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The High Desert of Harney County is a far cry
from the Oregon west of the Cascades. Covered
with juniper and sagebrush, and dotted with
dramatic mountain ranges, this is true frontier
country, a remnant of the wild west.
The High Desert Discovery Scenic Byway guides
you through the heart of this sparsely populated
region, offering broad panoramas of wide-open
spaces so seldom encountered today. This byway
serves as a gateway to awe-inspiring Steens
Mountain, the Diamond Craters, the Malheur
Refuge, the Peter French Round Barn and the
Alvord Desert. It's austere beauty offers
incredible solitude; alone in the high desert,
you feel a bit like a cowboy or pioneer from
another era. As a modern day pioneer exploring
this frontier, plan accordingly as basic
services are few and far between.
Scenic Byway
Map
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Discovery
Map |
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Burns to the
Refuge
The High Desert Discovery Scenic
Byway begins at Burns, which rests at the
junction of HIghways 20, 78 and 395. From Burns,
proceed south on Highway 205. Wright's Point
provides stunning views of the Blue Mountains to
the north and Steens Mountain to the south. At
the Narrows interpretive site, Mud Lake and
Harney Lake offer pleasant vistas to the west.
To the east, Malheur Lake and the Malheur
National Wildlife Refuge offers a veritable
oasis amidst the arid range lands. The Refuge
stretches 39 miles wide and 40 miles long, and
is home to 320 bird species. Spring is the most
spectacular season. Northern pintails and tundra
swans begin to arrive, followed by sandhill
cranes and large concentrations of snow, Ross'
and white-fronted geese. Waterfowl, shorebirds
and songbirds hit high number peaks as well. As
the flurry of migration settles, broods of
trumpeter swans and other waterfowl can be seen
on most Refuge ponds and migrant shorebirds
congregate on mud flats and alkali playas.
Activity increases again in the fall as
migration begins. One of the Refuge's greatest
attractions occurs when greater sandhill cranes
"stage," or gather, in the southern Blitzen
Valley. Also look for large flocks of ducks,
Canada geese and tundra swans. Winter is the
quietest season at the Refuge, although a
variety of raptors, including bald eagles and
rough-legged hawks can be seen.
On to
Frenchglen
Skirting the marshes of the
Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, you'll soon
pass the turnoff for the Diamond Loop Tour
Route, which leads to the Peter French Round
Barn. Continue to follow the route that
parallels ancient basalt flows until you reach
the southern end of the Blitzen Valley and the
community of Frenchglen. Frenchglen provides
services for Steen Mountain visitors and is the
point of departure for the Steens Loop Tour
Route. You may also access the Donner und
Blitzen River from here which offers excellent
angling for redband trout, a species of rainbow
trout indigenous to the high desert region.
Outdoor activities within the area include
hiking, horseback riding, camping, birding,
fishing and winter recreation. One of the focal
points of Frenchglen is the historic Frenchglen
Hotel which was built
in
the mid-1920s and
remodeled in 1938 by the Civilian
Conservation Corps. It’s an excellent example
of American Foursquare architecture and is still
open today, providing lodging and family-style
meals.
Mr. French and
Mr. Glen
In the 1850s, word of the lush
grassland around current day Frenchglen
attracted stockmen, who moved their cattle to
the region. Among them was John W. "Peter"
French, who arrived from California in 1872 with
1000 head under the auspices of Hugh Glen, a
wealthy California stock owner and his
father-in- law. French soon fenced the
entire Blitzen River Valley for his herd
numbering over 40,000. Some valley residents
resented French and his empire. In 1897, he was
allegedly shot and killed by a homesteader named
Ed Oliver over a fencing dispute; Oliver was
acquitted.
Catlow
Rim to Fields
Heading south from Frenchglen,
you’ll soon pass the turnoff for the Hart
Mountain National Antelope Refuge. This
primitive road leads to the
275,000 acres of
high-desert habitat that was set aside in 1936
to provide spring, summer and fall range for the
region’s pronghorn antelope herds. Continuing
south, Route 205 parallels Catlow Rim and Catlow
Valley, home to some of the region’s wild horse
herds and big horn sheep which can frequently be
seen from the road. The High Desert Discovery
Byway ends in the ranching community of Fields.
At the turn of the century, borax was collected
around Borax Lake, providing a significant
source of revenue. Fields is an excellent
staging area for outdoor adventures in the
nearby Trout Creek and Pueblo Mountains.
The privately owned Alvord
Hot Springs is currently open for public use.
Fields offers some essential traveler’s services
such as food, gas and lodging. From here, you
can loop north on the East Steens Tour Route,
which ends back in Burns.
Distance: 131 miles
Minimum Time: 5-7 hours
Best Time:
Late Spring through the
Fall, year round is OK too.
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Diamond Tour Loop Route |
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Winding through a variety of high desert habitats, the Diamond
Loop Tour Route offers views of the high desert from mountains to the sage
covered hills. The route offers opportunities to view wild life, historic
ranches of the Diamond Valley, the Round Barn, along with the geologic
formations of the Diamond Craters.
Diamond Loop
Map
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Along the Marsh
You’ll begin on the Diamond Loop Tour Route by heading
east on South Diamond Lane, through the southern section of the Malheur
National Wildlife Refuge. An important stopping point along the Pacific
Flyway, the Refuge offers a wonderful opportunity for viewing of a
variety of bird species from waterfowl and shorebirds to hawks and
eagles. Mule deer and antelope also make their home here.
Diamond in the Rough
Diamond is a small ranching community that takes its name
from rancher Mace McCoy’s diamond brand. It was established as a major
supply center for ranchers, sheepherders, and travelers. Today, the
town of Diamond has the
Pete French Round
Barn, the Round Barn Visitor's Center, the recently renovated Hotel Diamond, and a
few residences. East of Diamond, an eleven mile dirt road leads to the Kiger Mustangs Viewing Area. These distinctive wild horses are believed
to closely resemble the horses brought to North America by the Spaniards
in the late 16th century. (Recommended for 4-wheel drive, high clearance
vehicles and dry weather travel only.)
Historic Round Barn
Continuing north, you’ll reach the Peter French Round
Barn, built in the late
1870's or early 1880's by its namesake. The barn is 100 feet in
diameter featuring a 60-foot round stone corral surrounded by a 20-foot
wide outer circle paddock with an umbrella-type center truss and
centrally supported rafters. Its unusual design was perfectly suited
for its purpose: breaking horses during long eastern Oregon winters. A
recently constructed Visitor Center at the site offers exhibits and
souvenirs.
Diamond Craters
Driving west on Lava Beds
Road, you’ll soon come to Diamond Craters
Outstanding Natural Area, home to some of America’s most diverse
basaltic volcanic formations. The craters were formed when molten
basalt spilled from fissures in the earth and flooded in a thin layer
over a dry lake bed. Before the initial layer cooled completely, more
basaltic magma injected underneath, creating six arching structural
domes. A self-guided tour highlights Lava Pit Crater, Graben Dome and
other noteworthy features of the site.
Distance: 69 miles
Minimum Time: 3-5 hours
Best Time: Year round, however April through November
is the best time.
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Steens Loop Tour Route |
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This 59-mile loop departs from
Frenchglen and climbs to the top of Steens
Mountain, which rests in the clouds at nearly
10,000 feet. Along the way, you’ll have ample
opportunities to view wildlife and take in the
grandeur of a national treasure.
Steens Loop
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Remarkable
Rocks
Steens Mountain is an example of
a fault-block mountain, formed when massive
internal pressure forced the east edge upward
along a fault line. From the east rim overlook,
the Steens Mountain drops over a vertical mile
to the Alvord Desert floor. There are five
major glaciated canyons on the Steens. The
Kiger Gorge overlook offers the visitor a
breathtaking opportunity to stand at the
headwall of a classic textbook example of a
massive “U” shaped canyon.
The Dry and
the Moist
Steens Mountain acts as a great
moisture collector, creating vastly different
ecosystems from the valley floor to the mountain
top. While the upper west slope of the mountain
may receive as much as 25” of precipitation, the
Alvord Desert in its shadow receives less than
six inches. Making your way to the summit, take
note of evolving plant life. Sagebrush
dominates in the lower, drier environs, giving
way to dense stands of juniper, then quaking
aspen and mountain mahogany as the moisture
levels increase. Cattlemen, as well as Irish
and Basque sheepherders, were once drawn to the
upper mountain in the summer to graze their
stock on the lush meadows that thrive there.
Abundant
Wildlife
Many animals are drawn to Steens’
unique habitats. Bighorn sheep can sometimes be
spotted negotiating rocky escarpments; pronghorn
antelope, mule deer and elk also call the
mountain home. Raptors, including golden
eagles, the largest raptor on Steens Mountain,
can often be seen riding the updrafts in search
of prey. The end of the tour loop winds through
wild horse country. The South Steens Wild Horse
Herd descended from mustangs that escaped from
early explorers, Indians, settlers, miners, and
ranchers. The herd is managed by the Bureau of
Land Management to preserve their wild,
free-roaming nature. Spotting one of these wild
mustangs is an exclamation point on a remarkable
drive.
Outdoor enthusiasts can seek a
wilderness experience in the backcountry of the
Steens or stay at several campgrounds with
drinking water and vault toilets located along
the loop: Page Springs, Fish Lake, Jackman Park,
and South Steens.
Distance: 59 miles
Minimum Time: 3-5 hours
Best Time: July through
October—the road is closed in the winter months.
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East Steens Tour
Route |
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This 127 mile tour skirts along
the eastern escarpment of Steens Mountain and
the vast expanses of the Alvord Desert,
providing a scenic study in dramatic contrasts.
East Steens
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Setting the
Stage
Like many great plays, the drama
of the East Steens Tour Route builds slowly
toward a stunning conclusion. Heading south out
of Burns on Highway 78, you’ll pass the first of
several hot springs just north of the town of
Crane; Crane offers limited services. A detour
onto Lava Beds Road south of Crane will take you
to the Diamond Lake Tour Loop. Keep heading
southeast on 78 and your perseverance will be
rewarded.
In The Shadow
of Steens Mountain
Near milepost 65, the Tour Route
detours off Highway 78 onto East Steens Road;
it’s a gravel surface, but quite passable for
regular passenger vehicles. The landscape is
arid, but not without life-sustaining water.
After passing the sagebrush-covered Sheepshead
Mountains to the east, you come to a series of
small lakes – Five Cent, Ten Cent, Fifteen Cent
and Juniper Lakes (the lakes can be dry
depending on the year) -- that attract a variety
of animal life. Majestic Steens Mountain also
comes into view. It is the largest fault-block
mountain in the northern Great Basin, rising a
vertical mile from the Alvord Basin to an
elevation of nearly 10,000 feet. Steens
Mountain is a topographical wonder, and presides
over the remainder of the route. Bighorn sheep
can be spotted on the ridges and pronghorn
antelope can be seen adjacent to the road with
binoculars. You’ll next reach Mann Lake, which
is renowned by fly fisherman for its hefty Mann
Lake cutthroat trout.
Desert Hot
Springs, A Treat in Fields
While Steens Mountain looms to
the west, the shimmering salt flats of the
Alvord Desert unfold to the east. The Alvord
Desert playa which can be either wet or dry
depending on the time of year, is one of the
largest playas in Oregon—six miles wide and 11
miles long. The Alvord playa is also a popular
venue for motorcycle and ATV riding, land
sailing, glider flying and camping. Sore
travelers will find sweet solace at Alvord Hot
Springs; a privately owned, no-fee hot spring
that bubbles up at 174 degrees, but cools
considerably by the time it reaches man-made
sitting pools. The Tour Route ends in the small
community of Fields; rumor has it that the café
in Fields serves some of the best hamburgers and
milkshakes in southeastern Oregon.
Distance: 127
Minimum Time: 5-7 hours
Best Time: Spring through
Fall—but is enjoyable year round.
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A Note of
Safety & Courtesy
We hope you enjoy your tour of
the High Desert Discovery Scenic Byway.
Please drive safely—we know you
will be tempted to stop on the roads to view the
sights, but please use pullouts or places that
have enough shoulder room for your vehicle.
Please consider private land
owners in the area and respect their property.
If you think the area might be private
property—think again!
Come back soon to
Harney County!
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