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Mission49

Steens Mountain Loop

Steens Mountain Loop near Frenchglen. Drive to the summit and look a mile down onto the Alvord.

Drive the highest road in Oregon, a gravel loop climbing nearly to the top of Steens Mountain. Stop at Kiger Gorge, then walk out to the East Rim overlook, where the mountain drops away about a mile straight down to the Alvord Desert. The photo to get: you at the rim with the desert far below. On the way, everyone keeps a count of wild horses, pronghorn and bighorn sheep.

  • Date or adventure
  • All day
  • Moderate
  • Free
  • Outdoors
  • Summer and fall
  • Daytime

Good with just you, friends, family, and kids

Check before you go: weather and trail conditions, and whether it's open this season

Bring high clearance vehicle

Limited Cell Service: Cell phone reception is unreliable or unavailable in this area. Download offline maps before visiting and do not rely on cellular service for navigation or emergencies.

Steens Mountain Loop Road (north entrance), Frenchglen, Harney County
Google MapsApple MapsWebsite
Kids' version

Mountain drive! Find each thing.

  1. A wild horse or pronghorn
  2. A giant canyon
  3. Snow on the mountain
  4. The desert way down below
  5. A selfie on the edge!

Checked October 2026

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About this place

Steens Mountain rises to about 9,700 feet. It's a giant block of the Earth's crust tilted up along a fault, so the west side climbs slowly while the east side is a sheer wall. Ice Age glaciers carved the huge U-shaped gorges like Kiger Gorge.

Watch for Kiger mustangs, wild horses known for their Spanish-style markings. The loop is about 52 miles, and the upper road only opens in summer and early fall, after the snow melts. Fill up in Burns or Frenchglen, bring plenty of water, and carry a paper map. Down below, the Alvord itself is its own mission: Alvord Desert.

Also in: Free Date Ideas · Kid-Friendly Adventures

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