It’s hard not to fall in love with the dreamy images of Kiger Gorge, Wildhorse Lake and the rest of the backcountry wilderness that surrounds Steens Mountain in Southeastern Oregon. Located about a seven-hour drive from Portland, this geological wonder is as removed from city life as can be. That makes it one of Oregon’s most rugged and lesser-visited destinations to backpack, hike, camp, fish and soak up the grandeur.
If you’re a beginner backpacker, know that with planning and preparation, you too can have a safe, rewarding trip. Here’s how to get started.
Find the Perfect Route for Your Skills and Interests
Your ability and the conditions should dictate the route you choose as you venture into the Steens Mountain area. Expect no cell service. Bring printed maps, extra supplies and bug spray.
One of the most rewarding ways to experience the area is to leave the decisions to the experts and hire a guide from Calamity Butte Guide Service. The Burns-based company offers year-round customizable tours to Steens (and throughout Eastern Oregon) to hike, bike, drive and even ride horses, with special tours for creating art, stargazing and more. It also rents camping gear and provides shuttle services.
For a midrange trek, consider Little Blitzen Gorge, where you can hike routes ranging from about 3 to 9 miles each way through a canyon filled with aspens, cottonwoods and waterfalls. It’s best hiked in the spring during wildflower season or again August through November.
Intrepid hikers may aim for Big Indian Gorge, 16 miles round-trip or 10 miles one way with a shuttle option. Best between August and November, the route features stream crossings, wildflowers and waterfalls with a steep cross-country hike out of the canyon.
Wildhorse Lake is a tough but rewarding challenge, at 2.5 miles round-trip with a steep 1,100-foot vertical climb. The lake sits in a bowl with lots of loose lava rock, making good shoes a must. Stay on the trails — this is a fragile ecosystem — but swimming and paddling are welcome.
Alternatively, drive the 59-mile Steens Loop Tour Route (best June through October). The road starts in Frenchglen and winds its way up the mountain to the summit at 10,000 feet, then down again on the western slope. As of 2023, a landslide has closed the road indefinitely near Big Indian Gorge Overlook, and there’s no room for motorhomes or vehicles hauling trailers to turn around, so plan accordingly. You can still access all of the sites along the route with out-and-back journeys; you just can’t complete the route as a loop. The road is often rocky, bumpy and very dusty, so prepare for slow going and the distinct possibility of flat tires.
Where to Eat and Sleep
Steens has numerous campgrounds. Fish Lake Campground (open July through September) and Jackman Park Campground (mid-June through October) sit above 7,000 feet and offer views and activity options just beyond your tent. Page Springs Campground, at 4,200 feet, is open year-round. South Steens Campground is a lovely base camp for tent campers as well as RVs and horses between May and November. Finally, Steens Mountain Wilderness Resort (also a campground) offers tent and RV sites as well as deluxe two-bedroom cabins.
For a less rustic roof over your head, get a room at the Frenchglen Hotel in Frenchglen — population 12. It’s located 60 miles south of Burns, the closest, biggest city in the area (population 2,700). The historic hotel offers individual rooms with a shared bathroom, family-style suppers, and a convenient and charming place to rest after a day outside.
Nearby in Diamond — population 5 — the oldest hotel in Eastern Oregon, Hotel Diamond, also offers evening suppers by reservation that are open to the public if space is available.
The Fields Station Cafe and gas station in Fields — population 120 and about 60 miles south of Frenchglen — is famous for homestyle breakfasts and thick milkshakes.
Plan Your Rest Days on Steens Mountain
When your calves are burning from exertion, take a rest day and get to know an otherworldly landscape. The Alvord Desert — a flat, cracked alkali surface at the base of the mountain — can be navigated by bike and provides space for throwing a Frisbee or flying a kite. Summer gets quite hot, and be warned that a sudden rainstorm can create deep mud that may get cars stuck.
While you’re there, soak in the soothing Alvord Hot Springs; overnight guests in the tent spaces or refurbished Army bunkers on site have priority, so call ahead. Crane Hot Springs is another blissful refuge, about 30 miles southeast of Burns, that offers day soaks (indoor and outdoor) as well as cabins, RV camping and tepees in the summer months.
Hope you brought your fishing rod. Take it with you to the pristine Mann Lake or the little-known Wild and Scenic Donner und Blitzen River with its catch-and-release angling. Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, a sanctuary for 187,757 acres of wildlife habitat with a public museum and visitor center, offers world-class birding.
Don’t leave Harney County without seeing the high-desert town of Burns, a few compact blocks filled with restaurants, shops and a movie theater. Oard’s Museum & Gallery offers a treasure trove of Native artifacts and a small convenience store.
If You Go:
- Whenever you hike the Steens or other trails, know your limits and always carry your Ten Essentials, including layers, paper maps, plenty of water and snacks, and emergency gear — and always hike with a buddy.
- Always pack out what you pack in, including pet waste, and treat the land kindly.
- The land here is a mix of public and private, so respect all road-closure signs and other notices, as ranching is a way of life here.
- A vehicle that can handle the terrain and with plenty of fuel is a must. Prepare for flat tires on rough roads.
