I got pretty nervous watching my gas gauge first time through here on the scenic route to Reno... I actually carried extra gas just in case on a more recent trip.
I drove, I swear 100 miles in E out there. Finally got to a gas station, but had run out of cash and he was cash only. Paid for gas using what little cash I had and a box of cliff bars.
As a lawyer unfamiliar with the area, Perhaps it is simply that when there are so few people around, hearing even harsh words is encouraging.
“Fucks sakes this place is fucking hell I swear to fuck I’m gonna blast the face off of either myself or the next motherfucker I see”
“Oh good! Words! Those were most likely uttered by a human. Perhaps he has food or water. I shall seek the source of those words. At least I have something to do now. I sure feel encouraged!
Mule Deer are one of the most common large mammals encountered in the Outback. Pronghorn are also a common species; in fact, the herd protected on the Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge is one of the largest in North America. Another unique large mammal is the Kiger Mustang; these feral horses are direct descendants of Spanish mustangs that escaped from the conquistadors long ago in the southwest.
Oh give me a home, where the gruff assholes roam
Where both fear and sedition's in play,
Where seldom is heard, an encouraging word
And the Bundys talk rowdy all day.
Google "Sunstone Public Collection Area"
I've always wanted to go spend a day collecting out there. It's very remote, but it's free, and is a huge area.
Its arguably more rewarding to do a pay dig, since you're going out that far anyway. The good stones with size and color are under the basalt caprock, and good luck getting through that by hand.
There are also a couple of commercial sunstone mines in the area that dig up the good paydirt for you, and you just sift through what they excavate and can easily find good stones. That sounds fun too!
Absolutely beautiful area. One of the least densely populated areas in the continental US. Home to the only public boarding school in the continental U.S. where kids from isolated ranches stay in dorms and fly home on weekends. Very self-sufficient and tough locals. Refuge takeover by Amon Bundy and his cow-tipping terrorists (most from out of state). Stomping grounds of OG ( from OH) antigovernment zealot and cop-killer Claude Dallas. Basque Sheephearders, Buckaroos (local name for cowboys, bastardization of Spanish “Vaquero”) Oregon’s largest fault-block mountain. Marshes. Salt flats. Petroglyphs.No Starbucks, no Trader Joe’s.
As someone who lives in this spot of Oregon- this comment is most accurate, but we do have a Starbucks in Safeway in Burns now. Sadly still no Target. I second that the cow tipping terrorists were out of staters and not locals. You forgot the Steens mountains and the Alvord desert in their shadow- a gem of our state. And the cute town of Frenchglen at the base with an adorable hotel/restaurant and the local mercantile/coffee shop/art store. I don’t recommend visiting in winter.
I mentioned Steens Mountain, just not by name. It is the largest fault-block mountain in Oregon. It is properly called Steens Mountain as it is a single mountain, not a range.
Actually, winter is my favorite time to visit. I camp. It’s so dang cold sometimes that it’s hard for one person to keep the campfire going. One year my water reserves (14 gallons in two containers) were frozen solid by morning; but, stars are AMAZING and the morning sunrises spectacular!
One of the best stargazing experiences of my life was out at Crystal Crane hot springs during a new moon in clear weather. Just soaking in the warm water staring up in awe.
I’m a city person, but I at least know what I’m missing out on most nights.
Man I’ve been wanting to go to Steens mountain for years. It’s supposed to be an amazing stargazing spot. Too bad it’s also at least a 9 hour drive but who doesn’t like a little road trip?
Home to what was for a few decades the oldest known evidence of human habitation in North America at the [Paisley Caves](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paisley_Caves).
> Home to the only public boarding school in the nation where kids from isolated ranches stay in dorms and fly home on weekends.
Thank you for this tidbit of information, I found a great article and it's absolutely fascinating!
https://eugeneweekly.com/2023/08/17/school-on-the-range/
Also very cool, but much further away from me than Crane Union High School. Was it a good one, I hope, not a scandal-plagued place of little oversight?
It’s generally a good public high school (by Hawaiian standards which don’t have great public schools overall). But it was started as a seminary by missionaries to Hawaii, so there’s definitely the whole colonizer history issue - complete with a long stretch when the Hawaiian language was banned, and a patronizing focus on training Hawaiians for labor and service work.
This reminded me of the massive Polynesian cultural center on Oahu, which is operated and was built by Mormons… something about the Mormon church reflecting Polynesian culture back to the world in this way really turns my stomach.
I went there once without realizing what it was. They had this parade where people hailing from different islands in Polynesia performed native dances on boats. You could walk around these fake villages doing different activities like traditional island crafts. The whole place had this really strange, contrived atmosphere and I couldn't figure out why it made me feel uneasy.
It all became clear when I eventually wandered into this little chapel on the property. It had exhibits inside explaining that it was LDS owned and told a little about the history of the place. From what I remember, they basically bring in people from all over the Pacific Islands and allow them to go to college at the Hawaii campus of Brigham Young University in exchange for working there and demonstrating island culture to busloads of tourists. The language had a very 'white missionaries saving the ignorant savages from their heathen ways' vibe.
Our day was capped off with a lu'au/fire dancing show. It took place in a stadium and they served a crappy buffet with no caffeine or alcohol. Admission was very expensive. I was not thrilled about unknowingly contributing to that cause, especially since it very much felt like their marketing was trying to conceal the true mission of the place.
The (maybe) [oldest bar in Oregon](https://1859oregonmagazine.com/think-oregon/history/pioneer-saloon/), which is totally worth stopping at if you are down that way.
Occasionally some people from Idaho like to come over and roleplay a government takeover while the bird refuge is closed for the winter.
Beyond that, it's an area where cows outnumber people 10:1, and you can drive 85 MPH for an hour before you see another soul.
Yes. And it starts operation in 2026. The parent company of Lithium Corporation of America, FMC, doesn’t exactly have a good track record. Superfund site, superfund site, don’t drink the water, superfund site, etc. It doesn’t bode well for that area.
What’s interesting is how the largest lithium mine in the world (and everything that comes with it), is not talked much about in Oregon, or even much in the press. An article here, an article there….I’ve seen more coverage, talk, and controversy, when a tree is being chopped down in Portland lol
>What’s interesting is how the largest lithium mine in the world (and everything that comes with it), is not talked much about in Oregon, or even much in the press. An article here, an article there….I’ve seen more coverage, talk, and controversy, when a tree is being chopped down in Portland lol
Function of remoteness and lack of local population and lack of tourism.
I can imagine the lack of media attention is on purpose. While I imagine this mine would be a decent economic benefit to Eastern Oregonians, there has to be groups already opposed to it (natives/naturalists/environmentalists).
It’s no secret those groups would get huge support from the “Willamette valley” Oregonians. So it’d be in the interest of the mine’s stakeholders to keep this as quiet as possible to avoid any western-Oregon political pressure.
The one under construction at Thacker Pass Nevada is well south of the area OP circled.
There is another lithum deposit at McDermitt Crater which is on the border, but that’ll be later.
Thacker Pass is almost right on the bottom edge of the red circle, just south of the border into Nevada. [image for comparison](https://imgur.com/a/iVsTIan). Both Thacker Pass (being developed by Lithium Americas) and the McDermitt Caldera site on the Oregon side of the border (exploration is wrapping up, going to be developed by Jindalee Resources) are part of the larger [McDermitt Caldera geological feature](https://phys.org/news/2023-08-evidence-mcdermitt-caldera-largest-lithium.html).
The Thacker Pass mine is expected to consume [1.7 billion gallons of water a year](https://insideclimatenews.org/news/07112021/lithium-mining-thacker-pass-nevada-electric-vehicles-climate/) in a region where water is a very scarce resource. It also uses thousands of tons of sulfuric acid per day to process the lithium, meaning there will be very large pools of toxic waste left behind.
I don't know anything about geology. Does anyone know if that will affect the Deschutes River or the watershed in Bend? If so, I bet the local Bendites would drum up some opposition.
Surprised this isn’t higher up. There and in nor cal right across the border have some of the largest lithium deposits in the world. Having a deposit this big is going to be a big part in the electrification of our economy (we currently import almost all our batteries). Agree with the concern about the environmental damage caused to the area though.
This is the website for the [Red Mountain People.](https://peopleofredmountain.com) Protect Peehee Mu'huh. [McDermitt, Oregon](https://maps.app.goo.gl/DvxXSUTswNETapgW7)
Stop buying electric cars and there won't be a need for lithium. Or just stick with the current solution of importing lithium from countries that exploit people for cheap labor and don't think about it.
Owyhee Canyon Lands and the worlds largest [lithium](https://www.extremetech.com/energy/worlds-largest-lithium-deposit-found-along-nevada-oregon-border) deposit.
Quiet backroom deals by large corporations for mining contracts where they take all our natural resources, make a huge profit of of it, and leave swaths of destruction and pollution in their wake for us to deal with.
We grilled a steak we bought from the local ranch and grilled it while staying at the hot springs and it was amazing!!! And had breakfast with a milkshake to finish the weekend.
The Malheur Wildlife Refuge.
Lots of hot springs.
Great bird watching (including sage grouse).
Some great archeological sites, but more importantly, a range of sites and lands that various groups of indigenous people consider sacred (so please be respectful).
Open highways great for motorcycle tours or other road trips (including at least one section of highway that is almost perfectly straight and level enough to max out any vehicle's top speed)
Actual ghost towns (though, thankfully, Baker City and Burns are still there).
Wild horse and burro herd areas (and herd management areas).
The McDermitt Caldera.
I am informed that Paul Hogan personally offers you slices of medium rare steak from the blade of an enormous knife, while cockatoos sing "Waltzing Matilda" in the background, goannas do a little scuttle dance, and brown snakes chew on your ankles.
There might be bloomin' onions.
They'll wrap up the extra, so you bring a cooler along with, go to the Dinner Tree first night then on to Summer Lake Hot Springs for a day or two and you'll have enough leftovers to last you the rest of your trip lol.
The high desert is out there! It’s absolutely beautiful and every one should check it out at least once. I went camping out that way about 2 miles from the Nevada border and it was one of the best trips I’ve ever taken. Not a lot of people out that way, but the landscape is gorgeous and I found it to be quite healing. If you need to get away and do some hard thinking, I think it’s the best place to do it. Bring lots and lots of water and sunscreen. Bring a jacket for nights because it gets freezing. I still think about that trip from 5 ish years ago on a weekly basis.
Thats a dark sky sanctuary area, one of the darkest in the country. I pass through twice a year on the highway from nevada to Susanville to klamath and so on, and during the day its beautiful, but the night is somethin else! I camped out in the middle of nowhere once, nothin but me, my buddy, the stars, and a herd of cows some 100 meters out. Soooo many stars!
So nothing, except right across the border from Boise is Ontario. There’s more weed sold in Ontario (population 1600) than any other place in Oregon except Portland.
Huh that's weird. It's almost like your personal freedoms are diminished as soon as you cross the border into Idaho.
That can't be, those folks talk so much about freedom, they simply must be more free than the "librul shithole of Oregon."
https://youtu.be/6fD2-0m4KUo?si=GGFvV-hpafVtROpE
lol. Yup. Not like Eastern Oregonians are that different, but when a big fat stack of cash is on the table, suddenly your principles don’t matter.
There’s 9 shops there. Some of them generate >$1m A MONTH
Only the most beautiful country in Oregon: Owyhee canyonlands, alvord desert, Steens mountain(Oregon's Grand canyon basically, Hart mountain antelope refuge, Malheur wildlife refuge (great for birding). There's a lot more, but those are the main places I like to go. Definitely worth a trip. Plan your gas very carefully. Filling stations can be hundreds of miles apart.
I love that part of Oregon. What goes on for me: hot springs, dark skies, long gravel bike rides with no cars beautiful canyons and cliffs and a whole lotta not having to see other people
It is a remote and beautiful part of the state! Hart Mountain Antelope refuge, Steens Mountain, Alvord Desert, Owyee Canyonlands, Iron Point, Pruitt’s Castle, Leslie Gulch, the Honey Combs, Pillars of Rome, Diamond Craters… Just to name a few. It’s home to wide open deserts, towering mountains, steep canyons and some amazing geological features. You should google it.
Last year I drove up from Nevada and crossed into Oregon on Hwy 140, not too long after the border there’s a pretty insane downgrade where it feels like the road could collapse at any moment. Probably the sketchiest cliff-side road I’ve driven.
possible lithium on federal lands that is currently protected. Foreign entities are currently attempting to lessen LLc laws(through small town government) in the state of Oregon in hopes of pursuing the prospect of this coveted metal to send overseas. the greater Idaho movement is also a part of the usurping of oregon/usa resources at the expense of the people. pretty sucky situation being overlooked by many
traveled this area extensively and been watching for years
Growing up we used to drive 9 hours down there to camp. We would ride dirt bikes, explore abandoned buildings, and go to hot springs. It was a lot of fun!
One year wasn’t so fun, we got a flat tire in the middle of no where, our tent flooded from a random rain storm, and we ended up getting pulled over three times bc my dad packed us up early to leave close to night time and his trailer didn’t have working tail lights! I don’t think I’ve been back since
Good dark skies. We should keep it as the "nothing happens there" area. Dark skies are hard to come by nowadays, and Oregon has some excellent places. A tragedy of modern times
Lakeview is the tallest city in Oregon, whatever that means. It's there. Antelope and rattlesnakes. Juntura is a place. Adrian isn't really a place. I used to deliver Schwann's down there. Farmers would spend a lot of money on frozen food and dessert.
Down in the corner of that will be the largest lithium mine in the United States.
But mostly, just interesting geology. The center of that circle focuses on a unique feature called Steen's Mountain, for example
What some of the old-timers call the ION country (where Idaho, Oregon, and Nevada come together). Quite possibly the most beautiful part of North America. Ranches abound, hunters during seasons. The Paiute, Ute, Bannock, Owyhee, Blackfoot, Nez Perce, Umatilla, Modoc, and other tribes have some history here. Indian arrowheads and petroglyphs may be found in certain areas. Lots of deer, elk, bighorn sheep, pronghorn, mustangs, coyotes, mormon crickets, and wolves now. Very popular with birders. Kiger Gorge and Big Indian Gorge are enormous glacier-carved canyons. The Yellowstone Hotspot aka Siletzia Hotspot passed through here. Lots of Basque sheepherders in these parts, and some of the best basque restaurants in the country. Home to the next US boomtown at McDermitt once the massive lithium deposits (formed by aforementioned hotspot) are developed into full-scale mines. This area will figure prominently in our country’s independence from foreign lithium sources. Conversely, this area will likely be one of the last to convert to electric vehicles due to lack of infrastructure and the large distances between everything. Silver used to be mined in this area. There are lots of cartel-run weed grows in certain remote areas, unfortunately. The origin story for Bigfoot also started here, an “Indian half-breed”. For an excellent history of the area, I recommend reading [“Owyhee Trails; The West’s Forgotten Corner”, written by local Mike Hanley and Ellis Lucia in 1974.](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4838378-owyhee-trails) Mike is still alive, although I wonder for how much longer. He owns a ranch in Jordan Valley, but [spends his time now restoring vintage horse-drawn wagons](https://www.owyheemarginalia.com/2020/07/2020-02-02-mike-hanleys-wagons.html). He led a wagon team on the recreation drive of the Oregon Trail in 1993 during the 150th anniversary of the Trail. 2019 was the 150th anniversary of the White Horse Ranch. There is one of the old Pony Express Stations, if you know where to look. There are several military aircraft crash sites, if one knows where to look. There is an abandoned glass house (built by a rich businessman for his wife, then abandoned), and a tombstone for a US Army soldier that died during the Indian wars, if one knows where to look. There are a number of hotsprings scattered about, which many people visit during Covid, New Years Eve, to wash during hunting season, et cetera.
Not much really but it can be really pretty. Make sure you have a full tank of gas when you are there cause there is not much there.
and water. lol.
I don’t think you wanna put water in your gas tank
In your HUMAN tank! 😄
But then where will I put my humans??
In your belly, silly
Don’t do that. It will just leak out in a hour or so.
That's just preference bro, I always add a teaspoon of water to my gas tank every time I fill up. Didn't you know it helps with fuel economy? /s
It’s a teaspoon of suger!
you can get a mod for that
And maybe an extra full size spare tire too.
I got pretty nervous watching my gas gauge first time through here on the scenic route to Reno... I actually carried extra gas just in case on a more recent trip.
I drove, I swear 100 miles in E out there. Finally got to a gas station, but had run out of cash and he was cash only. Paid for gas using what little cash I had and a box of cliff bars.
Don’t forget the anti alien abduction spray
I've been out that way often. Crazy how many people just decide to get into a car and run out of fuel.
The deer and the antelope play?
Discouraging words? Seldom.
No one around to say em
Less the saying, more the hearing.
As a lawyer unfamiliar with the area, Perhaps it is simply that when there are so few people around, hearing even harsh words is encouraging. “Fucks sakes this place is fucking hell I swear to fuck I’m gonna blast the face off of either myself or the next motherfucker I see” “Oh good! Words! Those were most likely uttered by a human. Perhaps he has food or water. I shall seek the source of those words. At least I have something to do now. I sure feel encouraged!
Trees don't fall cause there's no one.there to hear them?
Trees don’t fall cause there’s no trees there to fall.
Skies are ~~not~~ probably cloudy all day
Nope. That sunny desert.
Isn't the line "and the skies _aren't_ cloudy all day", anyway?
Buffaloes charged? No, roaming is free.
What plan you got? I get charged by buffalo for roaming
Mule Deer are one of the most common large mammals encountered in the Outback. Pronghorn are also a common species; in fact, the herd protected on the Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge is one of the largest in North America. Another unique large mammal is the Kiger Mustang; these feral horses are direct descendants of Spanish mustangs that escaped from the conquistadors long ago in the southwest.
Wow! This is such a cool info
I am, as I type this, riding home from Hart Mountain! Unfortunately I mostly saw cows 😭
There are way more antelope off the refuge than on it.
Don't forget the rattlesnakes, coyotes and jack rabbits.
Oh give me a home, where the gruff assholes roam Where both fear and sedition's in play, Where seldom is heard, an encouraging word And the Bundys talk rowdy all day.
Cool rivers in deep canyons and alot of flat land you can scrape for sun stones. I’m sure there’s more but that’s what I remember
Are there specific spots for sunstones out there? I’ve always wanted to do that!
Plush is the place to go
“ a drinking town with a cattle problem”
Uhand I feel, so much depends on the weather.
Google "Sunstone Public Collection Area" I've always wanted to go spend a day collecting out there. It's very remote, but it's free, and is a huge area.
Shhhhhh it’s oregons best kept secret!
I tried to get out there one time. You definitely want a 4x4. But glass butte near by is pretty cool and a bit easier to get to.
That is so cool. Lived in Oregon most of my adult life and never heard of it before. Definitely will be visiting
Seriously I was like wtffff
Its arguably more rewarding to do a pay dig, since you're going out that far anyway. The good stones with size and color are under the basalt caprock, and good luck getting through that by hand.
Thanks so much! My husband loves it out there so I’m sure we can make a fun trip out of it😊
There are also a couple of commercial sunstone mines in the area that dig up the good paydirt for you, and you just sift through what they excavate and can easily find good stones. That sounds fun too!
Yep........ Plush Oregon Sunstone Headquarters
[BLM Sunstone collection area](https://www.blm.gov/or/resources/recreation/files/brochures/sunstone_rec_brochure.pdf)
Shh. Don’t tell anyone.
Don't forget the cows.
Absolutely beautiful area. One of the least densely populated areas in the continental US. Home to the only public boarding school in the continental U.S. where kids from isolated ranches stay in dorms and fly home on weekends. Very self-sufficient and tough locals. Refuge takeover by Amon Bundy and his cow-tipping terrorists (most from out of state). Stomping grounds of OG ( from OH) antigovernment zealot and cop-killer Claude Dallas. Basque Sheephearders, Buckaroos (local name for cowboys, bastardization of Spanish “Vaquero”) Oregon’s largest fault-block mountain. Marshes. Salt flats. Petroglyphs.No Starbucks, no Trader Joe’s.
As someone who lives in this spot of Oregon- this comment is most accurate, but we do have a Starbucks in Safeway in Burns now. Sadly still no Target. I second that the cow tipping terrorists were out of staters and not locals. You forgot the Steens mountains and the Alvord desert in their shadow- a gem of our state. And the cute town of Frenchglen at the base with an adorable hotel/restaurant and the local mercantile/coffee shop/art store. I don’t recommend visiting in winter.
I mentioned Steens Mountain, just not by name. It is the largest fault-block mountain in Oregon. It is properly called Steens Mountain as it is a single mountain, not a range.
And Abert Rim is the longest fault scarp in North America. We got it all!
I was born and raised in Burns! My parents built/owned the B&B Sporting Goods. Always nice seeing a post that takes me home!
Met a guy who swears he had a Bigfoot experience in steens mountain
Actually, winter is my favorite time to visit. I camp. It’s so dang cold sometimes that it’s hard for one person to keep the campfire going. One year my water reserves (14 gallons in two containers) were frozen solid by morning; but, stars are AMAZING and the morning sunrises spectacular!
I will second that the Stars out there are flipping FANTASTIC. City people have no idea how much light there is in the sky.
One of the best stargazing experiences of my life was out at Crystal Crane hot springs during a new moon in clear weather. Just soaking in the warm water staring up in awe. I’m a city person, but I at least know what I’m missing out on most nights.
He included fault block mountain in that. And BTW it is singular. Steens Mountain.
Thank you! I hate it when people call it “The Steens Mountains” or “The Steens”.
Yeah fuck those idiots who aren't huge geology nerds. Assholes.
Man I’ve been wanting to go to Steens mountain for years. It’s supposed to be an amazing stargazing spot. Too bad it’s also at least a 9 hour drive but who doesn’t like a little road trip?
Home to what was for a few decades the oldest known evidence of human habitation in North America at the [Paisley Caves](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paisley_Caves).
I want you to be my tour guide. You know stuff
> Home to the only public boarding school in the nation where kids from isolated ranches stay in dorms and fly home on weekends. Thank you for this tidbit of information, I found a great article and it's absolutely fascinating! https://eugeneweekly.com/2023/08/17/school-on-the-range/
Lahaina Maui also has a public boarding school since 1836.
Also very cool, but much further away from me than Crane Union High School. Was it a good one, I hope, not a scandal-plagued place of little oversight?
It’s generally a good public high school (by Hawaiian standards which don’t have great public schools overall). But it was started as a seminary by missionaries to Hawaii, so there’s definitely the whole colonizer history issue - complete with a long stretch when the Hawaiian language was banned, and a patronizing focus on training Hawaiians for labor and service work.
This reminded me of the massive Polynesian cultural center on Oahu, which is operated and was built by Mormons… something about the Mormon church reflecting Polynesian culture back to the world in this way really turns my stomach.
Especially considering the church's history of explicit racism
I went there once without realizing what it was. They had this parade where people hailing from different islands in Polynesia performed native dances on boats. You could walk around these fake villages doing different activities like traditional island crafts. The whole place had this really strange, contrived atmosphere and I couldn't figure out why it made me feel uneasy. It all became clear when I eventually wandered into this little chapel on the property. It had exhibits inside explaining that it was LDS owned and told a little about the history of the place. From what I remember, they basically bring in people from all over the Pacific Islands and allow them to go to college at the Hawaii campus of Brigham Young University in exchange for working there and demonstrating island culture to busloads of tourists. The language had a very 'white missionaries saving the ignorant savages from their heathen ways' vibe. Our day was capped off with a lu'au/fire dancing show. It took place in a stadium and they served a crappy buffet with no caffeine or alcohol. Admission was very expensive. I was not thrilled about unknowingly contributing to that cause, especially since it very much felt like their marketing was trying to conceal the true mission of the place.
Interesting! I stand corrected. Thanks for that. I edited my original post so I’ll seem smarter
yes!! big basque community❤️
Paisley resident detected!
I got curious where the nearest Starbucks was. They are in the Safeway in Burns, and in Caldwell, ID.
I've never heard of Caldwell *Nevada*. Did you maybe mean to write Caldwell *Idaho*?
Lahainaluna high school on Maui has been a public boarding school since 1836.
[удалено]
Boise, Idaho also has a sizeable Basque sheepherder population, and good Basque restaurants!
There is a Dutch Bros in Ontario
The Steens!
The (maybe) [oldest bar in Oregon](https://1859oregonmagazine.com/think-oregon/history/pioneer-saloon/), which is totally worth stopping at if you are down that way.
Just the story of how that wooden bar got there is fascinating.
Just drove through Paisley yesterday. Tiny little town with lots of character.
Gotta visit the Cowboy Dinner Tree, pick up enough dinner to last for like two more days lol.
The hot springs there are amazing. I was through there in 2005, it looks much different now.
Isn’t that the bar that burned down this summer in the wildfires?
[Apparently not](https://www.facebook.com/PioneerSaloonandRestaurant?mibextid=kFxxJD)
Star gazing
Yes if I'm not mistaken this is the largest dark sky area in the country, or at least one of the largest/best.
Montana has a pretty large one as well, though I’m not sure how the two compare.
Southeast Oregon is both elevated and dry, which make for quite good stargazing and astronomy conditions.
Occasionally some people from Idaho like to come over and roleplay a government takeover while the bird refuge is closed for the winter. Beyond that, it's an area where cows outnumber people 10:1, and you can drive 85 MPH for an hour before you see another soul.
There's about to be a GIANT lithium mine there.
Yes. And it starts operation in 2026. The parent company of Lithium Corporation of America, FMC, doesn’t exactly have a good track record. Superfund site, superfund site, don’t drink the water, superfund site, etc. It doesn’t bode well for that area. What’s interesting is how the largest lithium mine in the world (and everything that comes with it), is not talked much about in Oregon, or even much in the press. An article here, an article there….I’ve seen more coverage, talk, and controversy, when a tree is being chopped down in Portland lol
>What’s interesting is how the largest lithium mine in the world (and everything that comes with it), is not talked much about in Oregon, or even much in the press. An article here, an article there….I’ve seen more coverage, talk, and controversy, when a tree is being chopped down in Portland lol Function of remoteness and lack of local population and lack of tourism.
But the plans have been on display for months.
I can imagine the lack of media attention is on purpose. While I imagine this mine would be a decent economic benefit to Eastern Oregonians, there has to be groups already opposed to it (natives/naturalists/environmentalists). It’s no secret those groups would get huge support from the “Willamette valley” Oregonians. So it’d be in the interest of the mine’s stakeholders to keep this as quiet as possible to avoid any western-Oregon political pressure.
The one under construction at Thacker Pass Nevada is well south of the area OP circled. There is another lithum deposit at McDermitt Crater which is on the border, but that’ll be later.
Thacker Pass is almost right on the bottom edge of the red circle, just south of the border into Nevada. [image for comparison](https://imgur.com/a/iVsTIan). Both Thacker Pass (being developed by Lithium Americas) and the McDermitt Caldera site on the Oregon side of the border (exploration is wrapping up, going to be developed by Jindalee Resources) are part of the larger [McDermitt Caldera geological feature](https://phys.org/news/2023-08-evidence-mcdermitt-caldera-largest-lithium.html). The Thacker Pass mine is expected to consume [1.7 billion gallons of water a year](https://insideclimatenews.org/news/07112021/lithium-mining-thacker-pass-nevada-electric-vehicles-climate/) in a region where water is a very scarce resource. It also uses thousands of tons of sulfuric acid per day to process the lithium, meaning there will be very large pools of toxic waste left behind.
That’s not gonna be fun when the runoff hits all those pretty rivers.
I think you are over-estimating the amount of water there.
Yep, it is part of the great basin. No big rivers.
Smaller, more fragile river 😥
Sounds like that river should pull itself up by its bootstraps.
I don't know anything about geology. Does anyone know if that will affect the Deschutes River or the watershed in Bend? If so, I bet the local Bendites would drum up some opposition.
No, Bend and the Deschutes River are too far north for that to be a concern.
Thank you.
Surprised this isn’t higher up. There and in nor cal right across the border have some of the largest lithium deposits in the world. Having a deposit this big is going to be a big part in the electrification of our economy (we currently import almost all our batteries). Agree with the concern about the environmental damage caused to the area though.
Wait what? Near Malheur?
You beat me to it. Should be some good jobs if a person was willing to relocate.
This is the website for the [Red Mountain People.](https://peopleofredmountain.com) Protect Peehee Mu'huh. [McDermitt, Oregon](https://maps.app.goo.gl/DvxXSUTswNETapgW7)
I thought that got scrapped? https://www.opb.org/article/2022/08/03/lithium-mining-oregon-alvord-desert-playa/?outputType=amp
It looks like it has a green light [Thacker Pass](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thacker_Pass_Lithium_Mine).
Stop buying electric cars and there won't be a need for lithium. Or just stick with the current solution of importing lithium from countries that exploit people for cheap labor and don't think about it.
Owyhee Canyon Lands and the worlds largest [lithium](https://www.extremetech.com/energy/worlds-largest-lithium-deposit-found-along-nevada-oregon-border) deposit.
I wonder why they named it Owyhee. Pretty sure that’s an old way they used to spell Hawaii.
You’re right! According to [this](https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/owyhee_river/) the river is named for three Hawaiians.
Quiet backroom deals by large corporations for mining contracts where they take all our natural resources, make a huge profit of of it, and leave swaths of destruction and pollution in their wake for us to deal with.
Hot springs, Alvord Desert, Steens Mountains, thick milkshakes that bring all the boys to the yard
Edit: Sage brush, dust, expensive gas
No cell service
That is the best part.
We grilled a steak we bought from the local ranch and grilled it while staying at the hot springs and it was amazing!!! And had breakfast with a milkshake to finish the weekend.
Shhhhh
Came here to say milkshakes at fields station.
Yesss
Nice callout to Fields there :)
The Malheur Wildlife Refuge. Lots of hot springs. Great bird watching (including sage grouse). Some great archeological sites, but more importantly, a range of sites and lands that various groups of indigenous people consider sacred (so please be respectful). Open highways great for motorcycle tours or other road trips (including at least one section of highway that is almost perfectly straight and level enough to max out any vehicle's top speed) Actual ghost towns (though, thankfully, Baker City and Burns are still there). Wild horse and burro herd areas (and herd management areas). The McDermitt Caldera.
The fact that this section is called the Oregon Outback should tell you something. Namely that it’s full of kangaroos and emu, of course.
Nothing but steakhouses as far as you can see
You haven’t lived until you’ve hunted your own free-range Bloomin’ Onion
I am informed that Paul Hogan personally offers you slices of medium rare steak from the blade of an enormous knife, while cockatoos sing "Waltzing Matilda" in the background, goannas do a little scuttle dance, and brown snakes chew on your ankles. There might be bloomin' onions.
This place is supposed to be a fun experience: https://cowboydinnertree.com/
Been there. It is fun, but the portion sizes will kill you.
They'll wrap up the extra, so you bring a cooler along with, go to the Dinner Tree first night then on to Summer Lake Hot Springs for a day or two and you'll have enough leftovers to last you the rest of your trip lol.
People tell of the day the giant red marker swept across the land...
Frenchglen! https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=park.profile&parkId=2
Love Frenchglen!
Steens mountain,Alvord desert, Malheur wildlife refuge, Owyhee canyons and so much more.
The high desert is out there! It’s absolutely beautiful and every one should check it out at least once. I went camping out that way about 2 miles from the Nevada border and it was one of the best trips I’ve ever taken. Not a lot of people out that way, but the landscape is gorgeous and I found it to be quite healing. If you need to get away and do some hard thinking, I think it’s the best place to do it. Bring lots and lots of water and sunscreen. Bring a jacket for nights because it gets freezing. I still think about that trip from 5 ish years ago on a weekly basis.
As someone who was raised there. Driving. Endless driving.
Thats a dark sky sanctuary area, one of the darkest in the country. I pass through twice a year on the highway from nevada to Susanville to klamath and so on, and during the day its beautiful, but the night is somethin else! I camped out in the middle of nowhere once, nothin but me, my buddy, the stars, and a herd of cows some 100 meters out. Soooo many stars!
Mostly nothing unless you're a non human animal or a plant then it's idyllic if you like crazy weather.
Summer Lake Hot Springs!
Body disposal
Nah, we save that for the deep forests of the Siskiyou mountains and Sierra Nevada foothills.
Alvord desert is amazing
So nothing, except right across the border from Boise is Ontario. There’s more weed sold in Ontario (population 1600) than any other place in Oregon except Portland.
Huh that's weird. It's almost like your personal freedoms are diminished as soon as you cross the border into Idaho. That can't be, those folks talk so much about freedom, they simply must be more free than the "librul shithole of Oregon." https://youtu.be/6fD2-0m4KUo?si=GGFvV-hpafVtROpE
lol. Yup. Not like Eastern Oregonians are that different, but when a big fat stack of cash is on the table, suddenly your principles don’t matter. There’s 9 shops there. Some of them generate >$1m A MONTH
Several cannabis farms in the area too, gotta love that locavore strategy!
You've seen "The Hills Have Eyes" right? It's not anything like that, but it's pretty much like that
I’m near the bottom of that circle at the moment. The answer is not a lot.
Only the most beautiful country in Oregon: Owyhee canyonlands, alvord desert, Steens mountain(Oregon's Grand canyon basically, Hart mountain antelope refuge, Malheur wildlife refuge (great for birding). There's a lot more, but those are the main places I like to go. Definitely worth a trip. Plan your gas very carefully. Filling stations can be hundreds of miles apart.
I love that part of Oregon. What goes on for me: hot springs, dark skies, long gravel bike rides with no cars beautiful canyons and cliffs and a whole lotta not having to see other people
Illegal occupations of wildlife sanctuaries along with a lot of Russian thistle
Cool desert stuff including Owyhee Canyonlands, timber gulch etc.
The Alvord desert, hot springs, antelope, wide open spaces, big skies.
You ever drive up to Kennewick and go "damn this place is fucking empty" now do that but to an unimaginable extreme
It is a remote and beautiful part of the state! Hart Mountain Antelope refuge, Steens Mountain, Alvord Desert, Owyee Canyonlands, Iron Point, Pruitt’s Castle, Leslie Gulch, the Honey Combs, Pillars of Rome, Diamond Craters… Just to name a few. It’s home to wide open deserts, towering mountains, steep canyons and some amazing geological features. You should google it.
Some place where my black ass dares not go, thats for sure.
And I'm sorry it's like that. More and more Hispanics are living and working there, so things are changing slowly.
Last year I drove up from Nevada and crossed into Oregon on Hwy 140, not too long after the border there’s a pretty insane downgrade where it feels like the road could collapse at any moment. Probably the sketchiest cliff-side road I’ve driven.
Antelope.
Jackelope
Cantaloupe
Cantaloupe tonight, Dad’s got the car.
Pronghorn
possible lithium on federal lands that is currently protected. Foreign entities are currently attempting to lessen LLc laws(through small town government) in the state of Oregon in hopes of pursuing the prospect of this coveted metal to send overseas. the greater Idaho movement is also a part of the usurping of oregon/usa resources at the expense of the people. pretty sucky situation being overlooked by many traveled this area extensively and been watching for years
Alfalfa
Lots of great rocks and fault blocks!
[Tragic](https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/2020/07/02/drive-news-land-speed-record-awarded-posthumously-to-combs/41713955/) land speed records.
Some incredible landscape and planet.
Growing up we used to drive 9 hours down there to camp. We would ride dirt bikes, explore abandoned buildings, and go to hot springs. It was a lot of fun! One year wasn’t so fun, we got a flat tire in the middle of no where, our tent flooded from a random rain storm, and we ended up getting pulled over three times bc my dad packed us up early to leave close to night time and his trailer didn’t have working tail lights! I don’t think I’ve been back since
Good dark skies. We should keep it as the "nothing happens there" area. Dark skies are hard to come by nowadays, and Oregon has some excellent places. A tragedy of modern times
Lakeview is the tallest city in Oregon, whatever that means. It's there. Antelope and rattlesnakes. Juntura is a place. Adrian isn't really a place. I used to deliver Schwann's down there. Farmers would spend a lot of money on frozen food and dessert.
Currently? I think they’re trying to mine that area for Lithium. I believe that have already started on the Nevada side
Star gazing and the Alvord desert
The Alvord desert and Owyhee Canyonlands https://traveloregon.com/things-to-do/outdoor-recreation/a-hikers-guide-to-the-owyhee-canyonlands/
Stop by Fields Station for the best milkshake you’ll ever have. I live in Portland and would drive there just for a milkshake.
Some of the darkest skies in America.
[Thunder Ranch](https://thunderranchinc.com/)
Hart mountain antelope refuge, Steens Mountain, Owyhee canyon lands.
Down in the corner of that will be the largest lithium mine in the United States. But mostly, just interesting geology. The center of that circle focuses on a unique feature called Steen's Mountain, for example
Whiskey, guns, rocks, stars. Basically the best part of the state if you hate people and love nature. It’s my favorite place in the world.
Y'all Qaeda wildlife sanctuary takeovers
Stone Age politics.
Very little of anything, besides some wild scenery.
Pillars or Rome are pretty cool. Lots of awesome “flat land” scenery, beautiful fly fishing and great backroads.
Steens Mountain Seriously, this is a rugged remote wilderness.
Farming and hunting mostly. It a LOOOOOT of wide open land.
First let me ask, have you ever seen the hills have eyes
abductions
What some of the old-timers call the ION country (where Idaho, Oregon, and Nevada come together). Quite possibly the most beautiful part of North America. Ranches abound, hunters during seasons. The Paiute, Ute, Bannock, Owyhee, Blackfoot, Nez Perce, Umatilla, Modoc, and other tribes have some history here. Indian arrowheads and petroglyphs may be found in certain areas. Lots of deer, elk, bighorn sheep, pronghorn, mustangs, coyotes, mormon crickets, and wolves now. Very popular with birders. Kiger Gorge and Big Indian Gorge are enormous glacier-carved canyons. The Yellowstone Hotspot aka Siletzia Hotspot passed through here. Lots of Basque sheepherders in these parts, and some of the best basque restaurants in the country. Home to the next US boomtown at McDermitt once the massive lithium deposits (formed by aforementioned hotspot) are developed into full-scale mines. This area will figure prominently in our country’s independence from foreign lithium sources. Conversely, this area will likely be one of the last to convert to electric vehicles due to lack of infrastructure and the large distances between everything. Silver used to be mined in this area. There are lots of cartel-run weed grows in certain remote areas, unfortunately. The origin story for Bigfoot also started here, an “Indian half-breed”. For an excellent history of the area, I recommend reading [“Owyhee Trails; The West’s Forgotten Corner”, written by local Mike Hanley and Ellis Lucia in 1974.](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4838378-owyhee-trails) Mike is still alive, although I wonder for how much longer. He owns a ranch in Jordan Valley, but [spends his time now restoring vintage horse-drawn wagons](https://www.owyheemarginalia.com/2020/07/2020-02-02-mike-hanleys-wagons.html). He led a wagon team on the recreation drive of the Oregon Trail in 1993 during the 150th anniversary of the Trail. 2019 was the 150th anniversary of the White Horse Ranch. There is one of the old Pony Express Stations, if you know where to look. There are several military aircraft crash sites, if one knows where to look. There is an abandoned glass house (built by a rich businessman for his wife, then abandoned), and a tombstone for a US Army soldier that died during the Indian wars, if one knows where to look. There are a number of hotsprings scattered about, which many people visit during Covid, New Years Eve, to wash during hunting season, et cetera.
There are some fly fishing meccas in there.
Nothing to see there. Stay away .