Canyon.

    Baker, California

    Afton Canyon

    In one of the hottest parts of the Mojave Desert, shallow bedrock forces the typically dry Mojave River to the surface in this canyon, providing a vital oasis for humans and wildlife.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.