The Oregon Outback: Southeast Oregon Road Trip
Quick Reference
Reason to go: desert views, charming western towns, hot springs, dirt road driving, wildlife, birding
Where we stayed: Summer Lake Hot Springs, Crystal Crane Hot Springs, The Oxford Hotel
Map: We google mapped our way around eastern Oregon.
Time to Visit & Weather: Late spring and autumn. Temps rise to uncomfortable levels in the summer and some roads are impassable in winter. We went in early September. Day temps were in the high 70s F and night temps got down to low 40s F. Skies were clear and sunny. Check weather here and here by searching Burns, OR.
Emergency #'s & Land Managers: We passed through the following wilderness areas- Steens Mountain Wilderness (BLM), Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (US Fish & Wildlife), Fremont National Forest (US Forest Service), Klamath Marsh National Wildlife Refuge (US Fish & Wildlife). You could arrange your trip to include the following- Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge (US Fish & Wildlife), Crater Lake National Park (US National Park Service).
Cell Service (AT&T): I lacked cell service near Lake Abert and from Crystal Crane Hot Springs through the Steens Mountain Wilderness Loop.
Vehicle Needs: High clearance, all wheel drive recommended. In dry, warm weather you can get away with a sedan.
Activities: Drive the Steens Mountain Wilderness Loop, visit the Steens Mountain Brewery, stroll around Burns, stop in at the historic French Glen Hotel, visit the Pete French Round Barn Historic Heritage Site, and of course visit all the hot springs you can find.
Equipment list: In addition to my standard packing list for any car camping trip, bring
- extra drinking water (1 gallon/person/day)
- extra gasoline
- pool floats
Things to avoid: desert critters like rattlesnakes, scorpions (keep footwear in the tent at night and shake out in the morning), cows in the road on the Steens Mountain Loop.
Ever since we honeymooned in Iceland I've been obsessed with hot springs. I mean, who isn't? When I found out about the geothermal activity right in my backyard, eastern Oregon became a priority on my PNW travel bucket list. We decided to head that way for Labor Day Weekend 2017 and so my planning began.
There are a ton of similarities between Eastern Oregon and Iceland- geothermal activity, natural hot springs, endless roads and stunning scenery. The big difference between Iceland and Eastern Oregon is that there are a million blogs, books, and other resources to help one out with planning an Icelandic experience. It's actually challenging to figure out what resources to use and which to skip. I found the opposite to be true while hitting the internet for info on Eastern OR. During my search I found TWO helpful blog posts (blog 1 and blog 2) and ONE book on this region on the state. And of course Outdoor Project remained a reliable source for information. The mystery surrounding this special place made me more excited to explore and start this trip.
Trip Itinerary
Day 1 - Friday. Grants Pass, OR to Summer Lake Hot Springs.
We left work on Friday afternoon and directly hopped on the road, headed east. We only made one stop along the way to admire the clear sky and setting sun east of Klamath Falls (we were escaping the smoke-filled valley where we live from late summer wildfires). We found our way to the resort and our campsite after dark with the help of a lit up billboard from route 31. A friendly staff member welcomed us and directed us to camping in a field beyond the rental cabins. Guests are not issued a specific campsite, rather guests are pointed towards a large field and any spot that isn't taken is yours! There was plenty of room for us on a Friday night so we set up camp and headed to the bath house for a soak. The resort has one large pool inside the bathhouse with dressing rooms and several showers- the bath house was lit up with red string lights inside giving it a festive-fun vibe. There are also four outdoor tubs but they were occupied when we arrived so we hung out inside.
It's worth noting that Summer Lake Hot Springs has a clothing-optional policy, but when we were there everyone was wearing swimsuits. It's also customary (and sanitary) to wash before entering the pool or the tubs.
- Drive time: 4 hours
- Mileage: 220 mi
Day 2 - Saturday. Summer Lake Hot Springs to Crystal Crane Hot Springs.
We started our morning with breakfast and coffee in camp and an amazing soak in the outdoor tubs at Summer Lake Hot Springs. The tubs were HOT- probably around 104 degrees F. As we soaked we were finally able to take in the scenery of the place as the the sun rose. The resort has another barn on the property with string lights, cushy seating, and a stage. There's an outdoor vendor area with a cafe (none of the kiosks were open when we were there) and a fire pit surrounded by benches. The rental cabins are currently being re-done and there's ample RV parking. The main building which holds the check-in area has jewelry made by local artisans for sale and lots of crystals, stones, and dreamcatchers. It's a total trip. The whole place, while shabby and a little haphazard, is awesome. I already want to go back when it's a little colder and the hot spring will feel that much more relaxing. I'll make a point to pack my ukulele next time, too, so I can join in with the music making happening in camp. Don't go expecting Iceland's Blue Lagoon and you'll be set up to fully enjoy Summer Lake's unique flavor.
We packed up and took off on our biggest day of the trip. We drove through some teeny tiny towns (at one point I was really excited to stop in Wagontire, OR after stumbling across this NYT article from 1993 but we ended up driving past it- we missed it completely), through sandy deserts, rugged brown and golden hills, past Lake Abert and eventually into Burns, OR. We grabbed coffee at Bella Java and hunted down the Steens Mountain Brewery, a self-appointed "nano-brewery." It was the cutest brewery ever and totally worth a visit. One of my favorite beers was the Stargazer Pale Ale, named for the 2017 full eclipse. A super friendly cat lives near by and came over for a pat while we were hanging out in the hop garden. Any place that's cat-approved is good enough for me.
After exploring Burns and checking out some local shops, we headed towards Crystal Crane Hot Springs. 40 min later we pulled into the parking lot but it was only 2pm and way too warm outside to soak, so we started up the engine and headed towards Frenchglen, OR and the Steens Mountain Wilderness Loop. We thought we'd skip Crystal Crane and find some camping on the Loop, instead. Key stops along the road include:
- Pete French Round Barn
- Any cool volcanic formation you see along the way (there are a ton)
- French Glen's historic hotel
The Steens Mountain Wilderness Loop is a dirt road that begins and ends near Frenchglen, OR. It's a 59 mile loop and takes about 4 hours to complete. We encountered cows in the road, tight bends in the road, a crazy-amazing views. From Frenchglen you slowly ascend to a whopping 10,000 feet. As you near the summit of Steens Mountain and views become visible, you realize that on the other side of your approach is a mile-long drop straight down to the Alvord desert. Looking out over the white desert, I felt like I was on top of the world. Now for the camping on the Loop- we couldn't find an available site! It was Labor Day weekend, so it totally makes sense, but it feels so remote that we could hardly believe that every spot was taken. We finished the loop as the sun set and decided to head back to Crystal Crane as we had already paid for a spot there that night. We arrived in the dark, officially checked in, and soaked in the hot spring under the stars. It was beautiful, peaceful, and the chillest possible way to end our day.
Side note about Crystal Crane Hot Springs: we had originally booked a teepee for our lodging with its own private soaking tub, but they had experienced a windstorm a few days before our trip and the structure was destroyed. We ended up camping instead, which worked out just fine... but I think the teepee would added to our experience.
- Drive time: 7.5 hours
- Mileage: 520.5
Day 3 - Sunday. Crystal Crane Hot Springs to Bend, OR (The Oxford Hotel).
We had originally planned to head to the Alvord Desert on Sunday to camp and hang out in the Alvord Hot Springs. Long story short, we ended up being first responders to an emergency situation at Crystal Crane around 2am and were up the rest of the night and into the morning. We were physically and emotionally exhausted so we made the tough decision to forgo the desert and head into town for showers and comfort food.
Comfort we found in the form of the Deschutes Public House and randomly bumping into a good friend at dinner. The public house was bumpin' and my hummus plate (even though it sounds boring) was delicious. The Oxford was also a total treat- we soaked in their hot tub and relaxed in the comfiest bed ever while watching cable TV (which we don't have at home). The hotel was in close proximity to all of the cute shops and cafes in downtown Bend and the staff were incredible. The highlight? Bonta Natural Artisan Gelato. It was right next door to The Oxford and it was everything and more- they even had gluten free waffle cones. Bend is always amazing. We'll definitely be back this winter for snowy activities.
- Drive time: 2.5 hours
- Mileage: 158 mi
Day 4 - Monday. Bend to Grants Pass.
This day was totally uneventful and straightforward- we headed home to prep for the week. The most exciting part was stopping at The Dough Nut on the way out of Bend where an elated Kevin got a gluten free donut. We also stopped at the Rogue River Natural Bridge near Prospect, OR to stretch our legs.
Such a great trip! One thing I know is that the hours spent in the car were worth it, and that I need to get back out to eastern Oregon soon to explore the Ohwyee Canyonlands and the Alvord Desert. Oh also- we never ended up needed an extra gas can. We were able to plan ahead and prepare in order to not run out of gas, but I'd recommend bringing some anyway.
- Drive time: 3.5 hours
- Mileage: 190 mi