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Website Updates
Western Oregon Plan Decisions Released. Oregon State Office |
Steens MountainWelcome to the Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Area (CMPA) – 428,156 acres of public land offering diverse scenic and recreational experiences. The CMPA encompasses an extraordinary landscape with deep glacier carved gorges, stunning scenery, wilderness, wild rivers, a rich diversity of plant and animal species, and a way of life for all who live there. 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! Welcome to the CMPA and enjoy the many resources and activities awaiting you. Legislation - Cooperation Brings Protection to Steens MountainOn October 30, 2000, the Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Act of 2000 (PDF), providing additional protection to approximately 900,000 acres of Federal land in southeastern Oregon, was signed into law. The Act is a culmination of a cooperative effort between Oregon’s Congressional delegation, Oregon’s Governor, and the Secretary of the Interior to forge legislation that will provide long-term protection to the cultural, economic, ecological, and social health of the Steens Mountain Area. The Act designated the Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Area that will be collaboratively managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and a new Steens Mountain Advisory Council to conserve, protect, and manage the long-term ecological integrity of the Steens Mountain for future and present generations. Within this area, cooperative and innovative management projects will be maintained and enhanced between the BLM, private landowners, tribes, and other public interests. Sustainable grazing and recreational use, including fishing and hunting, will be continued where consistent with the purpose of the Act. A land exchange provision blocks up nearly 100,000 acres of livestock-free wilderness within the designated 175,000-acre Steens Mountain Wilderness. This land, at the top of the Steens Mountain, is the most sensitive to disturbance and will be managed to safeguard the pristine environment. The Act also designates three new Wild and Scenic Rivers --- Wildhorse Creek, Little Wildhorse Creek and Kiger Creek --- and adds two new segments --- Ankle Creek and Mud Creek --- to the existing Donner und Blitzen Wild and Scenic River. Also, the first ever Redband Trout Reserve has been created to improve stream health and fish habitat. Approximately 900,000 acres are designated off limits to mineral and geothermal extraction. Know Before You GoYour safety and enjoyment are important. Please be aware of:
Land Status BoundariesThe Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Area contains a mixture of public and private lands and specially designated areas where particular regulations may apply. Obey road closure signs and stay on designated open routes – driving off road is prohibited. Please respect landowners in the area and always get permission to go onto private property. Contact Burns District BLM for more information. GeologyDuring the Ice Age, glaciers formed in the major stream channels on the mountain. These glaciers dug trenches about one-half mile deep, through layers of hard basalt. The result was four immense U-shaped gorges – Kiger (JPG), Little Blitzen (JPG), Big Indian (JPG), and Wildhorse (JPG). The famous notch in the east ridge of Kiger Gorge formed during a later glaciation when a small glacier in Mann Creek Canyon eroded through the ridge top. Massive internal pressures forced the east edge of the Steens upward. The result was a 30-mile-long fault-block mountain with a spectacular and rugged east face that rises one vertical mile above the Alvord Desert. Steens Mountain is the largest fault-block mountain in the northern Great Basin. Plants and AnimalsAt the base of the mountain, where water is scarce, is a belt of sagebrush. Farther up, increased moisture creates ideal conditions for a dense belt of juniper. As you leave the junipers, you will be surrounded by large expanses of Mountain big sagebrush. Look for stands of quaking aspen and mountain mahogany on drier rocky ridges. Above the juniper and aspen, severe climate and thin soils result in a belt of grasses, low-growing plants, and stunted, wind-formed shrubs. This sub-alpine area is home to hundreds of wildflower species, including the Steens Mountain paintbrush, which exists in no other place in the world. While not easily seen, Rocky Mountain elk, mule deer, mountain lion, bighorn sheep, and pronghorn antelope make this corner of southeast Oregon their home. Migratory birds traveling the Pacific Flyway use Harney County as a rest and refueling stop. Visitors can also spend hours watching the amazing, breathtaking antics of raptors as they soar and dive in the high mountain wind currents. Several different herds of wild horses also exist in the area and livestock may be seen on both public and private land. RecreationOpportunities for recreation on Steens Mountain are as plentiful as they are widespread. Popular activities include camping, picnicking, sightseeing, and exploring the open country on foot and horseback. Hiking is available in all areas and trailheads exist near Page Springs and South Steens Campgrounds, as well as Wildhorse Overlook and Pike Creek. Visitors bike on rugged mountain roads, photograph landscapes, wildlife and wildflowers, and catch redband trout in the Donner und Blitzen River. 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. Cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and limited snowmobiling are winter favorites. Several private outfitters and guides offer opportunities for personalized tours or other activities. Some activities within the CMPA, such as motorized access for winter recreation and organized group functions, may require a special-use permit from BLM.
Directions to Steens MountainFrom Burns, take State Highway 78 southeast for approximately 2 miles. Then turn right onto State Highway 205 and travel south for 60 miles to Frenchglen. Just past Frenchglen, turn left onto the Steens Mountain Loop Road. |
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