Wilderness Trail
Photo: nickavarvel, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- 1.1 mi
- loop
- 205 ft
- climb
- 4,459 ft
- high point
- Loop
- route
- May–Sep
- best months
Wilderness Trail is a short, easy hike on Bureau of Land Management land in the Burns Andrews Field Office, about 3 miles from the town of Frenchglen in southeastern Oregon. The route is about a mile long, with a one-way climb of 205 feet from a starting point near 4,297 feet to a high point of about 4,459 feet. The trail is natural-surfaced, and the steepest stretch comes early, at about 17% grade. Late spring and early fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show May highs around 68°F and September highs around 75°F, while July averages about 85°F and winter highs sit in the upper 30s. Page Springs Campground is just 0.2 miles away, and the Blitzen River Trail is under a mile off. The Barnes Springs Footpath and the Donner und Blitzen River, a paddling route, are both about 2.3 miles away.
Local outfitters
- Steens Mountain Wilderness Resortunder a mile away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Best time to go · May–Sep
Best time to visit Wilderness Trail
Best months: May–September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
39° / 20°
Feb
43° / 22°
Mar
52° / 27°
Apr
58° / 31°
May
68° / 39°
Jun
75° / 44°
Jul
85° / 50°
Aug
83° / 48°
Sep
75° / 40°
Oct
62° / 31°
Nov
47° / 24°
Dec
37° / 20°
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Malheur Refuge Hq, OR, 31.9 mi away at 4,118 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
Photo: nickavarvel, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Blitzen River Trail
~1 min drive
Out-and-back river hike in remote southeastern Oregon high desert.
Photo: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Steens Summit Trail
~32 min drive
Out-and-back climb to Steens Mountain's 9,773 ft summit with expansive desert views.
HIKE
Oregon Desert Trail
~9 min drive
11.34-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 1,599 ft elevation gain
HIKE
Little Blitzen Trail
~22 min drive
Out-and-back high-desert trail following the Blitzen River drainage in southeastern Oregon.
Photo: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Wildhorse Lake Trail
~31 min drive
Out-and-back trail to a remote alpine lake in Oregon's high country.
HIKE
Barnes Springs Footpath
~4 min drive
0.94-mile out-and-back trail with 229 ft gain in Oregon
HIKE
Big Indian Trail
~27 min drive
Out-and-back Oregon trail with alpine meadow access and mountain views.
HIKE
Tombstone Canyon Trail
~13 min drive
Out-and-back canyon hike featuring dramatic rock formations and scenic geology.
HIKE
River Trail
~4 min drive
2.45-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 171 ft gain.
HIKE
Mud Creek-Ankle Creek Trail
~30 min drive
Out-and-back creek valley hike through eastern Oregon forest.
