Steens Mountain Region Archives - Page 4 of 5 - Oregon Natural Desert Association

Wildhorse Lake

By Lindsay Jones on October 27, 2017 | Posted in:

Wildhorse Lake fills the bottom of a deep cirque with high surrounding walls on three sides that give way on one side to an open view of the horizon beyond. This treeless bowl is streaked with tiny creeks and even tinier rivulets that flow only after there’s been rain. You’ll start out by heading...

Steens Mountain Summit

By Lindsay Jones on October 27, 2017 | Posted in:

On your way to the top of Steens Mountain Summit trailhead, you’ll pass by two amazing viewpoints that involve short walks—Kiger Gorge and the East Rim—and we recommend stopping at both of these viewpoints and hiking up to the summit as well. The first stop along the drive is the Kiger Gorge Viewpoint parking...

Oregon’s first desert wilderness

By Lace Thornberg on October 27, 2017 | Posted in:

Steens Mountain: Oregon’s first desert wilderness On October 30, 2000, Congress passed the Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Act, finishing the work that had taken ONDA and the other members of the Steens-Alvord Coalition decades. Steens Mountain is a land of startling contrasts: dramatic u-shaped glacial valleys, groves of quaking aspen, uplands...

Big Indian Gorge

By Lace Thornberg on October 27, 2017 | Posted in:

The Big Indian Gorge Trail is 8 miles to the headwall of the gorge and passes through meadows as well as cottonwood and aspen groves. It’s easy to follow for the first 7 miles and then it fades away and becomes a cross-country hike. There are three stream crossings along the way, which can...

Pike Creek

By Lace Thornberg on October 27, 2017 | Posted in:

An old mining track leads 1.4 miles up the canyon through a rugged rock narrows with wildflowers and views of the desert playa below. Two creek crossings can be difficult to pass in early spring and after summer thunderstorms. Along this trail, you’ll find an old cabin and an old mine on the way...

Sunlight beams through a break in the clouds onto a lake over Steens Mountain.

Visitor’s Guide
to Steens Mountain Region

By Lace Thornberg on October 25, 2017 | Posted in:

The Steens may look like a small mountain range, but it is actually just one massive mountain. When you visit the largest fault-block mountain in North America, expect extremes. Snow falls earlier and lingers longer than you might expect in the high country here, so be sure to check road reports before heading out....

Little Blitzen Gorge

By Lace Thornberg on October 19, 2017 | Posted in:

The Little Blitzen Gorge Trail follows the Little Blitzen River up a long, glacially carved canyon. Expect wildflowers, springs, aspen, and waterfalls. From the trailhead parking lot, walk 100 yards to the start of the trail on the left. This path descends a mile to a bridgeless creek crossing that can typically be accomplished...

Sage Society: Sustaining Desert Conservation

By Corinne Handelman on October 12, 2017 | Posted in: A Conversation With

Retired science teacher Scott Bowler is a proud member of ONDA’s Sage Society, the community of advocates and donors who live their values by sustaining critical conservation efforts year-round with monthly contributions. We recently spoke with Scott about his decades-long commitment to sustaining Oregon conservation efforts through volunteering, advocacy, and the Sage Society. ONDA: Tell...