Frenchglen and Steens Mountain in SE Oregon, 2021

For the second year in a row, we headed to SE Oregon the week after the Steens Mountain Loop Road opened, this time with Mike's sister Marla and her husband Mark. 

Last year we camped at Page Springs Campground which is beautiful but can't be reserved in advance and doesn't offer electricity, both deal breakers this year with 'the heat dome'. We stayed at Steens Mountain Wilderness Resort (aka the local RV park) and were grateful for side-by-side sites and the blessed air conditioning in our little trailers; ours is an inTech Sol Horizon and theirs is an R-Pod about the same size.

Fellow campers

We got a relatively early start our first full day and headed about 20 miles by road to the trail head for the Big Indian Gorge hike. The full out and back hike is nearly 17 miles to the head wall and back and includes 3 river crossings each way and a variety of landscapes. We hiked in 3-4 miles, about 15 minutes past the last river crossing before heading back so we could get a peak around the bend up the gorge; it was over a 100° by then and we took every chance to cool off in the water. 

The next day we headed back in the same direction to drive the full Steens Mountain Loop Road, a 50+ mile loop that reaches an elevation of 9,700 feet making it the highest road in Oregon. A BIG highlight last year was seeing dozens of wild horses, including a leisurely breakfast on our tailgate while we watched stallion challenges, babies nursing, and yearlings playing in the water. The horses were farther away and in smaller groups this year, but still a highlight.

We stopped at the historic Riddle Brothers Ranch and many of the viewpoints along the loop.

Big Indian Gorge from the opposite (head wall) end

We hiked the rim trail above Wild Horse Lake which includes a saddle looking down both sides - thrilling views despite some haze from wildfires. 

Kiger Gorge

We saw hundreds of mating pairs of grasshoppers leaping awkwardly around the rocks and wild flowers.

Food is always a highlight - breakfast bowl

Venison stir fry

Grilled asparagus cheese sandwiches with barbecued tuna chicken 

French toast with ham, yogurt, and blueberries

Life is good. Happy trails!

White River Falls & Shorttail Farm Harvest Host Stay

Mike and I had a quick one night getaway about an hour south of our house in north central Oregon. We hiked down the White River from the falls and had a picnic lunch in the Maupin City Park.

Tuna/lettuce/tomato sandwiches on toasted homemade bread with chips and veggies with fresh salsa and homemade hummus.

We overnighted at Shorttail Farm, our first Harvest Hosts stay. Harvest Hosts is an inexpensive membership program that invites self-contained RVers (ones that have plumbing) to have unique overnight stays at more than 2000 wineries, breweries, and farms.

Host Andrew and a slew of farm dogs

Mt. Hood

Mike and Maple with the original farmhouse in the background

Lots of critters, but especially Jacob sheep.

The neighbor's yaks.

It was windy, so we cooked inside instead of using the outside kitchen - homemade tortillas and refried beans and fixings.

Babies playing in the old farmhouse at sunset

We went for a morning walk before heading home. Happy trails!