| 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 9/27/23): not blooming
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'.
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.*
Typical year: 
Featured plants: Castilleja pilosa var. steenensis, Cirsium eatonii var. peckii, Potentilla versicolor
[open map & profile in a new window]
* 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.
