Limited water sourcescarry enough water and food to last your entire trip, and do not drink from untested water sources. The South Steens Rim overlooking Alvord Lake has an average elevation exceeding 7000 feet over the length of 6 miles not broken by canyon or pass. Couloir climbing may be an option, but should be approached as a multiday trek with the possibility of avalanche from giant cornices that mass along the summit crest.Check links on the Burns BLM page for updates on the loop road conditions and when it opens. Nearby Page Springs Campground sits alongside the Donner und Blitzen River (German for thunder and lightning). Privacy Policy, Terms of Use & Accessibility. So, do you htink there is plenty to see on that loop into the mountains off from Frenchglen to keep us busy? Steens Mountain is the largest fault-block mountain in the northern Great Basin. I love spending time in the city of Burns, they have some great parks and restaurants. opportunity to stand at the headwall of a classic textbook example of From Kiger Gorge, continue for 3 more miles to East Rim Overlookwhere you overlookthe Alvord Desert from the highest point of the mountain. Driving all the way up to the East Rim so you can see down over the Alvord is well worth it. Although not posted as such, several campsites with fire rings exist at the trailhead. This resort offers a variety of options our group used: cabins, tent camping and RV camping with or without hook ups. The road to the summit opens every June, and its gates remain unlocked until October or whenever snowfall makes passage unsafe. Several different herds of wild horses also exist in the area and livestock may be seen on both public and private land. Open July to November based on snow conditions.Mann Lake: (541) 573-4400Undeveloped campsites with vaulted toilets and a boat ramp. mule deer and elk also call the mountain home. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. quaking aspen and mountain mahogany as the moisture levels increase. I know it typically isn't open until July but given the lighter than normal snowfall this year, I thought maybe we'd get lucky. The road is easy to drive most of the year, but due to the elevation, snow lingers in the spring and comes early in the fall, which can make driving . I also understand there is a great hamburger and shake place in Fields. In the midst of this vastness is Alvord Hot Springs, if youre feeling like a relaxing soak to soothe your muscles. Order a free Oregon Scenic Byways guide, or view a map of the Steens Loop Tour Routeonline. Opportunities for recreation on Steens Mountain are as plentiful as they are widespread. The Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Area (CMPA) consists of 428,156 acres of public land offering diverse scenic and recreational experiences. 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!" Sights that can be seen along the first part of the loop are Fish Lake, The Kiger Gorge, and the Steens Mountain Summit.In the past the south half of the loop road had not been passable unless in a vehicle with high clearance, and four wheel drive. The mountain loop is also the only truly rough riding. Steens Mountain is one of Oregons great scenic and geologic wonders, a 30-mile/48.2-kilometer fault block that is a small mountain range rather than a single peak. Continue a short distance past Frenchglen, then turn left onto the Steens Mountain Loop Road. Phone service should not be relied on for emergency communication. With scenic landscape views and some of the darkest skies in all of the lower 48 states, this place is amazing. Fish Lake: What is most likely Steens Mountains most popular campground can be found at Fish Lake. From the summit, the tour route eases down the mountains western slope. A Trip to Steens, Oregons Secret Mountain, Relax at the Hot Springs of Southeastern Oregon. Here the road turns west, and when you reach The Narrows theres a store if youre feeling like something cold to drink and you probably will. 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. At nearly 10,000ft in elevation and not being well known, the Steens will make you to feel like youre in a truly remote place. You can ride this loop in either direction, but for the sake of this description lets assume you want to save the most stupendous views for later in the trip. Cattlemen, The South Steens Wild Horse Herd descended from mustangs Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use. Dont hesitate to talk to localsarea landowners and Federal employees are generally visible in the Steens Mountain area. 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. This grueling but extreme-adventurous 276-mile loop takes you around and on top of Steens. 2021 Eastern Oregon Visitors Association | Privacy Policy | Site by Oregon Media, Experience the many cultures of the region. 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. East Everglades Day Use Area on the park's northeastern boundary, encompassing SW 168 Street westbound to SW 237 Avenue and the entire roadway of SW 237 Avenue is closed to all public use to ensure public safety during construction operations with heavy machinery. Ready to hit the road? The loop road typically opens in June, but snowfall in this desert land can be highly variable from year to year. Look for stands of quaking aspen and mountain mahogany on drier rocky ridges. Absolutely gorgeous. Steens Mountain is one of Oregon's great scenic and geologic wonders, a 30-mile/48.2-kilometer fault block that is a small mountain range rather than a single peak. The peak isnt quite sublime, however, because cell phone and radio towers, along with propane tanks, are present. 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. (Great Basin Country page 25), Saw a recent article in Couloir Magazine about some steep, virgin gullies on Steens Mountain. From a parking area just below the summit of Steens Mountain, this 2.5-mile hike (1.25 each way) descends 1200 feet into a cirque at the head of Wildhorse Canyon to the shores of Wildhorse Lake. Steens Mountain makes you feel like you are on top of the world. I wish I had better words to tell you how amazing this place is. While spring and fall are your best bets, the mountain Loop Road is only open certain months of the year typically August and September so youll want to check on that before starting out. I hadnt researched the excursion much before we grabbed a map In French Glen and hit the loop. On the way down, Fish Lake offers a nice campground and the chance to catch your dinner. The Steens Mountain Loop Road is now open to about 9,200 feet elevation, according to BLM road crews actively working in freezing temperatures and whiteout snow conditions. When the hard work ends, youll be at the top of the road, at over 9,500 feet, looking back down on that desert you camped in, and the road you pedaled, far below. Then traveling on to the south to Fields and up north past the Alvord Desert returning to Burns. Its one of Oregons most rugged and lesser-visited destinations. Along the way you will climb above river canyons seeing hidden groves of quaking aspen, willows, and mountain mahogany. My pickup truck has a stiff suspension so it was almost unbearable. Is any of the information on this page incorrect? The loop road is a wonderful multi-day trek for just such an excursion. That road is gravel all the way around the loop. Learn more about travel impacts in Oregon. High Clearance Vehicles Recommended on some portions of the Steens Mountain Loop. Its bumpy in places, but much of the surface has been upgraded and improved in recent years, except for one short, narrow, steep section of the road near the viewpoints of Big Indian and Little Blitzen gorges. The entire Steens Mountain Loop Road has just been opened. Over this distance the elevation gain is 1.689 meters. That depends on which campgrounds you use but for the most part yes there is a gravel roads to most campgrounds the one I stayed at was Steens Mountain Resort and it was a two and a half mile drive on a gravel road that is a little washboard. Hines, OR 97738 A standard touring bike with wider tires (35c to 38c) will work nicely. Finally, the 4x4 road leading to Pike Creek is very washed out and can be reached by high clearance vehicles only. Avoid wet and muddy side roads, maintain safe speeds, and be aware of loose gravel and wash-boarded areas. From Burns, Oregon, travel southeast for approximately 2 miles on State Highway 78. Visitors photograph landscapes, wildlife and wildflowers, and catch redband trout in the Donner und Blitzen River. mountain in the summer to graze their stock on the lush meadows that thrive Also, the Alvord Desert and the Steens Mountains are in the region as well. Journey 27 miles through dwarf cypress forest, pine forests, hardwood hammocks, and some of the most photographed landscape in the Preserve. 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. The Steens Mountain is the largest fault block mountain (whatever that is) in North America with a sweet gravel road that climbs straight up from Frenchglen to the top of the mountain (from bottom to top there is over 6000 feet of gain and . The showers are very clean, as is the whole campground. sometimes be spotted negotiating rocky escarpments; pronghorn antelope, --John Muir, Routes Although located in the Southeast corner of Oregon hundreds of miles from any major cites, the mountain is very accessible given a tolerance for driving. Just shy of the rim is Kiger Gorge, a classic U-shape glacial valley about a half-mile/0.8 kilometers deep and home to a herd of wild mustangs. The tour route begins its climb in earnest, ascending from arid sagebrush to small lakes and a shady respite of quaking aspen. The highest point on the mountain is a short walk on a rough (and gated) road that departs from the loop road coming up the west slopes. One notable exception is Big Indian Gorge which does have a developed trail running the length of it. Open Season Fish Lake Campground is open mid-June through October. Youd better, In Oregon, a bicycle is legally considered a vehicle, and the same. About 8.5 miles up the road and its arrow-straight through here youre back off the highway again, and returning to true solitude for the 13 miles between highways. 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. 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. As you leave the junipers, you will be surrounded by large expanses of Mountain big sagebrush. 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. From Burns, take State Highway 78 southeast for approximately 2 miles. Mann Lake (Mile 137) offers a camping spot to split the distance from Crystal Crane to Fields. On the way down, Fish Lake offers a nice campground and the chance to catch your dinner. This information has been taken directly from the most recent Harney County Informational Pamphlet available at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge headquarters. Travel approximately 17 miles before turning right into Fish Lake Campground. Organization in the city of Burns, they have some Great parks restaurants... We grabbed a map in French Glen and hit the loop road is a Great and. Secret Mountain, Relax at the Hot Springs is the steens mountain loop road open Southeastern Oregon or view a map in French Glen and the. Information on this page incorrect the Malheur National wildlife Refuge headquarters Vehicles only through dwarf cypress,... 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