Copyright 2023. Official websites use .gov As you leave the junipers, you will be surrounded by large expanses of Mountain big sagebrush. We quite frankly asked God for a miracle for the gate to be opened as the 59 mile loop would not give many views if we could only go up a few miles north then turn around to head up the highway a number of miles to then drive a short distance from the north entrance south on the raod. Kigermann is one of Oregon's Hundred Highest Peaks. The night sky there is amazing I forgot how the sky looked. Wouldnt recommend driving down the South Loop in any season. Although the views are breath taking, so are the very steep drop offs, sharp turns and often narrow road. My love affair with the high desert runs deep; my fondest childhood Is any of the information on this page incorrect? Others enjoy hunting for wild game and visiting special places such as Riddle Brothers Ranch, the Kiger Wild Horse Viewing Area, and the nearby historic P-Ranch. Minimum Drive Time: 3-5 hours Borax Lake: A treasure truly unique to Oregon is this 100+ degree pond hidden amidst the wastes of the southern Alvord Desert near Fields. Phone: 541-573-4400, Collaborative Action and Dispute Resolution, Steens Mountain Wilderness Area Story Map Tour, Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Act of 2000. The Outbound works best with JavaScript enabled. It is also home to a herd of the famous wild Kiger mustangs featured in the movie "Spirit." A few established campgrounds and . You can expect any other roadsindicated by dashed lines on a mapto be passable by four-wheel drive vehicles only. Detailed in William Sullivan's 100 Hikes in Eastern Oregon book; the Pike Creek trail follows an old roadbed for a couple miles up to, and beyond frontier mining sites, beyond that it is a bit of a scramble along a lightly maintained trail to the headwall of Pike Creek. Make sure to visit the little community of French Glen and go into the store. I think there would be plenty to see on both those loops if you are interested in the geology, geography, and history of the area. Also, the Alvord Desert and the Steens Mountains are in the region as well. Youd better, In Oregon, a bicycle is legally considered a vehicle, and the same. The road to the summit of Steens Mountain is the highest road in Oregon, reaching nearly 10,000 feet. Even in this seemingly empty landscape, you have the chance to spot wildlife like badgers, foxes or antelope. The mountain loop is also the only truly rough riding. You'll drive through a herd of sheep on the way up. MLS# 201001561. Write a review to inform other visitors! Hines, OR 97738 Several different herds of wild horses also exist in the area and livestock may be seen on both public and private land. Every year, BLM maintenance crews work to open the entire Steens Mountain Loop Road before the July 4 weekend. Snow can remain on the road into the summer, delaying the opening of the full loop. Then, cross the Donner und Blitzen River and get ready for some mountain-climbing on two wheels. Make sure to visit the little community of French Glen and go into the store. From the top, the view is east to the Alvord Desert; to the south on the mountain is Wildhorse lake, accessible by a steep climb down/up. This information has been taken directly from the most recent Harney County Informational Pamphlet available at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge headquarters. . Then turn right onto State Highway 205 and travel south for 60 miles to Frenchglen. Surrounded by a healthy stand of willows and aspens, here a wide variety of wildlife can be found including beavers further down Lake Creek below the lake. All Rights Reserved. On a clear day, you can see beyond Oregon to Nevada, Idaho and California. Mann Lake is one of only a couple lakes along the eastside of Steens Mountain that does not dry up. We have a lot of ideas for you. Wonderful views, local history, wild horses, and much more. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. Terrible washboard road but spectacular scenery. Do you know any spectacular road?Click here to send us all the info, and we'll publish it! Remarkable Rocks Use our interactive map to explore the roads or just discover them by browsing the site. Take State Highway 205 to Frenchglen and follow the signs east to the Steens Mountain Loop Road. Eventually youll make it to the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, home to tens of thousands of birds who stop here on their long migratory voyages. Borax Lake on the Nature Conservancy Page, Old Steens Mountain Summitpost Page originally created by Mutant1, Unique locations along the Steens escarpment, Hiking, Mountaineering, Bouldering, Mixed, Scrambling. Steens Mountain Oregon - how to get key to open the gate during winter season, HI LetsRun! This 17-mile drive takes you through open wet prairies and popular wading bird feeding areas. The Steens loop roads past Fish Lake to the north, and Big Indian Gorge to the south, remain closed due to lingering snow. A standard touring bike with wider tires (35c to 38c) will work nicely. Long distances between servicesincluding gas stations, phones, and cell phone reception. This grueling but extreme-adventurous 276-mile loop takes you around and on top of Steens. Cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and limited snowmobiling are winter favorites. Steens Mountain Loop Road is the highest elevation road in Oregon, ascending almost to the summit of 9,700 feet. I tre fratelli, Walter, Frederick e Benjamin, fatto lungo il Piccolo Fiume Blitzen, e hanno cominciato ad allevare il bestiame. I did not see any mustangs while there. High Clearance Vehicles Recommended on some portions of the Steens Mountain Loop. Limited water sourcescarry enough water and food to last your entire trip, and do not drink from untested water sources. Many animals are drawn to Steens' unique habitats. There are pit toilets at the South Steens campground if you need to make a bathroom stop. Finally, the 4x4 road leading to Pike Creek is very washed out and can be reached by high clearance vehicles only. Borax Lake is 10 acres, and water welling up from within it feeds a series of cooler ponds and marshes surrounding the primary spring. To avoid any potential issues, it's best to camp on the south, e Take in the View from Steens Mountain Summit, Hike Pike Creek Trail in the Steens Mountains. Massive internal pressures forced the east edge of the Steens upward. (12), Additions & Corrections Imagine my surprise having just returned from Moab, Utah and finding the most beautiful tourquoise bracelet in little tiny, French Glen! as well as Irish and Basque sheepherders, were once drawn to the upper The result was four immense U-shaped gorgesKiger, Little Blitzen, Big Indian, and Wildhorse. The mountain loop is also the only truly rough riding. Opportunities for recreation on Steens Mountain are as plentiful as they are widespread. Steens Mountain is located 60 miles south of Burns near Frenchglen and Page Springs Campground. Mann Lake (Mile 137) offers a camping spot to split the distance from Crystal Crane to Fields. On the advice of the BLM gal, we decided to see as much as we could and started at the south entrance heading north where we were able to view the MANY wild horses near a watering hole close to where we began the drive on the decent gravel roadway which, by the way, was fine for our car. Alvord Peak is the highest point along the Steens Mountain crest in The Peaks subregion and has over 1000 feet of prominence. Located in the Great Basin, it is a 30 mile long fault block uplift mountain which reaches almost 10,000 ft at it's highest point. While not easily seen, Rocky Mountain elk, mule deer, mountain lion, bighorn sheep, and pronghorn antelope make this corner of southeast Oregon their home. "Society speaks and all men listen, mountains speak and wise men listen." The loop roads are in good condition. Follow along the loop to get back to your starting point. Within this area, cooperative and innovative management projects will be maintained and enhanced between the BLM, private landowners, tribes, and other public interests. Located on the north side of the creek, gaining permission to travel on this land from the Alvord Ranch may be necessary. (1), Images Museum, art gallery, performing arts theater seating 645, gift shop & conference center[], The Wild and Scenic Snake River flows through the rugged Hells Canyon, and at 1,078 miles long, it is the largest tributary to the Colu[], Towering cliffs painted in desert hues and honeycombed rock formations sculpted over millions of years form the landscape of this remot[]. Alvord Peak: Overlooking Fields is this mountain at 7132 feet. If you want one last hit of civilization before heading out into the wilderness, book a room here (you can also camp on the lawn) and enjoy a family-style meal or two. Was not expecting that! Written July 20, 2021. Later, the area became known as Steen's Mountain, named after the Army Cavalry Major, who defeated and removed the Native American population from the mountain during the Snake Indian Wars. enhance and customize your user experience, and to analyze how our 28910 Highway 20 West Contact Burns District BLM for more information. We stayed at South Steens campground and hiked both Little Blitzen and Big Indian trails. Check with local BLM authorities. Steens Mountain is simply awesome. Weather UV Index Daylight Saturday 27 / 11 F Sunday 19 / 3 F Monday dangerousroads.org is not responsible for the information contained in these pages. After following Highway 78 for about 38 miles, turn south and start paralleling the faultline that led to the uprising that resulted in Steens Mountain. The CMPA encompasses an extraordinary landscape with deep glacier carved gorges, stunning scenery, wilderness, wild rivers, a rich diversity of plant and animal species, and a way of life for all who live there. (2 ). Bighorn sheep can The result was a 30-mile-long fault-block mountain with a spectacular and rugged east face that rises one vertical mile above the Alvord Desert. Raptors, including golden It offers a great view of the sunset and if you stay at night will offer the one best stargazing in all of the U.S. as Steens Mountain claims the darkest skies in all of the lower 48 states. Elevation can change from less than 4,000 feet to over 9,000 feet in just a few miles. This tour route scales the Steens, climbing thousands of feet and topping out just shy of the summit at 9,734 feet/2,967 meters. Here is a link to the Mann Lake BLM page. From Burns follow State Route 205 south for about 60 miles to Frenchglen, which hosts a store, gas station, and post office in one building that is not always open; and a nice historic hotel (think bed and breakfast). Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Dont know how we could have backed up if we had met another car. A tilted mesa with an active fault on its steep, eastern side, this fault-block mountain has risen up in the past five to seven million years. We called the day before and were told the loop was not open until July 4th, over 5 days from when we were planning to do the drive. opportunity to stand at the headwall of a classic textbook example of The road is not difficult at all. The tour route begins its climb in earnest, ascending from arid sagebrush to small lakes and a shady respite of quaking aspen. That being said, the trip up to snow line was breathtaking and beautiful! Over 12 miles, youll climb about 4,400 feet but the scenery will distract you, as you ascend the ridge between the Little Blitzen and Indian gorges; make sure to stop for every viewpoint along here. A land exchange provision blocks up nearly 100,000 acres of livestock-free wilderness within the designated 175,000-acre Steens Mountain Wilderness. I hadnt researched the excursion much before we grabbed a map In French Glen and hit the loop. They combine web maps created using ArcGIS Online, ESRI's mapping system, with multimedia contenttext, photos, video, and audioto let you know about the rich diversity of Oregon/Washington BLM's programs and places. Steens Mountain is a mighty fault-block edifice that rises dramatically from its surroundings. The road can be rough on the descent, with some washboarding, but its a small price to pay for seeing the land youre riding through. The north road to Steens Mountain summit opened June 11, which is unusually early, but the south portion of the loop is unlikely to be driveable until later this summer, if at all. Escape to the hot springs of southeastern Oregon for a rejuvenating soak among natural marvels. The south. Borax Lake is a great place to see migratory birds in the spring and early summer.South Steens Rim: Three points along the Steens Escarpment have at least 1000 feet of prominence including this point directly west of Alvord Lake. This loop drive of 58 miles is gravel with a washboard surface that is totally awesome. Popular activities include camping, picnicking, sightseeing, and exploring the open country on foot and horseback. The road departs the tiny, historic town of Frenchglen and climbs up Oregons eighth-tallest mountain on a tour of massive gorges, vast panoramas and one of the most spectacular lakes in the Pacific Northwest. Next up is the tiny ranching outpost of Fields, where the drive-in is renowned for both their food and their ice cream and not just because its the only option for a very long way in any direction. The trail comprises deep glacier-carved gorges, wild rivers, a rich diversity of plant and animal species, and alpine lakes with aspen for shade. To the east, the 5000 foot dropoff into the bleak Alvord Desert, to the west the many deep glacial river valleys, to the south the Pueblo Mountains, and along the northern horizon is the Strawberry Mountains. In the midst of this vastness is Alvord Hot Springs, if youre feeling like a relaxing soak to soothe your muscles. Recently the road has been leveled and graded, and can be driven by standard vehicles. Its called Steens Mountain Loop Road. Scenery is stunning, especially dramatic Kiger Gorge Lookout, then East Rim Overlook, overlooking Alvord Desert and The loop is about 60 miles, ascends to 9600 feet, and should not be missed. The rest of the Steens Mountain Loop Road can accommodate passenger cars at lower speeds. (Great name). Some activities within the CMPA, such as motorized access for winter recreation and organized group functions, may require a special-use permit from BLM. Both ranches continue to operate to this day. This last half travels down the sidewall of Big Indian Gorge along a feature called the Roosters Comb offering some nice looks back towards the summit and gorgeous views of Big Indian Gorge, but much of the mountain can be seen and enjoyed without ever traveling this second half of the loop. closed in the winter months. We saw a white BLM pickup coming down at a fairly decent speed and thought, "maybe this is the guy who has opened the gate for us!" Watch for wildlife along this stretch, particularly the wild horses that roam these wild lands. Abundant water and feed attracts Bighorns and some of the most epic Mule Deer you will ever see, and all from the highway near this rare desert oasis.Much of the mountain is within BLM land and open to the public with some areas more accessible than others. Even in this seemingly empty landscape, you have the chance to spot wildlife like badgers, foxes or antelope. Migratory birds traveling the Pacific Flyway use Harney County as a rest and refueling stop. You might hear a stray reference to The Steens and think its a mountain range, but theres really just the one and its huge one. Its climb in earnest, ascending from arid sagebrush to small lakes and a shady respite of aspen! Use.gov as you leave the junipers, you have the chance to spot wildlife badgers... Trip up to snow line was breathtaking and beautiful interactive map to explore the roads or just them... Then, cross the Donner und Blitzen River and get ready for mountain-climbing... ( 35c to 38c ) will work nicely kigermann is one of Oregon 's highest. Few miles blocks up nearly 100,000 acres of livestock-free wilderness within is the steens mountain loop road open designated 175,000-acre Steens Mountain -... There are pit toilets at the South loop in any season the midst this. 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With a washboard surface that is totally awesome dont know how we could have backed up we... Beyond Oregon to Nevada, Idaho and California the rest of the summit at feet/2,967.
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