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All the United States Oregon Steens Mountain
AO Edited

Steens Mountain

With a crest near 10,000 feet, this treeless fault-block mountain in eastern Oregon provides stunning views and spectacular glacial landforms.

Princeton, Oregon

Added By
slgwv
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Looking east.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Looking east.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Looking east from the crest.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Looking north along the eastern scarp.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Kiger Gorge, one of the big glacial canyons.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Kiger Gorge   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Kiger Gorge, west side.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
At the crest.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
The highest road in Oregon.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Looking back at the trailhead to Wildhorse Lake.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Wildhorse Lake   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Wildhorse Lake   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Wildhorse Lake.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
View eastward. Note the Alvord playa to the right.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Wildhorse Lake.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Looking back at the crest.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Looking south.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Little Blitzen Gorge   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Big Indian Gorge   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Little Indian Gorge.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Steens Mountain Panorama   benjaminjsnider / Atlas Obscura User
Looking south. Note the snow in July!   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Looking north along the scarp. The distant body of water is Mann Lake.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Big Indian Gorge. Looking east.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Trail to Wildhorse Lake.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
The Alvord Desert from the crest.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Looking south. Elevation here is near 10,000 ft.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Looking east toward the crest. The gap on the skyline is where Kiger Gorge has truncated a drainage to the east.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
The crest, looking southeasterly.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Looking south along the scarp.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Little Blitzen Gorge   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Looking north along The Highest Road in Oregon   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
View eastward. The edge of the Alvord playa (dry lake bed) is partly visible on the right.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
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About

A number of Oregon stereotypes don't apply to Steens Mountain, located in the southeastern corner of the state. First, it doesn't support a thick conifer forest, apparently because it's so remote it was never seeded after the glacial retreat. Second, it's in the "outback" east of the Cascades, popularly supposed to be the unattractive part of the state. Finally, although the mountain is made of layers of volcanic rock, it's not a volcano, unlike the famous peaks in the Cascades.

Steens Mountain is a tilted fault block, with a gentle western slope that drops off abruptly some 3,000 feet from the crest to a closed dry basin that includes the Alvord Desert This is Basin and Range-type structure much more characteristic of Nevada. 

It nonetheless is a rewarding area, even though you might have trouble remembering you're in Oregon. Not only are there sweeping views from the crest, but there are several large canyons of glacial origin and even a number of alpine lakes. The canyons, carved into layers of basalt lava flows, appear strikingly different from the glacial landforms found in the Cascade volcanos, or in granitic terrain such as in Yosemite. Hiking trails abound, with much of the area designated wilderness. One popular trail goes to Wildhorse Lake in one of the glacial canyons.

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Hiking Geology Mountains

Know Before You Go

The area is largely included in the Steens Mountain Cooperative Management & Protection Area, which includes much officially designated wilderness and is managed by the BLM (Bureau of Land Management).

 The main access is via the Steens Mountain Loop, the north end of which begins at Frenchglen, Oregon, off Oregon State Route 205.   It rejoins SR 205 about 10 miles south. The loop road itself is over 50 miles long and runs for several miles along the highest part of the crest. Indeed, this part is claimed to be the highest road in Oregon. The road is graded and in dry weather should be passable to ordinary passenger cars.  However, it typically opens only after Memorial Day due to lingering snow cover.

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slgwv

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benjaminjsnider

  • benjaminjsnider

Published

January 13, 2022

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Steens Mountain
Steens Mountain Rd
Princeton, Oregon, 97721
United States
42.685164, -118.565369
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Nearby Places

Alvord Desert

New Princeton, Oregon

miles away

Pete French Round Barn

Diamond, Oregon

miles away

Thousand Creek Gorge

Winnemucca, Nevada

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Oregon

Oregon

United States

Places 208
Stories 31

Nearby Places

Alvord Desert

New Princeton, Oregon

miles away

Pete French Round Barn

Diamond, Oregon

miles away

Thousand Creek Gorge

Winnemucca, Nevada

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Oregon

Oregon

United States

Places 208
Stories 31

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