Steens Mountain Trip July 2021

[hawk5000]

Hello all, I am going to be in the Steens Mountain area next week and I am looking for suggestions on places to check out, good places to camp, hot springs, and such.

This will be an area I hit on a multi-state road trip.

 

[dboy]

Just got back from a 3 day trip to that area. Not much BLM land for overland camping once you get further on the mountain loop but I did find this awesome spot with a view at Lily Lake primitive camping.
Location here - 42.74250, -118.66514

Also check out the Alvord Desert. Camp in the very middle if it isn't windy to get away from the bugs on the edges. Just make sure you make it to the Fields Station before 5:00pm if you need fuel so you don't have to go to Nevada to fuel up. Ask me how I know!

 

[David C Gibbs]

Great State Campgrounds, the Loop Road is all day commit, and the grade on the South decline, will make your Brakes HOT! I warped the front disc's on the LandCruiser. Kiger Gorge is worth the trip, especially if you Spot wild horse's. Wild Flowers have probably wrong bye-bye, but be on look-out for a Hummingbird, found no-where else, except on that range. It's the smallest Mtn. Range in the US, and at the time that scarf rose, the earth was going through a magnetic pole flip. There is a rock face that is + at the Top, Negative in the Middle, and + at the Bottom. Cool stuff.
David

 

[hawk5000]

Thanks for the info. I am going to be out on the road for a bit so if anyone has any other suggestions of places to check out in eastern Oregon, Idaho, Montana let me know

 

[DHey]

Thinking of heading to Alvord Desert this weekend (Sept 3-6). I'm sure it's still dry, but how about smoke? Anything else recent that I should know about? Should be good weather, crossing fingers!

 

[Luinil Explorations]

The short answer is yes there will be smoke.

The long answer is that you can see the current fires and smoke data at AirNow. Select Maps & Data and then Fire & Smoke Map. Select the Magnifying Glass and type in Fields Oregon. The bottom right hand corner of the map shows the last date and time the map was updated.