High Desert Discovery Scenic Byway

The high desert of Harney County is a far cry from the Oregon west of the Cascades. Covered with juniper and sagebrush and dotted with dramatic mountain ranges, this true frontier country is a remnant of the wild west. This byway offers broad panoramas of wide-open spaces seldom encountered today. As a modern day cowboy or pioneer exploring this frontier, plan accordingly as basic services are few and far between.

• Distance:  127 miles.
• Starting Point:  Burns

• Minimum Driving Time:  5-7 hours (Facilities are available at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Round Barn Visitor's Center).
• Best Time to Drive:  Late spring through the fall; passable year round.

1. Burns to the Refuge

Wright's Point, near Burns, provides stunning views of the Blue Mountains to the north and Steens Mountain to the south. Mud Lake and Harney Lake offer pleasant vistas to the west, and Malheur Lake and the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge present a veritable oasis to the east. A variety of birds can be found in this area, including northern pintails, tundra swans, sandhill cranes, white-fronted geese, waterfowl, shorebirds, and songbirds. Activity among these birds increases in the fall as migration begins. One of the Refuge's greatest attractions occurs when greater sandhill cranes "stage", or gather, in the southern Blitzen valley. Bald eagles and rough-legged hawks can also be seen at the Refuge.

2. On to Frenchglen

Frenchglen provides services for Steens Mountain visitors and is the point of departure for Steens Loop Tour Route. The Donner and Blitzen Rivers offer excellent angling for redband trout, a species of rainbow trout indigenous to the high desert region. Other outdoor activities include hiking, horseback riding, camping, birding, and winter recreation. The historic Frenchglen hotel, built in the mid-1920s and remodeled in 1938, is still open for lodging.

3. Catlow Rim to Fields

The Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge has 275,000 acres of high-desert habitat, set aside in 1936 to provide spring, summer and fall range for the region's pronghorn antelope herds. The ranching community of Fields is an excellent staging area for outdoor adventures in the nearby Trout Creek and Pueblo Mountains. The privately-owned Alvord hot springs are also nearby, and open for public use.