ft. house located at 61102 Steens Ln, Bend, OR 97702 sold for $227,000 on Aug 10, 2010. 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. The tour route begins its climb in earnest, ascending from arid sagebrush to small lakes and a shady respite of quaking aspen. Write a review to inform other visitors! Steens Mountain is located in Oregon's high desert is one of the crown jewels of the state's wildlands. Notes: Consider the timing of your journey: Theres almost no shade in this area that routinely hits 90 degrees, and water is extremely limited. (Oregon Geographic Names). or learn to just turn around! Yes the road is washboard at first. These a great stops with exciting backroads. Is that where you may see wild mustangs? We recommend high clearance or 4x4 vehicles for primitive roads, including the steep and rocky portion of the Steens Mountain Loop Road near South Steens Campground. The North Loop road is not as steep as the South Loop. Please respect landowners in the area and always get permission to go onto private property. Sightseeing in Kiger Gorge at Steens Mountain. enhance and customize your user experience, and to analyze how our A scenic loop road (Steens Mountain National Back Country Byway) is found on the south end of town and provides easy access to the high country. Youll once again cross the Donner und Blitzen River en route back to OR-205, the High Desert Discovery Scenic Byway. Steens Mountain is located in Oregon's high desert is one of the crown jewels of the state's wildlands. Do you know any spectacular road?Click here to send us all the info, and we'll publish it! Every year, BLM maintenance crews work to open the entire Steens Mountain Loop Road before the July 4 weekend. adventures and follow local regulations. The mountain loop is also the only truly rough riding. One notable exception is Big Indian Gorge which does have a developed trail running the length of it. We have a lot of ideas for you. 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. Thanks for any help you can offer. And Steens is not the only wonder youll experience; theres also the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, the aforementioned Alvord Desert, and the milkshakes in Fields. 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). When I was there in late May the Loop Road was still closed due to snow. Migratory birds traveling the Pacific Flyway use Harney County as a rest and refueling stop. Recently the road has been leveled and graded, and can be driven by standard vehicles. 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. Take State Highway 205 to Frenchglen and follow the signs east to the Steens Mountain Loop Road. Finally, the 4x4 road leading to Pike Creek is very washed out and can be reached by high clearance vehicles only. 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. Ready to hit the road? Opportunities for recreation on Steens Mountain are as plentiful as they are widespread. (12), Additions & Corrections These animals navigate the rough eastern face of Steens Mountain high above the Alvord Desert. Wood is not readily available, and the cutting down of trees should not be practiced at any cost, although its immediately apparent some of the aspens here have been cut down. Circumnavigate Steens Mountain including an arduous climb to the summit. Notes: Consider the timing of your journey: Theres almost no shade in this area that routinely hits 90 degrees, and water is extremely limited. From Frenchglen, the first 5 miles/ 8 kilometers of the route along North Loop Road traverse the southern end of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. 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. A 4x4 track can be found where Big Alvord Creek crosses the road at the Alvord Ranch. At the top, there are three glacial gorges the most spectacular of which is Kiger Gorge which is perfectly U-shaped. Oregon Department of Transportation. Popular activities include camping, picnicking, sightseeing, and exploring the open country on foot and horseback. As you leave the junipers, you will be surrounded by large expanses of Mountain big sagebrush. Odds are good if you have sharp enough eyes (or binoculars) youll see elk on the canyon floor thousands of feet below and you might even spy the famous Kiger Mustangs, a legendarily beautiful band of wild horses that roam this remote part of the state. Talk about seeing what you just climbed. Hiking is available in all areas and trailheads exist near Page Springs and South Steens Campgrounds, as well as Wildhorse Overlook and Pike Creek. We were thinking of staying the first night in at Frenchglen, then doing the inner loop and returning for the night to Frenchglen. Frenchglen Hotel is located next door.Located on the south end of Frenchglen.Page Springs: (541)573-440036 Campsites along the Blitzen River with toilets, water, garbage service, fire rings and picnic tables.Located 3 miles east of Frenchglen on the Steens Mountain Loop Road and open year round.Jackman Park: (541)573-44006 Campsites with toilets, water, garbage service, fire rings and picnic tables.Located 19 miles east of Frenchglen on the Steens Mountain Loop Road near Fish Lake. to travelthe50 miles out and back with ~5000ft. Starting at approximately 4300, Pike Creek trail is about 5.4 miles RT to Pikes Knob, out and back, however the entire hike is stunning and there is no wrong place to turn back. Borax Lake is 10 acres, and water welling up from within it feeds a series of cooler ponds and marshes surrounding the primary spring. We spent well over 3 hours completing the entire drive. The summit itself is adorned with cell towers where youll find your only reception out here - but the views are spectacular. Over this distance the elevation gain is 1.689 meters. For being comprised of basalt, the vertical rock along the east face is substantially rotten. 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. 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. The average gradient is 3.87%. The Steens loop roads past Fish Lake to the north, and Big Indian Gorge to the south, remain closed due to lingering snow. Several different herds of wild horses also exist in the area and livestock may be seen on both public and private land. 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. Glaciers once scoured down this mountain, scrubbing away softer sediments and creating distinct notches in the bedrock. Although the views are breath taking, so are the very steep drop offs, sharp turns and often narrow road. The night sky there is amazing I forgot how the sky looked. I did see some wild horses on the drive. The loop road is a wonderful multi-day trek for just such an excursion. Overlooking the mouth of Pike Creek Canyon is Pike Rock at 5808 feet, and at the head of Pike Creek is a series of spectacular basalt pinnacles and walls. From Baker Pass in the north to Long Hollow in the south, The Steens as a mountain range is nearly 60 miles long and 18 miles across. 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 . Is that title clickbaitish? mile to the Alvord Desert floor. closed in the winter months. Some activities within the CMPA, such as motorized access for winter recreation and organized group functions, may require a special-use permit from BLM. While a radio facility mars the absolute summit, there are many other wild peaks along the crest. Watch for wildlife along this stretch, particularly the wild horses that roam these wild lands. 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. Be prepared for 65 miles of gravel, mostly very well maintained, with speeds 25-35 mph. I did not see any mustangs while there. My pickup truck has a stiff suspension so it was almost unbearable. This land, at the top of the Steens Mountain, is the most sensitive to disturbance and will be managed to safeguard the pristine environment. Blustery, 100-degree days are common and snow can fall year-round. At 9348 feet this point overlooks the Kiger Gorge and the "Big Nick" notch. "Society speaks and all men listen, mountains speak and wise men listen." And it fit! On behalf of Oregon Bikepacking and VeloDirt, we present a select number of our routes that we find particularly special. During the Ice Age, glaciers formed in the major stream channels on the mountain. 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. Be aware of ticks, mosquitoes, and rattlesnakes in certain areas during spring and summer. The 23 Campsites with picnic tables and fire grates; first come, first serve. 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. 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. 2006-2021 SummitPost.org. This resort offers a variety of options our group used: cabins, tent camping and RV camping with or without hook ups. THnaks MOrgan, BLM campgrounds with drinking water and vault toilets are located at Page Springs, Fish Lake, Jackman Park, and South Steens. Be prepared for sudden lightning storms, snow, rain, and high winds. 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. The payback for the many miles of climbing is the steep downhill back to Frenchglen. 5 Star Route / Burns, Oregon / Published July 2018. Itll make your jaw drop. All Rights Reserved. If not for the road beating I'd rate it a 5.0 The weather up there can be quite a bit different than down at Frenchglen so prepare for possible wind and cold. SEASONAL ROAD CLOSURE: Steens Mountain Loop Road closes seasonally during the winter and is usually open between mid-June and October. Overviews and short trails offer looks into the picturesque canyons of Big Indian Gorge and Little Blitzen Gorge. point on a remarkable drive. The 52-mile Steens Mountain Backcountry Byway provides access to four campgrounds and the views from Kiger Gorge, East Rim, Big Indian Gorge, Wildhorse and Little Blitzen Gorge overlooks are not to be missed! 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. Aconcagua mountain itself has many routes, photos, and trip reports as children. Devine founded the Whitehorse Ranch in 1869, and later the Alvord Ranch. 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. 2023 Travel Oregon | The official guide to Oregon travel and tourism information. A lock ( 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. All Rights Reserved. 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. A Trip to Steens, Oregons Secret Mountain, Relax at the Hot Springs of Southeastern Oregon. The south. There is a gravel loop road that starts in Frenchglen which rises 6000 ft in 26 miles. Even in this seemingly empty landscape, you have the chance to spot wildlife like badgers, foxes or antelope. Within this area, cooperative and innovative management projects will be maintained and enhanced between the BLM, private landowners, tribes, and other public interests. Approximately 900,000 acres are designated off limits to mineral and geothermal extraction. Bring our travel magazine along. From the trailhead at the end of the road, the summit is just a short hike. A route exists to the summit and explained in detail in 75 Scrambles In Oregon. Best Time to Visit: July through October, the road is 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. Just shy of the road at the Alvord Desert the open country on foot and.. Exists to the summit at 9,734 feet/2,967 meters to Frenchglen and follow signs! East face is substantially rotten work to open the entire drive prepared for 65 miles of climbing is the downhill! Road is a gravel Loop road is not as steep as the South.... 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