Hart Mountain Area Hikes
The Hart
Mountain area offers some of the most appealing day hikes
in Southeast Oregon. Though tucked away at the end of a
paved highway in the remote high desert east of Lakeview,
its rims and canyons are accessible from good roads leading
to the Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge. The refuge
attracts many summer visitors, but there are still
less-traveled day hikes to be found in the area, off the
beaten path. Supplies (gas, groceries, etc.) are available
in the nearby town of Plush, OR.
Hart Mountain
itself is a massive, uplifted, north-south fault block that
rises 3,000 feet above the floor of the Warner Valley in a
series of steep cliffs, rugged slopes and basalt rims. This
uplifted mountain range catches nearly 30 inches of
rainfall per year, creating streams that flow westward
through steep gorges into Warner Valley and also Guano
Creek, which flows more gradually eastward through long
rolling hills into Guano Valley and Shirk Lake. This
diverse combination of high basalt rims, deep stream
canyons and desert wetlands occurs in a relatively small
geographic area, giving it a compact, almost intimate feel.
Download
(PDF, 523 KB): Location Map of Hart Mountain Area
Hikes
Download
(PDF, 539 KB): Photos of Hart Mountain
Area
Most visitors to the area stay at the Hot Springs
Campground on the refuge, using this as a base for the
2.5-mile walk up Rock Creek into the Barnhardi Basin or, if
more ambitious, hiking 3 miles further to the 8,000’ summit
of Warner Peak. Though this is a nice area to visit, those
seeking solitude and a more remote wilderness experience
will find plenty of alternatives nearby.
The open terrain of the Hart Mountain area and its dramatic
rims and canyons provide many options for cross-country
rambles.
The most
accessible canyon on the west slope of Hart Mountain is
DeGarmo Canyon, which descends 2,500’ from the high rim
down to the Warner Valley. Most visitors only hike the
first 0.7 miles to a waterfall and leave the rugged upper
canyon unexplored. On the west side of the Warner Valley is
an easy day hike along Lynch’s Rim, with spectacular views
of the Warner lakes and wetlands 2,000’ below. Up on the
refuge, besides the ubiquitous pronghorn antelope, bighorn
sheep sightings are a possibility on day hikes along Poker
Jim Ridge and up Willow Creek to the high plateau of Hart
Mountain.
> Lynch’s Rim
Hike
> DeGarmo Canyon
Hike
> Poker Jim Ridge
Hike
> Willow Creek
Hike
For truly
adventurous travelers, the trip to remote Guano Valley,
southeast of the refuge, can be worth the extra effort.
It’s a slow, 12-mile drive over a rutted dirt road and
there are no camping facilities here, but one is rewarded
with wilderness solitude, the historical buildings of the
abandoned Shirk Ranch, waterfowl and shorebirds at Shirk
Lake, plus a wonderful day hike up Guano Creek.
> Shirk Lake
Hike
> Guano Creek
Hike
Clickable
map of Hart Mountain area hikes:
Page last updated:
1/15/13
