Steens Mountain gorges loop

If you rotate the world 90° clockwise, then our route is shaped like a sitting cat!

  • Date:
    2015/10/02 to 2015/10/03
    Car-to-car:
    2 days
    Round-trip distance:
    29 miles
    Elevation gain:
    6,000 feet
    Trip type:
    backpack/scramble
    USGS quad:
    Wildhorse Lake

    • Day 1

  • We started at the trailhead at the South Steens Campground.
    We started at the trailhead at the South Steens Campground.
  • Big Indian Gorge
    Big Indian Gorge
  • Aspen!
    Aspen!
  • Big Indian Creek
    Big Indian Creek
  • Big Indian Creek
    Big Indian Creek
  • Climbing out of Big Indian Canyon
    Climbing out of Big Indian Canyon
  • Looking back down into Big Indian Canyon
    Looking back down into Big Indian Canyon
  • Little Wildhorse Lake
    Little Wildhorse Lake
  • Looking south down Little Wildhorse Creek.
    Looking south down Little Wildhorse Creek.
  • Our camp at Little Wildhorse Lake. As we learned later, we were not supposed to camp here.
    Our camp at Little Wildhorse Lake. As we learned later, we were not supposed to camp here.

    • Day 2

  • Little Wildhorse Canyon
    Little Wildhorse Canyon
  • Big Indian Gorge
    Big Indian Gorge
  • Little Wildhorse Lake
    Little Wildhorse Lake
  • Wildhorse Lake
    Wildhorse Lake
  • Wildhorse Lake
    Wildhorse Lake
  • Oops! I researched camping at Little Wildhorse Lake before this trip and did not find anything about camping not being allowed.
    Oops! I researched camping at Little Wildhorse Lake before this trip and did not find anything about camping not being allowed.
  • The summit of Steens Mountain.
    The summit of Steens Mountain.
  • Wildhorse Canyon from the summit of Steens Mountain
    Wildhorse Canyon from the summit of Steens Mountain
  • That's what we came up.
    That's what we came up.
  • That's where we are going down.
    That's where we are going down.
  • Kiger Gorge
    Kiger Gorge
  • Steens Mountain from the ridge on the SE side of Kiger Gorge.
    Steens Mountain from the ridge on the SE side of Kiger Gorge.
  • Kiger Gorge from point 9,213.
    Kiger Gorge from point 9,213.
  • Kiger Gorge
    Kiger Gorge
  • Kiger Gorge
    Kiger Gorge
  • Hiking along the north side of Little Blitzen Gorge.
    Hiking along the north side of Little Blitzen Gorge.
  • Little Blitzen Gorge.
    Little Blitzen Gorge.
  • Hiking down a boot path into Little Blitzen Gorge.
    Hiking down a boot path into Little Blitzen Gorge.
  • Little Blitzen Gorge.
    Little Blitzen Gorge.
  • Little Blitzen Gorge.
    Little Blitzen Gorge.
  • Late season Indian Paintbrush
    Late season Indian Paintbrush
  • Evening light on Little Blitzen River.
    Evening light on Little Blitzen River.
  • We didn't find any nice campsites in Little Blitzen Gorge and ended up just walking back to the car instead of camping out a second night.
    We didn't find any nice campsites in Little Blitzen Gorge and ended up just walking back to the car instead of camping out a second night.
    • Copyright © 2024 Gabriel Deal.