Planning: 6-days SE Oregon

[natjwest]

My wife and 7 y.o. hardened road warrior daughter are heading out to explore SE Oregon, leaving in approximately one month. We will have six days round trip from Portland, so it will have to be something of a whirlwind tour.

A proposed route. Let me know if I'm missing any crucial destinations along the way. Or if there are worse/better roads in that area to get where I want to go.

From Portland, US-26 blast out to John Day via Fossil, then Vale/Ontario, ending up in Leslie Gulch/Succor Creek. Night 1 east of John Day, night 2 Succor or Leslie Gulch.

Continue on Succor Creek Rd to 95 at Malloy Ranch, then over to Jordan Craters and JB Charbonneau's gravesite, then Pillars of Rome.

Next stop is 3-forks Owyhee, but I don't know the best road in and out. Would that be Three Forks Rd on the east side or Skull Creek Rd on the west side? Would the ultimate route be to cross the river there? I doubt it'll be doable for me. Night 3 at Three Forks.

The NYT article has me thinking about going over to Andersons Crossing from there and exploring Louse Canyon for a day hike.

Down to McDermitt to resupply, then across the county line via Whitehorse Ranch Rd, stopping at Willow Creek Hot Springs.

Up to Alvord to camp for night 4 on the playa, possibly Mickey's HS.

Catlow Valley Rd up to the Steens loop rd, maybe drag a sleeping bag up to the top of the hill there for the night.

Frenchglen for a meal or a room, night 5, up through Malheur NWR.

Hwy 205 through Burns, Hwy 20 all the way to I-5 and home.

 

[jw]

Looks to be a good route. we're heading that way soon. i have never been southeast of Burns so i'm excited. Not much on the plate so far, except for the Steens loop and the Alvord. We have 5 days and plan on winging our trip.


- jw

 

[Cort]

If you can work in Whitehorse Ranch Rd I would Highly recommend it. It is very well maintained and has great views of the Steens. Willow Cr Hot Springs is a good stop and if its busy at the springs you can continue down the road a bit to some nice spots on the creek.

Cort

 

[Lighthawk]

NatJ, I'm bookmarking this route. Sounds very cool.
Looking forward to future trip reports, including road-warrior hardened kid action.
Have a great time.

 

[MarkBC]

Is this your first-ever trip to the southeast part of our state?
Sounds like you already know where you want to go...
...but my 2¢ would be to skip the whole Owyhee River system entirely on this first trip. It's a hell of a long way over there, and starting in Portland you're going to spend 2 days of your 6 just getting to/home-from the region.
I guess it's possible to cross the river at 3 Forks...but I don't think it's considered a normal way to do it. I'd never do it, but I'm not that gnarly of a 4x4-er. The vast majority of people reach 3 Forks (by vehicle) via the road that runs down the east side of the river.
If you're set on taking in part of that most-eastern area, I'd suggest you at least skip going into the area described in the NYT article. On the other hand, if you're mostly interested in the Owyhee country over the SE region in general, then have at it!

Alternative/additional destinations (alternative to Owyhee) that I'd suggest is Hart Mountain Antelope Refuge...and spend more time up on Steens Mt.
To get to Hart Mt Refuge, you can take the (dirt) road from the Catlow Valley west across the high empty plains, and that's an interesting route. Its east end (which takes off north of the south Steens loop road) starts as high-speed graded gravel but downgrades a bit when it reaches the Refuge proper. Hart Mt Refuge is a nice place. Stop at the little 24-hr "museum" at the HQ for info, camp at the Hot Springs C.G. (a few miles south of HQ). Beside general exploring/hiking there, check out Petroglyph Lake for -- guess what -- petroglyphs! The road continues west and drops over the huge west-facing scarp, but just before you drop down stop at the official viewpoint and check out the big view across the Warner Valley and beyond. The lakes in Warner Valley are full this year, and it's been years since that's been true. Lots of waterfowl around the lakes, depending on the season...and bighorn sheep live on those west-facing cliffs.

Anyway...that's my input. I'm only de-emphasizing the Owyhee 'cause if you're never been in the region at all there are plenty of mighty-fine places to see/camp that don't require the extra several hours of driving that the Owyhee requires.
BUT -- I bet wherever you go you'll have an interesting time.

 

[MarkBC]

Update/clarification about 3-Forks:
I asked a friend about vehicle ford of the Owyhee at 3-Forks. He's never done it either, but he thinks that some people do cross there (in vehicles) to access "Warm Springs Cyn hot springs". He suggested a call to BLM (Vale District, I think) to inquire about access.
Still, it will be very-much easier/quicker to get to 3-Forks from the east side because the road to get there is a good gravel road (until it drops down off the plateau into the canyon). It's how people get to 3-Forks to put in for the river float of the section upstream of Rome (the expert section

). Rome to the Reservoir is the section that most people float (but much earlier in the season than now).

 

[home skillet]

I am with MarkBC in that if possible work in the Hart Mountain Antelope Refuge. Totally awesome up there and the Hot Springs Campground with the best hot springs I have ever seen is worthy of a night on the trip.

Home Skillet

 

[natjwest]

Huh, now that is an option. It looks like I might be getting more like 9 days in which case I might try to cram it all in. Thanks for the advice guys.