Way down in the far south east corner of Oregon bordering on Idaho and Nevada is one of the most sparsely populated areas in the U.S. and one of my favorite places to visit. Many trips there over the years and these are some of the many photos taken during those trips.
(Excuse quality on some very old slides)
This year we stayed in the small town of Diamond. Settled in 1874–75, the community got its name from a diamond-shaped branding iron used by a local cattle rancher on the original Diamond Ranch.
Below the view from the farmhouse we stand in surround by chickens, cows and pigs. McCoy Creek is in the distance and it continues up into the Steens Mountains.
Above views up McCoy Creek from the farmhouse
Above The Pete French Round Barn nearby
Above below the view to the Steens Mountain from above Frenchglen
Below views of the Wetlands north of Frenchglen
The Wildlife reserve near Frenchglen
Always the Steens are on the horizon
Below Malheur Lake
Below At the south end of the valley is The Frenchglen Hotel and store
Above The road from Frenchglen across the Nature Reserve toward the mountain.
Below What used to be called Whorehouse Meadows where every year the Basque sheep herders were entertained by female visitors.
The Steens are not really a mountain in the usual sense. They are an uplift rising some 6000 feet from the floor of the Alvord Desert.
Above Looking up Kiger Gorge from above Diamond toward the top.
(photo courtesy wiki)
On the way up one passes Fish Lake and it’s campground set in the Aspens.
Below The road reaches the crest of Steens Mountain over 9000 feet up making it the highest road in Oregon
On the way up one passes gorges that cut down toward Diamond.
Looking down into Kiger Gorge
At the top it drops off 6000 feet to the Alvord Desert below.
Dust storms blow over the Alvord Desert far below.
Below Looking down on Wildhorse Lake
Above photo courtesy wiki commons
Little Indian Gorge
The south end of the loop round returning down more precipitously
Above the view coming down to the Catlow Valley
Campground at Page Springs
