A Summer Evening Walk Past Cabins on the Metolius River

 We went camping this past week-end, to the beautiful Metolius River not too far from home. This is one of our favorite spots to camp and hike. There are a couple of bridges spanning the river and good hiking trails on both sides. Each evening we crossed the bridge to the west side and hiked the trail about a mile downriver to Camp Sherman. Along the trail are some wonderful old river cabins that the Forest Service built starting in 1916, but most in the 1930's. People now own the cabins and lease the land from the Forest Service. I love these old rustic summer homes and the touches people have added, and took some photos to share here.

The big screened in porches are wonderful in the evening. Some people were dining out on their porches, and some were empty like this one.

The people that owned this cabin had faced it with bark from the ponderosa pines all over the area. It gave an interesting look. The also made a path down to the river with tree stumps of differing heights, which kept it rustic.

 

This cabin had a path to the river and then a bridge to the island in the center of the river. We crossed over and saw that it would have made a wonderful place to play for children, in the tall grasses and wildflowers on the island.

 



 Here's a shot of the other side of the river and what the cabins looked like from a distance. They are not spaced too close together and it leaves a lot of privacy.

 

 There were swings of many kinds, but this one along the path was so rustic and homey, and looked just like it belonged.

 

 This one is a rustic gate and fence. You should click on the photo to see it well. The cabin is almost hidden back behind the grasses. The photo below is of the same cabin after you enter the gate. It looks really old, and simple and I could almost imagine one of our pioneer homesteaders sitting on the porch, rocking and smoking a pipe.

 Some of the cabins are a bit more updated with new windows, doors or roofs.

 I think some people live in these updated versions all year round. Please do click on these photos to see all the details, and charm of these cabins.

 

 

 Not all of the cabins are wooden. There are a couple like this one made of native stone. It too is charming. They have built on a deck and the furniture for it is all made from the surrounding forest. 

 

And then we arrived at the small 'town' of Camp Sherman. We stopped for a short break on the Post Office porch, where we shared a bottle of water purchased from the country store, below. 

 

 After watching the river for a bit, we started back on the trail on the east side of the river.

 It was growing dusk by then and it looked so comforting to see the lights lit and the smoke curling in the cabins along the way. Not all the cabins are Forest Service brown, but the majority are.

 

Some cabins had great rock chimneys, again made from local lava rock. I bet that one lets off a lot of heat in winter snows.

 

This cabin had a man sitting and rocking in one corner of this porch. He didn't seem to mind us snapping a photo of his wonderful cabin, with the lights glowing behind him.

 And finally some cabins even had country curtains, although most did not. This cabin had the homey touch of knotty pine interior walls with a brick chimney and fireplace.

Lucky families who own these beauties and pass them on to their children and their children's children. And lucky us, to enjoy the walk and the cabins and the river.