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. For example, theAconcagua mountain page has the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits' asparents and is a parent itself to many routes, photos, and Trip Reports. Most of the road to the mountain is graveled but well maintained. Update; reportedly fish and game is working on a plan to exterminate goldfish from Mann Lake. Absolutely gorgeous. From Kiger Gorge, the road turns south and skims along the rim. Your safety and enjoyment are important. Recently the road has been leveled and graded, and can be driven by standard vehicles. There are pit toilets at the South Steens campground if you need to make a bathroom stop. more. 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). The Solitude at it's finest. 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). To use information contained on this site is to do so at your own risk. Although the views are breath taking, so are the very steep drop offs, sharp turns and often narrow road. The road to the summit of Steens Mountain is the highest road in Oregon, reaching nearly 10,000 feet. As youre pedaling along, tune in to the chorus of bird calls and see how many distinct ones you can distinguish. 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! Look for a dirt road with a cattle guard on the west side of the road, about 1.9 miles nort Alvord Hot Springs at the base of Steens Mountain deep in the heart of the eastern Oregon Wilderness is a hidden gem, known mostly to climbing enthusiasts and the ambitious adventurer willing to drive the nearly 4 hours from Boise, Bend, or 2.5 hours from the nearest town of any size, Winnemucca in Nevada. Terrible washboard road but spectacular scenery. 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. Share YOUR roads!We'vemorethan 13.000 roads but we want more! I debated how to write it. And once you turn right onto the Loop Road (Mile 220), your world starts turning upward the first climb gains about 1,000 feet over 7 miles. 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. 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 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 . Migratory birds traveling the Pacific Flyway use Harney County as a rest and refueling stop. Ready to hit the road? These glaciers dug trenches about one-half mile deep, through layers of hard basalt. Steens Mountain is a mighty fault-block edifice that rises dramatically from its surroundings. Follow along the loop to get back to your starting point. west slope of the mountain may receive as much as 25' of precipitation, Notes: Consider the timing of your journey: Theres almost no shade in this area that routinely hits 90 degrees, and water is extremely limited. The mountain loop is also the only truly rough riding. Between the Coast and Cascade Ranges, the high desert of central Oregon, and the remote expanses of eastern Oregon, we have all the makings for top-notch gravel riding and bikepacking. The tour route begins its climb in earnest, ascending from arid sagebrush to small lakes and a shady respite of quaking aspen. Finally, the 4x4 road leading to Pike Creek is very washed out and can be reached by high clearance vehicles only. I cannot find the link online (keep checking the webpage) and I forget the issue. Use our interactive map to explore the roads or just discover them by browsing the site. 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. Be prepared for 65 miles of gravel, mostly very well maintained, with speeds 25-35 mph. As youre pedaling along, tune in to the chorus of bird calls and see how many distinct ones you can distinguish. You are allowed to drive out and camp anywhere on the playa except for along the west side, which is private property. At 7782 feet Devine Rock is one of the more difficult summits in Southeast Oregon as it's protected by cliff bands on all faces. Youll connect to Highway 78 at about Mile 65, and you can roll on to Crystal Crane Hot Springs at about Mile 74. 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. 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. Because the Steens Mountain Loop was on husband's bucket list, we added it on to our annual late June Bend birthday/anniversary trip. We heard about the loop from our RV site neighbors. 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. Conditions No conditions reported in the past 7 days Want to report conditions for this trail? Loop Road. Is that title clickbaitish? The gravel is generally good throughout the route. 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. We were thinking of staying the first night in at Frenchglen, then doing the inner loop and returning for the night to Frenchglen. 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. Give yourself 3 hours to drive with short stops; plan for 4 to 5 if you will be doing more exploring. 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. Steens For more information on current road conditions, recreation opportunities, or to obtain maps of the area, visit the Burns District Office at 28910 Hwy 20 West, in Hines, Oregon, or call (541) 573-4400, weekdays, between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. While much of the highlands are within hiking distance of the loop road and open to the public, some of the deep gorges are privately owned by large local ranches. Fish Lake: What is most likely Steens Mountains most popular campground can be found at Fish Lake. That being said, the trip up to snow line was breathtaking and beautiful! Travel the entire loop to experience all this unique landscape's scenic vistas and abundant mix of wildlife. Expect to find the pools somewhere in the range of 100-120 degrees. Massive internal pressures forced the east edge of the Steens upward. It is truly a step back into time. Be prepared for sudden lightning storms, snow, rain, and high winds. Steens Mountain is located in Oregon's high desert is one of the crown jewels of the state's wildlands. The full loop is a long day of serious gravel cycling with more than 7,500 feet in elevation gain. Itll make your jaw drop. This is one of the few places you can drive across the escarpment, and the road passes alongside "The Stonehouse", a large blocky outcropping of Basalt.Alvord Desert: The driest location in Oregon with less than 10" of annual rainfall is the Alvord Desert, which is the largest of several alluvial plains along the Fields-Denio Highway. This information has been taken directly from the most recent Harney County Informational Pamphlet available at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge headquarters. eagles, the largest raptor on Steens Mountain, can often be seen riding Starting at the tiny, historic town of Frenchglen, on OR-205, the ascent is 43.61km (27.1 miles) long. (28), Comments Turner River / Wagonwheel / Birdon Roads Loop Drive. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Visitors can also spend hours watching the amazing, breathtaking antics of raptors as they soar and dive in the high mountain wind currents. Steens Mountain, Frenchglen: Address, Steens Mountain Reviews: 5/5. A gated road (closed to the public) goes right to the top, at 9,737 feet to service an array of communications towers. If you time it right, you could view fulll moon rise from the top. ecosystems from the valley floor to the mountain top. 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. Quando i fratelli d'Indovinello arrivarono il 1900, ci furono 100.000 bestiame e pecora che sfiora la gamma aperta in dintorno di valli Steens. From the summit, the tour route eases down the mountains western slope. 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. Make sure to visit the little community of French Glen and go into the store. High quality tires are a must for all vehicles, even when traveling on maintained routes. Sounds like the road may not be open for the season yet (research tells me July-October is usually. Along the way you will climb above river canyons seeing hidden groves of quaking aspen, willows, and mountain mahogany. 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. There are pit toilets at the South Steens campground if you need to make a bathroom stop. massive internal pressure forced the east edge upward along a fault line. of elevation gain. Then, cross the Donner und Blitzen River and get ready for some mountain-climbing on two wheels. The trail comprises deep glacier-carved gorges, wild rivers, a rich diversity of plant and animal species, and alpine lakes with aspen for shade. From Burns, take State Highway 78 southeast for approximately 2 miles. Its said to bethe highest road of Oregon. Mann Lake (Mile 137) offers a camping spot to split the distance from Crystal Crane to Fields. Opportunities for recreation on Steens Mountain are as plentiful as they are widespread. 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. Taken as a mountain with a nine thousand foot crest, the peak runs over eight miles from north to south. Sagebrush dominates You'll drive through a herd of sheep on the way up. you'll have ample opportunities to view wildlife and take in the grandeur All Rights Reserved. Is that where you may see wild mustangs? 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. closed in the winter months. The United States Congress designated the Steens Mountain Wilderness in 2000 and it now has over 170,200 acres. A land exchange provision blocks up nearly 100,000 acres of livestock-free wilderness within the designated 175,000-acre Steens Mountain Wilderness. Wonderful views, local history, wild horses, and much more. 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. The North Loop road is not as steep as the South Loop. The owners are very nice it's a nice quiet facility but there is the 2.5 mile drive on a gravel road to get there I believe the price was $23 per night and they have a 30 amp and 50 amp connections. Mann Lake is one of only a couple lakes along the eastside of Steens Mountain that does not dry up. As cyclists, were spoiled living in Oregon. Your epic journey-type ride. Located at the Malheur Wildlife Refuge and open year round.Frenchglen Wayside State Park:No camping spaces, but picnic spaces and a vaulted toilet. Aconcagua mountain page is a child of the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits.' If you do go bring your camera and binoculars. Also, the Alvord Desert and the Steens Mountains are in the region as well. Mountain Weather can be unpredictable and change suddenly. Steens Mountain is located 60 miles south of Burns near Frenchglen and Page Springs Campground. Be prepared for sudden lightning storms, snow, rain, and high winds. The south. You can find just about anything to suit your fancy here whether youre into glacier views of Mount Hood or exploring remote jeep roads and sleeping in the sagebrush. 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. 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. Parents refers to a larger category under which an object falls. 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. No water or services available. 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 Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Area (CMPA) consists of 428,156 acres of public land offering diverse scenic and recreational experiences. Mann Lake (Mile 137) offers a camping spot to split the distance from Crystal Crane to Fields. Let's keep in touch. So head north out of Frenchglen up Highway 205 to get warmed up; after almost 18 miles of pavement, veer off the highway toward Diamond (even smaller than Frenchglen, but another great historic hotel/restaurant) and then onto the first stretch of the many, many miles of unpaved road youll experience. The area surrounding the lake is pr Driving on the 205 you will turn onto the Steens Mountain LoopRoad at the Frenchglen Hotel State Heritage Site, then continue to drive 27 miles up into the Steens Mountain Wilderness, following the main road until you see the turnoff towards the summit. Spotting one of these wild mustangs is an exclamation Dont know how we could have backed up if we had met another car. 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