Popular State Guides
|
Free Traveling Guides » States » Oregon » Greater Oregon
Steens Mountain
Steens Mountain is situated in the Harney County in southeastern Oregon. It is managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Burns District, as well as by the private and state landowners. One can reach the panoramic mountain by driving 60 miles (96.5 km) south of Burns on Highway 205 to Frenchglen. At Frenchglen, the Steens Mountain Back Country Byway leads to the top of Steens Mountain.
Steens Mountain is a large, 30 mile (48.2 km) long fault-block mountain that was made about 20 million years ago. It is at an elevation of 4,200 ft (1,280 m) at the Alvord Desert. However, this single mountain rises to 9,733 feet (2,967 m) at its crest. Formerly known as the "Snowy Mountains", Steens Mountain is named after the U.S. Army Major Steens, who had fought Paiute on this mountain.
Major attractions that add to the beauty of the Mountain are the 3 spectacular lakes viz. the Fish Lake, Wildhorse Lake, and the Lily Lake. The Wildhorse Lake is the highest lake in Oregon and is home to several bighorn sheep, mustangs and hummingbirds. Steens Mountain is also home to a wide variety of habitats for plants. Here, factors such as temperature, elevation, soils, precipitation, and wind patterns affect the number, location, and distribution of plants thereby creating striking vegetation zones. These zones include the Arid Sagebrush Zone, Western Juniper Zone, Mountain Mahogany Zone, Mountain Big Sagebrush Zone, Quaking Aspen Zone, Sub alpine Meadow Zone, Sub alpine Grassland Zone, and the Snow Covered Zone. The sub alpine grasslands are located at the highest elevation on the Steens Mountain.
The two major recreational activities offered on Steens Mountain are scenic driving and wilderness area. There are 5 wilderness study areas along the Steens Mountain Loop Road and a National Wildlife refuge in the Diamond Loop. Steens Mountain Loop Road and the Diamond Loop National Back Country Byway offer magnificent views. A scenic drive along these roads is a trip in itself.
The major attraction here is the nationally acclaimed Steens Mountain Running Camp. Since 1975, this cross country training camp is held on the mountain annually. The Steens Mountain has a lot to offer ranging from dramatic vistas and beautiful mountain lakes to unique wild flowers and fascinating volcanic terrains.
- Mailing Address:
Bureau of Land Management,
Burns District Office,
HC 74- 12533 Hwy. 20 West Hines, OR 97738
- Telephone: (541) 573-4400
|
Top 5 National Parks
- Great Smoky Mountains
- Grand Canyon
- Yosemite
- Olympic
- Yellowstone
All 58 national parks. |
