One notable exception is Big Indian Gorge which does have a developed trail running the length of it. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS 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. Was not expecting that! The loop road typically opens in June, but snowfall in this desert land can be highly variable from year to year.Summiting the mountain via its steep eastern face should not be taken lightly. A true desert isnt something you come across too often, but this expanse thats more akin to the Bonneville Salt Flats than the Gobi or Sahara, is one very large piece of flatness. Itll make your jaw drop. 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. Steens Mountain (Frenchglen) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go, Hotels near Boise Air Terminal (Gowen Field) (BOI), Motels near Boise Air Terminal (Gowen Field) (BOI), Tempeh Making and Cooking Authentic Balinese Dishes, Olden Shore Excursion: the Amazing Briksdal Glacier, Intimate Waimea Canyon Half Day Eco Fun Tour from South Kauai, Experience Santorini: Wine Tasting Small Group Tour, Sol Duc, Lake Crescent, and Hurricane Ridge Guided Tour in Olympic National Park, Etna - Trekking to the summit craters (only guide service) experienced hikers, Full-Day Guided Tour of San Francisco with Alcatraz, 2-Day Tour: Petra, Wadi Rum, and Dead Sea from Amman. Yes, the loop drive of Steens Mountain will be 50+ miles of washboard gravel road, but the scenery is unlike almost anything you will ever see. Check out a nearby All-Access Preview trail guide: Steens Mountain Loop includes the highest road in Oregon and is one of Oregon's extraordinary scenic and geologic wonders. Fish Lake Campground, elevation 7,400 feet, and Jackman Park Campground, elevation 7,800 feet, will both be open and available on a first-come, first-served basis. LockA locked padlock It's an amazingly scenic drive that is a worthy part of any trip to the Steens. Burns District Office of Bureau of Land Management (541-573-4400), Burns BLM PageMalheur National Wildlife RefugeBorax Lake on the Nature Conservancy PageSteens Mountain CanyonsOld Steens Mountain Summitpost Page originally created by Mutant1, Steens Mountain is named for Eunoch Steen an Army Major who led campaigns against the Northern Paiutes on the mountain. Aconcagua mountain page is a child of the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits.' The nearest higher peak is Eagle Peak, a distant 125 miles away to the west in California.The voyage to Steens Mountain begins by traveling south into the Great Basin from Burns, where you will pass by the verdant Malheur Wildlife Refuge. Approximately 900,000 acres are designated off limits to mineral and geothermal extraction. LockA locked padlock With scenic landscape views and some of the darkest skies in all of the lower 48 states, this place is amazing. You may notice as you pass the shore of Malheur Lake at The Narrows the land rising, gaining elevation almost imperceptibly until Frenchglen where the scrub and marsh lands give way to a dense juniper forest. Check with local BLM authorities. So, I would check with the BLM office and see if the road is open now or when it does open. This grueling but extreme-adventurous 276-mile loop takes you around and on top of Steens. Is any of the information on this page incorrect? Hines, OR 97738 A short trail drops from the summit road down to the lake, a hike that can be done round trip in less than 2 hours from the Steens Mountain Loop Road. You or someone else may add some info here if you have it. From Kiger Gorge, continue for 3 more miles to East Rim Overlookwhere you overlookthe Alvord Desert from the highest point of the mountain. The climb up and west from Fields on Highway 205 will give you a miniature preview of what youll encounter scaling Steens later on. The website is for information purposes only and we assume no liability for decisions made as a result of the information provided here. The loop road typically opens in June, but snowfall in this desert land can be highly variable from year to year. 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 you'll want to check on that before starting out. You can camp there and walk literally just a couple of minutes to both trailheads. 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. All Rights Reserved. Steens Mountain Loop includes the highest road in Oregon and is one of Oregon's extraordinary scenic and geologic wonders. Follow along the loop to get back to your starting point. Ticks, mosquitoes, and rattlesnakes in certain areas during spring and summer. Then turn right onto State Highway 205 and travel south for 60 miles to Frenchglen. For being comprised of basalt, the vertical rock along the east face is substantially rotten. As youre pedaling along, tune in to the chorus of bird calls and see how many distinct ones you can distinguish. The Act also designates three new Wild and Scenic RiversWildhorse Creek, Little Wildhorse Creek, and Kiger Creekand adds two new segmentsAnkle Creek and Mud Creekto the existing Donner und Blitzen Wild and Scenic River. Mann Lake is one of only a couple lakes along the eastside of Steens Mountain that does not dry up. Starting at the tiny, historic town of Frenchglen, on OR-205, the ascent is 43.61km (27.1 miles) long. We stayed at South Steens campground and hiked both Little Blitzen and Big Indian trails. It took up about 3 hours with view stops and lunch. I also understand there is a great hamburger and shake place in Fields. point on a remarkable drive. On the way down, Fish Lake offers a nice campground and the chance to catch your dinner. As you crest and start downhill, take the time to stop for Kiger Gorge, perhaps the most magnificent of the glacial gorges carved into this mountain. The night sky there is amazing I forgot how the sky looked. You will find signs posted at the site stating that the water here is excessively hot and that there have been fatalities here in the past.Wildhorse Lake: The best known of Steens Mountain's glacially formed moraine lakes sits at the head of Wildhorse Canyon just beneath the summit. Imagine my surprise having just returned from Moab, Utah and finding the most beautiful tourquoise bracelet in little tiny, French Glen! This point considered as a mountain climbed from the Alvord Desert; is quite possibly the most difficult summit to reach in Oregon.Devine Rock: The second most visually prominent rock feature along the east face of Steens Mountain is this rotten chunk of Steens Basalt overlooking Big Alvord Creek and the Alvord Ranch. So, do you htink there is plenty to see on that loop into the mountains off from Frenchglen to keep us busy? (Great name). As cyclists, were spoiled living in Oregon. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. (12), Additions & Corrections Bring our travel magazine along. Ivisited in the early fall and there was one other car. Planning a road trip at the end of this month to the Steens and just wondering if there's a chance of the Steens Loop being open yet? We are 2 couples planning our Steens trip. The road to the summit is steep. All Rights Reserved. High quality tires are a must for all vehicles, even when traveling on maintained routes. A land exchange provision blocks up nearly 100,000 acres of livestock-free wilderness within the designated 175,000-acre Steens Mountain Wilderness. A private campground, gas, phone, and store is available at Frenchglen. I would never pull a travel trailer up there. The campground was nice, quiet, and well-maintained (including the outhouses!). The Nearest Services are in the communities of Fields, Frenchglen, Crane, or Narrows, Oregon. 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. As you head north on this lonely road, youll find a new level of depth for the phrase wide-open spaces the horizon can seem might far away out here. Located at 4080 feet on the Alvord Desert Playa these springs are roughly nine miles north of the Andrews ghost town along the Fields-Denio road. The Steens Mountain Loop Road provides access to four designated campgrounds, Steens Summit and Wildhorse Lake Trailheads, the Riddle Brothers Ranch National Historic District. Opportunities for recreation on Steens Mountain are as plentiful as they are widespread. Be prepared for sudden lightning storms, snow, rain, and high winds. Thats more than a mile, nearly straight down. Loop Road. The drive offers an extraordinary landscape of volcanic uplifts, deep glacier-carved gorges, stunning scenery, wilderness, wild rivers, and a rich diversity of plant and animal species. Steens Mountain is the largest fault-block mountain in the northern Great Basin. Hog Key on the Gulf Coast is open for camping, but the middle of the key is closed. An official website of the United States government. Bring our travel magazine along. Heres an idea of the scale: At the top of the mountains loop road, youre standing at nearly 10,000 feet, looking down at the Alvord Desert, almost exactly vertically below you at around 4,000 feet. wild horse country. Some RV sites have less shade and level outdoor space than others. A true desert isnt something you come across too often, but this expanse thats more akin to the Bonneville Salt Flats than the Gobi or Sahara, is one very large piece of flatness. Hiking is available in all areas and trailheads exist near Page Springs and South Steens Campgrounds, as well as Wildhorse Overlook and Pike Creek. A lock ( 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. your device to facilitate the operation and functionality of our site, 5 Star Route / Burns, Oregon / Published July 2018. An exceptionally scenic drive to Owl Creek Pass in CO, Bloody Basin Road is a classic Arizona drive, Rim Drive is a scenic 33-mile road around Crater Lake in OR, Adventure along Road 550 (Kaldadalsvegur) in Iceland, A journey to the legendary Union Pass in WY, Dead Sea Highway is the lowest road in the world, The road to Ku Yuvas Pass will take your breath away, Driving the scenic Emerald Bay Road in the Sierra Nevada, 34 Roads You Need To Drive Before You Die, Driving the 49 best coastal drives in the world, The most spectacular bridges in the world, The 15 longest straight roads in the world, Driving the 24 highest motorable roads in the world, Driving the Icefields Parkway in the Canadian Rockies, Strada della Forra is the scenic gorge road for James Bond, Route de Presles is a balcony road in France, Calanques de Piana is a scenic balcony road in France, Slea Head Drive is one of Ireland's best coastal routes, Sa Calobra Road in Mallorca is The Snake Road, Going-to-the-Sun Road is an engineering marvel in Glacier NP, The coastal Atlantic Ocean Road is a must do, Welcome to hell: Khaltaro Valley Road is a scary drive, Austrian Road is a brutal drive in the Altai Mountains of Kazakhstan, Road 622 is a hazardous drive below sea level when the tide is high, D915 (Bayburt-Of) is the most challenging road in the world, The cliffhanger road from Kishtwar to Keylong is not for the sissies, Abano Pass is a Georgian treacherous road closed in winters, Engineer Pass is a rugged and difficult historic road into the San Juan mountains, The dangerous Fairy Meadows Road: one false move and its a very long drop, Skippers Canyon Road: narrow and only for experienced drivers, Death Road is a lethal journey in the Bolivian Yungas region, Driving the 15 highest paved roads of Europe, Driving the 8 most famous periodically flooded roads in the world, Driving the 34 world's most famous hairpinned roads, Driving the 18 most scenic roads of Norway, Driving the best Romanian high altitude roads. (2 ). This whole part of Southeast Oregon is like finding a secret very few know about. Hines, OR 97730. Learn more about travel impacts in Oregon. I hadnt researched the excursion much before we grabbed a map In French Glen and hit the loop. 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. 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. 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. 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 mountain loop is also the only truly rough riding. And for you, if you are returning be sure and consider staying at Crystal Crane Springs, in Hines (5 mi from Burns). Write a review to inform other visitors! These a great stops with exciting backroads. Here you will find mule deer and Kiger Mustangs grazing the high slopes, endangered sage grouse wandering the canyons, and elusive Rocky Mountain Elk hiding in dense northern groves above the Kiger Gorge. Oregon Bikepacking If you time it right, you could view fulll moon rise from the top. 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. A standard touring bike with wider tires (35c to 38c) will work nicely. Alvord Hot Springs: Unquestionably the most popular of the Steens Mountain area hot springs. Set high in the Steens Mountain Wilderness, the road is usually open from mid-June to October, weather permitting. Its designated a Wild and Scenic River from here to its head-waters atop the mountain. Cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and limited snowmobiling are winter favorites. Please take a short survey (5 minutes or less) and help us understand what features are most important to you and what we could improve about TripCheck services.Thank you. MLS# 201001561. Is that where you may see wild mustangs? Any snow was off the roadway and we could see the Alvord Desert below as well as mountain peaks in the distance and deep valleys below. Continue a short distance past Frenchglen, then turn left onto the Steens Mountain Loop Road. My dad and I drove this loop earlier this summer and I was shocked that Steens isn't considered one of the 7 Wonders of Oregon. Some activities within the CMPA, such as motorized access for winter recreation and organized group functions, may require a special-use permit from BLM. I tre fratelli, Walter, Frederick e Benjamin, fatto lungo il Piccolo Fiume Blitzen, e hanno cominciato ad allevare il bestiame. Deep in the southeast section of Oregon, the road is a spectacular gem in the high desert and provides sweeping views of the region, including Wildhorse Lake and Keigor Gorge. there. As youre pedaling along, tune in to the chorus of bird calls and see how many distinct ones you can distinguish. Oregon Department of Transportation. The Steens Mountain Loop is spectacular, but it can be blocked by snow late into the season as was my experience in June 2022. Cattlemen, Welcome to the CMPA and enjoy the many resources and activities awaiting you. 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. It is an awesome place hot springs pond to enjoy. Kigermann is one of Oregon's Hundred Highest Peaks. (There is a collection of cell towers on top so it is easy to spot, as well as being marked by signs)There is a parking lot from which you ca Mann Lake can be found in the Steens Mountain Wilderness area. There are five major glaciated canyons Ready to hit the road? The entire Steens Mountain Loop Road has just been opened. For the full loop, an early start is recommended, and for us, that meant sharing the road with surprised deer. The climb up and west from Fields on Highway 205 will give you a miniature preview of what youll encounter scaling Steens later on. Is the Steens Mountain loop road open for Memorial day weekend trip? Download a detailed guide (PDF). massive internal pressure forced the east edge upward along a fault line. The south. This loop drive of 58 miles is gravel with a washboard surface that is totally awesome. Youll come away with an up-close-and-personal appreciation for the scale of this geologic goliath, with its glacier-carved valleys, aspen groves, pure-water lakes and views to forever. Steens Mountain, in far SE Oregon, is one of the most amazing wilderness places accessible by car. The Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Area (CMPA) consists of 428,156 acres of public land offering diverse scenic and recreational experiences. Migratory birds traveling the Pacific Flyway use Harney County as a rest and refueling stop. Kiger gorge is one of the most beautiful places to see and experience. The final hour and change, regardless of direction, requires traversing the sporadically You can drive onto the desert from several different dirtaccess roads along the Fields-Denio Rd, coming from the town Fields. While the upper 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. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Oct 1, 2019 HI LetsRun! Steens Mountain was originally called Snow Mountain back in the 19th century.Devine Rock is named for John S. Devine, the first cattle baron to arrive into the Alvord Basin. I highly recommend one extra stop on this loop, at the Steens Summit/Wildhorse Lake parking lot. The trail comprises deep glacier-carved gorges, wild rivers, a rich diversity of plant and animal species, and alpine lakes with aspen for shade. Give yourself 3 hours to drive with short stops; plan for 4 to 5 if you will be doing more exploring. Terrible washboard road but spectacular scenery. west slope of the mountain may receive as much as 25' of precipitation, 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 . (113), Climber's Log Entries This massive fault block of basalt is the highest point south of the Three Sisters in Oregon, has 4373 feet of prominence, and is the highpoint of Harney County. Popular activities include camping, picnicking, sightseeing, and exploring the open country on foot and horseback. Update; reportedly fish and game is working on a plan to exterminate goldfish from Mann Lake. eagles, the largest raptor on Steens Mountain, can often be seen riding Mann Lake (Mile 137) offers a camping spot to split the distance from Crystal Crane to Fields. For some reason I heard it in my head in the voice of those guys that do the Monster Truck event comme. 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. 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. The east face of the fault scarp drops immediately over one vertical mile to the Alvord Desert and in places would require true mountaineering ability to climb. The remaining snowdrifts were cleared earlier this week, and although road conditions have improved, travelers should still drive with caution. The landscape to your west has been gradually taking up a higher spot on the horizon, and after you leave Mann Lake youll be below the main bulk of Steens, at the same time as you spill out into the Alvord Desert. Stayed at the Alvord Dessert Hot Springs and had a great time there and the views on top of the Steens Mountain are breath taking. At the East Rim Viewpoint, peer off the precipice to the Alvord Desert 1 mile/1.6 kilometers below. Finally, the 4x4 road leading to Pike Creek is very washed out and can be reached by high clearance vehicles only. At the top, there are three glacial gorges the most spectacular of which is Kiger Gorge which is perfectly U-shaped. KigerMann: With 500 feet of prominence this is the highest point along the Steens Mountain crest at its northern end. Youre back on 205, and this time it looks like a causeway as it bisects two shallow lakes (water levels are quite seasonal; no guarantees on how much youll see here). This grueling but extreme-adventurous 276-mile loop takes you around and on top of Steens. A lock ( Let's keep in touch. 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 59-mile loop departs from Frenchglen and climbs to the top of Steens Contact Burns District BLM for more information. site is used. 2023 The Outbound Collective - Terms of Use - Privacy Policy. I did see some wild horses on the drive. From there you will continue for about 22 miles to find yourself at Kiger Gorge Lookout. We have a lot of ideas for you. Youll connect to Highway 78 at about Mile 65, and you can roll on to Crystal Crane Hot Springs at about Mile 74. 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. My love affair with the high desert runs deep; my fondest childhood Is any of the information on this page incorrect? 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.