Steens Mountain Wilderness
Located in Oregon’s high desert, Steens Mountain Wilderness is one of the crown jewels of the state's wildlands. Rising from 4,200 feet to 9,773 feet on Steens Mountain, it is some of the wildest and most remote land left in Oregon with 68.2 miles of trail. You will find this area covered with sagebrush, juniper, various species of bunchgrass, mountain mahogany, aspen, mountain meadow knotweed, and false hellebore. Common wildlife includes bighorn sheep, Rocky Mountain elk, pronghorn, coyote, sage grouse, and the Great Basin redband trout. The Wilderness receives approximately 12 inches of rainfall each year, at lower elevations. Summer temperatures at higher elevations are generally moderate.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | Bureau of Land Management |
| State | Oregon |
| Size | 170,202 acres |
| Designated | 2000, by Congress |
| Center point | 42.60° N, 118.70° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 19) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
None of the 3 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 2.7 miFrenchglen Hotel ↗Frenchglen, OR
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Oregon
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Steens Mountain Wilderness?
170,202 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Steens Mountain Wilderness?
The Bureau of Land Management.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Steens Mountain Wilderness in?
Oregon.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Steens Mountain Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 2000.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Steens Mountain Wilderness?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Steens Mountain Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 42.602° N, 118.698° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Are there historic places near Steens Mountain Wilderness?
The National Register has 1 listing within 15 miles, including Frenchglen Hotel.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.