Northwest Wildflowers: Steens Mountain, Oregon

Wildflower Destinations > Southeastern Oregon

Steens Mountain

Harney County, Oregon

Bureau of Land Management

Fees: none

Activity: drive + hiking

Elevation: 4193'-9733'

Current status (as of 6/3/23): not blooming

Peak wildflower bloom on Steens Mountain is typically from early July through the end of August, but there may be some flowers blooming from mid-June until mid-September.* (In 2023, things are running a little later than usual.)

Typical year:

Notes

The entire Steens Mountain Loop Road (50+ miles) is full of roadside wildflowers that climb with elevation from May until September, although the highest parts of the loop don't open until June or early July. If you're looking for a relatively short hike to see even more flowers in peak season (July/August), you can't go wrong with Wildhorse Lake, which starts at 9500' and descends to 8430'.

Web links:

OregonHikers Field Guide

Photo albums: 2019, 2022

Wildflowers in this area:

WildflowerSearch.org

iNaturalist observations

Consortium of PNW Herbaria

Featured plants: Castilleja pilosa var. steenensis, Cirsium eatonii var. peckii, Potentilla versicolor

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* The dates given on this Web site for each location's blooming season are only estimates and can vary from year to year. Weather conditions in the winter and spring can shift these dates by up to a month, especially in the mountains. For the latest updates, check the Oregon Wildflowers or PortlandHikers Facebook groups, or browse the most recent postings to iNaturalist or Instagram.