EXPLORE

SE Oregon Desert

Summer Lake and Winter Rim • Abert Lake and Rim • Hart Mountain • Steens Mountain and Alvord Desert • Pueblo, Trout Creek, and Oregon Canyon Mountains • Owyhee River Canyon

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Summer Lake and Winter Rim

Summer Lake From Winter Rim

Blooming Rabbitbrush and Elderberry on Winter Rim add color to the alkalai playa of Summer Lake, with Diablo Mountain on the horizon

Tranquil Refuge

The slanting rays of the evening sun splashed yellow onto the Summer Lake Wildlife Refuge, as an otter enters the scene.

Summer Lake State Wildlife Area

Ana Rising

The rising sun tries to break through a winter storm over Ana River.
Summer Lake National Wildlife Refuge

Sand Canyon Zen

In the howling wind tunnel of the canyon, nature has arranged a sculpture of many textures, ever changing as the sands ripple in the tempest.
Diablo Mountain WSA, Oregon

Alkali Dunes

The white sands invite the explorer forward into the desert.
Diablo Mountain WSA

A Dry Draw

Cat Camp Draw points into the alkali dunes, begging for just a drop of rain from the coming storm.
Diablo Mountain WSA

Rock

Encountering a solitary boulder in the middle of the desert playa is intriguing. How did it get here?
Diablo Mountain WSA

Sandstorm

A raging windstorm whips the Summer Lake playa into a swirling sandstorm.
Diablo Mountain WSA

Abert Lake and Rim

Abert Afternoon

The seldom visited flat top of Abert Rim contrasts with the 2,000' vertical face.
Abert Rim WSA, Oregon

Brine to Brim

As the last light of the day graced the top of Abert Rim, I reflected on my climb to the top just hours before, and the stark contrast to the salty crust on the dry lake bed below.
Abert Rim WSA

Abert Gathering

Bright orange lichen clings to the north face of boulders, huddled together, after they tumbled from the high cliffs of Abert Rim down to Lake Aber, a tiny remnant of the enormous ice age Lake chewacan.
Abert Rim WSA, Oregon

Abert Lake from Juniper Creek

Although snow covers the top of Abert Rim, the lake below is slow to fill, as a sandstorm rages on its shoreline.

Spotlight on the Rim

Passing thunderstorms create a spotlight on the 50 mile long Abert Rim escarpment, the longest such feature in the U.S.

Hart Mountain

Hart Canyon Sunset

Late evening light highlights the enourmous divide of Hart Canyon.
Hart Mountain Antelope Refuge

Hart Afternoon

From a tiny peak overlooking Warner Peak, the highest point on Hart Mountain, the lush meadows of upper DeGarmo Canyon can be observed, the only canyon to slice all the way across the fault block mountain.
Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge

The Boulders Beyond

Beyond the north edge of Hart Mountain lies a remote valley filled with boulders the size of behemoths which have rolled down from the adjacent rim rock cliffs.
Orejana Canyon Wilderness Study Area

Hart Palette

Fall colors creep up the canyons of Hart Mountain.

Rabbit Hills

Beyond Campbell Lake, early spring snow storms cover the Rabbit Hills in the Warner Valley. The howling coyotes confirmed why they are named the Rabbit Hills.

Golden Hart

Fall colors grace Hart Mountain.

Hart Cabin

The abandoned cabin recalls a time gone by.
Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge

Hart Canyon Top

From near the summit of Warner Peak, looking into Hart Canyon reveals the distant Warner Valley.

Cloud Play

Clouds spark the imagination beyond the slopes of Hart Mountain.

Beatty Butte

Beatty's Butte appears on the horizon of the sagebrush sea in Guano Valley.

Hart Canyon Bottom

Hart Canyon carves a mighty cleave into the fault block mountain.
Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge

Afternoon Aspenglow

The young aspens turned to liquid gold in the afternoon sun.
Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge

Steens Mountain and Alvord Desert

Emergence

As the snowmelt water in the remote desert slowly evaporates, the byzantine shapes of the playa emerge. The distant clouds clear after bringing another spring snow storm to soaring Steens Mountain, beginning the cycle again.

Alvord Desert WSA, Oregon

Meadow Music

A profusion of Heather blooms sound the high notes to harmonize with the deep tones of Alvord Peak, in a Steens Mountain symphony.
BLM and Steens Mountain Coop Protective Area

Desert Mirror

A rare combination of pooled water and no wind on the playa reflect with symmetry.
Alvord Desert WSA

Sudden Snowstorm

The unexpected storm seems to blanket the landscape still dressed for fall, while the clearing storm reveals utter silence and solitude.
Little Blitzen Wilderness Study Area

Curling

Wildflowers greet the morning near Devine Rock and Cottonwood Creek, while clouds roll over the High Steens.

Cauldron of Creation

The bowl shaped terrain recalls a primordial beginning.
Steens Mountain Wilderness

Desert Window

From the snowy cliff edge, a hole in the storm cloud briefly reveals the Alvord Desert five thousand vertical feet below.
Steens Mountain Wilderness

A View From The Trail

Walking this section of the Oregon Desert Trail, the views from Steens Mountain to the Alvord Desert will stop hikers in their tracks.

Little Blitzen

Sunset over the Little Blitzen Gorge. I tightly hung on to my camera as strong winds roared over the gorge rim.
Little Blitzen Gorge, Steens Mountain CMA, Oregon

Widlhorse Wonder

Sun and clouds create shifting patterns in the canyon, as Wildhorse Lake beckons the dreamer watching the wilderness unfold. In the valley beyond, Pueblo Mountain hovers on the horizon.

Steens Mountain CMA

Shifting Seasons

Early Winter creeps down to the mouth of Little Indian Gorge, where Fall clings to life.
Steens Mountain Wilderness

Devine Morning

Wildflowers greet the morning near Devine Rock and Cottonwood Creek, while clouds roll over the High Steens.

Big Indian Storm

Storm clouds gather strength over lush Big Indian Gorge on Steens Mountain
Steens Mountain CMA

The Way

The Little Blitzen gorge on Steens Mountain beckons the explorer from the rim. But following the old Nye Trail boot path was a difficult way to reach the valley. Recently volunteers from the Oregon Natural Desert Association made substantial improvements, making it easier to enjoy the views from the trail.

East Steens Sunset

Autumn colors the underbrush of Willow Creek canyon, on the east face of rugged Steens Mountain, the largest fault block mountain in the U.S.

Steens Mountain CMA

Storm Over Alvord

A thunderstorm follows the landscape, as it nears the rustic Alvord Hot Springs.

Alvord Desert, Oregon

Purple Moon

A half hour after sunset, the landscape turned purple as the moon rose over Little Blitzen Gorge.

Snowy Kiger

An early fall snowstorm accentuates the enormous Kiger Gorge.
Steens Mountain Wilderness

Wildhorse Valley

Snow remains on the tall peaks of the High Steens surrounding Wildhorse Canyon.
Steens Mountain Wilderness

Frosty Gorge

The glacier carved gorge of Little Blitzen is frosted by an early season snowfall.
Steens Mountain Wilderness

Enduring Rhythm

As early winter snows grace Big Indian Gorge, the ceaseless cycles of nature keep time.
Steens Mountain Wilderness

Red From Blue

The water in the Alvord Desert is only inches deep, and the entire lake can move back and forth with changes in wind direction, leaving multiple shorelines in a day.
Alvord Desert WSA, Oregon

Pueblo, Trout Creek, and Oregon Canyon Mountains

Pueblo Palette

Skiffs of snow from a surprise April morning snow shower grace the multi-hued lichen on a rocky viewpoint overlooking the Pueblo Mountains. Pueblo Mountain, on the left, the highest point in the range, beckons further exploration.

Pueblo Mountain WSA

The Yellow Wall

Walls painted with bright lichen appear in every shady cove.
Pueblo Mountains WSA

Painted Rock

Like nature’s paintbrush, lichen colors a rock outcrop overlooking the solitude of Center Ridge.
Trout Creek Mountains, Mahogany Ridge Wilderness Study Area

Pueblo Peace

Sun and clouds chase light around the tilted hills of the remote and little seen Pueblo Mountains. Steens Mountain dominates the northern skyline.

Cottonwood Creek, Pueblo Mountains WSA, Oregon

Arizona Creek

Balsamroot flowers cover the hillsides of Arizona Creek.
Pueblo Mountains WSA

The Yellow Peak

Bright yellow colors accent the highest point in the Oregon Canyon Mountains.
Oregon Canyon Mountains WSA

Pueblo Valley

Fall blooms in the main valley, with Ladycomb Peak in the distance.
Pueblo Mountains WSA

Van Horn Basin

Van Horn Basin is in the most remote reaches of the Pueblo Mountains, and feels as wild as it gets.
Pueblo Mountains WSA

Flourish

Wildlife and wildflowers brimming with blossoms fill the lush meadow of a remote ridge top overlooking multiple ridges in the distance.
Trout Creek Mountains, Mahogany Ridge Wilderness Study Area

Owyhee River Canyon

The Canyon Awakens

Dawn’s light fills the gorge and illuminates the rushing Owyhee River, while geese, ducks, and a myriad of busy birds fly up the canyon, greeting the morning with a cacophony of calls echoing endlessly off the cliffs.
Owyhee Canyon WSA and Wild and Scenic River, Oregon

Dawn Over Iron Point

Iron Point, a massive wall of rock, has resisted the river, while the other bank has eroded into a grand basin. Access to this remote spot is one of the most difficult challenges in the region.
Owyhee Canyon WSA and Wild and Scenic River, north of Arock, Oregon

Ancient Carvings

The ancient Owyhee River has gouged and carved its way through solid rock. Iron Point is on the left side of the image.
Owyhee Canyon WSA and Wild and Scenic River, Oregon

Bannock Beauty

The Owyhee uplands erupt in a wildflower frenzy near Bannock Gulch.

Slocum Sculptures

Like a sculpture garden, natural forces acting over eons have carved these masterpieces in stone.

Leslie Gulch - Area of Critical Environmental Concern

Birch Creek

A rugged shoreline matches tumultuous clouds along the Owyhee River.

Owyhee Canyon WSA and Wild and Scenic River, upstream of the old Birch Creek Ranch

Radiance

The last rays of the sun streak through a gap in the rocks to highlight the colors of the BalsamRoot flowers and ancient eroded outcrops.
Leslie Gulch ACEC

Owyhee Moonscape

The summit of Chalk Basin presents an other worldly scene.

Sentinels

Towering sculptures of tuff guard the entrance to their canyon for millions of years.
Leslie Gulch ACEC

Cathedrals of Chalk

Ancient forces have carved the soft soils of Chalk Basin into temples on one side of the river, while lava flows dominate the other.

Owyhee Orange

From the lichen to the Orange Globe Mallow flowers, orange colors are sprinkled along the Owyhee River all the way to Ship’s Point on the far away hillside.
Owyhee Canyon WSA