South Steens Campground

We stayed here two nights in our travel trailer, arriving Saturday Oct. 9 and leaving Oct. 11. Campground was half full when we arrived. Paid $3 with America the Beautiful senior pass. Bathrooms were clean and well supplied. Weather was nice on Saturday and Sunday, daytime temp was in the 60s. Cold at night in high 20s. Hiked Big Indian Trail on Sunday. Aspen on Steens Mt. were beautiful with fall colors. Saw one group of four hikers and passed one hunter on trail (deer season was still open). After returning to camp another hunter brought in a deer. Most people left Sunday. Woke up to dusting of snow Monday morning.

We paid $3 with our senior pass. This campground is okay, just a place to sleep after exploring the area. Not much privacy, but the junipers provided some shade as it was still 72 degrees when we pulled in at 1 pm. The campground was full by 6 pm, lots of hunters on this opening weekend of deer season. The sites are mostly unlevel, not very many will accommodate more than a 25-foot trailer I would say. Plenty of sites for rigs like ours, a truck camper, and tents. Each site has a picnic table (metal, very hot in the sun!) and fire pit. One vault toilet was awful, one was okay, lots of flies though. A trail through Big Indian gorge starts from the campground (hikers and horses only). There is one source for potable water. From paved highway 205, the campground is 20 miles in on the Steens mountain loop road, a very good gravel road--not much washboard but lots of dust! Zero cell service.

The big draw of this area for us is the absolutely awesome scenery, enhanced in October by brilliant yellow aspen trees and willow brush. The Steens mountain loop road, a total of 49 miles, has gorgeous views of Big Indian gorge, a parking area right at the summit of Steens mountain, and Kiger gorge, to name just the major viewpoints. We also saw several herds of wild horses, some were even close to the road. We enjoyed being serenaded by several birds including Robins and Townsend's Solitaires. We also love going to the Malheur NWR which is north of Frenchglen, for excellent birding.

Stayed one night doing the Steens Mountain loop. Fresh water at the well house. Clean paved parking area, level site, with fire ring. about three to four forest toilets in regular campground. There is an additional horse campground at this location with corrals. Saw wild Kiger Mustangs just after leaving the area just past the Riddle Ranch. If you stay the night here do visit the Riddle Rach. Nice bit of history for the area.

We were one of only two parties camping here on June 13, 2018. Sites are level, nicely laid out with lots of elbow room. The surrounding trees are trimmed back well so that any size rig would fit and they provided different amounts of exposure to the sun or shade. Plenty of clean, well-located vault toilets. We had pretty decent cell service with our booster.

Each site has a fire ring and aluminum picnic table.

There's also an equestrian campground next door.

We particularly enjoyed riding our mountain bikes to the nearby Riddle Brothers Ranch, a well-preserved historic site operated by the BLM. Such a cool look into the past. If the gate is closed you can still visit it by walking in another mile or so. Highly recommend.

Other highlights of our trip through the Steens: spotted two groups of wild mustangs as we drove out the next morning and driving right by a large group of cowboys who were branding hundreds of calves right by the road.

We can't wait to be back when we have a few more days!