Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Burns, Oregon

Skull Creek to Horton MIll Connector

This trail passes through many high-desert landscapes such as sagebrush, mountain mahogany slopes and ponderosa pine forests. The road surface is variable between decent gravel and deeply rutted 2-track, with some areas having recently been…
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Total Miles
14.1
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Recovery Ridge

This road travels mostly over bright red cinder cobbles through a large burned area from fires in 1990 and 2007. The area offers an interesting look at how Ponderosa pine forests recover after a large…
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Total Miles
3.4
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

37 Spring Trail

This is a rugged but short trail that accesses 37 Spring. This area is a beautiful old growth Ponderosa Pine forest with park- like clearings with all of the solitude you need. The area is…
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Total Miles
0.8
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Lost Creek

This trail goes through an old-growth ponderosa pine forest above the Silvies River, near the small town of Burns. Between the river and the road are some high rimrocks, which make up the cliffs and…
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Total Miles
7.7
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Bald Butte Lookout

This trail is easy and short. It is the closest and most easily accessible fire lookout from the town of Burns. The trail is dirt, with no difficult obstacles beyond some very deep ruts and…
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Total Miles
0.7
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Myrtle Park Ice Cave

This routes visits the unique Myrtle Park Ice Cave and ends at a scenic overlook. Deep in the forest, this is a remote and little known location, even to locals. In the late spring there…
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Total Miles
3.8
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Miller Canyon

This trail is a unique way to access the Malheur National Forest near Riley, Oregon. The route follows Miller Canyon and has been used for around 100 years or more. There was a fire in…
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Total Miles
8.6
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Sp / Fa

Riddle Mountain

Riddle Mountain Trail reaches the top of Mountain at the BLM fire lookout. The trail crosses public land for much of the route. Please treat the private land sections with care and leave every gate…
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Total Miles
7.6
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su

Virginia valley cinder pile

This is a 5-mile loop on state land. If the gates are closed, close them behind you, otherwise you can leave them open. The trail is rutted year-round in most places. It is muddy, with…
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Total Miles
2.5
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su

Mustang Tank Trail

This bumpy out and back leads through lush sagebrush fields and past lovely established Juniper Trees. There are plenty of flat spots one could camp, but no established fire rings were noticed. As the trail…
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Total Miles
3.9
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Steens Loop

This road is in decent shape, but gets very corrugated and deteriorates through the year. There are few obstacles, but speed can make many of the corners dangerous, and you'll also find many steep grades.…
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Total Miles
50.1
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su

East Fish Creek Road

This route is a bumpy out-and-back that ends abruptly. It begins in rolling hills with fields of sagebrush. There are three cattle gates you need to open and close behind once you pass through; some…
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Total Miles
4.2
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su

Hart Mountain Antelope Refuge

The main roads at the Hart Mountain Antelope Refuge are quite wide, but very badly corrugated. Travel off of the main roads is very rugged. This area gets very hot and dry in summer, and…
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Total Miles
53
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Burnt Flat Road

This trail ascends from the valley below into a network of trails in the Steens Mountains. The trail begins down in the lakebed area and the lower valley. Then it ascends a steep rocky shelf…
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Total Miles
10.1
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Fa / Su

Island Reservoir Cutover

This relatively easy connector trail takes the adventurer from the graded gravel main route back toward the Island Reservoir Trail. There will be plenty of dispersed camping spots near the southern end with fire rings…
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Total Miles
3.4
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Fraiser Spring and Cabin

This bumpy little out and back leads off the main gravel to the Fraiser properties. The cabin is in pretty terrible shape but is fun to look at. There are a few old corrals and…
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Total Miles
1.3
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Gravel Pit Camp Road

Welcome to my gravel pit! It's loaded with many flat, private, and level spots to camp--a fair amount of existing fire rings and enormous piles of gravel that serve as great wind blocks. If you…
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Total Miles
1.2
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Corral Creek Road

This easy trail passes by plenty of dispersed flat spots to camp with effortless access. There are a lot of downed trees and wood to collect for a campfire as long as it's not during…
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Total Miles
0.8
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Fields of Sage

This easy out-and-back trail begins with a few easily accessible dispersed camping spots, then traverses through private property before continuing on the other side. Please be respectful of the access and do not camp from…
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Total Miles
2.1
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Moon Hill Road

Camping, camping, and more camping. This trail starts with a plethora of great camping spots, some with amazing views, some privately tucked into trees. Most have decent established rock fire rings and even 2-3 bars…
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Total Miles
3.8
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa / Sp

Mahan Reservoir Quail Creek

This trail is a perfect way to get up into the Steens Mountains from Alvord valley below. It starts as a well-maintained gravel trail and becomes a short shelf road with a few steep sections.…
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Total Miles
6.7
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Wild Horse Tank Road

This bumpy little out-and-back passes by the wild horse tank on its way to a few great camping spots. They are level and have sweeping views of the valley and surrounding hills. If you're lucky,…
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Total Miles
1.4
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Fish Creek Gorge Overlook

This is a scenic trail from the Fish Creek Campground to the Fish Creek Overlook on Steens Mountain in Southern Oregon. Fish Creek Gorge is a deep, glacier-carved gorge on the low slope side of…
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Total Miles
0.6
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Grove Creek Road

This bumpy out and back twists and turns its way through fields of Sagebrush and dense Aspen Groves. It's mostly straightforward, with slight off-camber sections and a few large boulders. There's a water crossing that…
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Total Miles
1.1
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su

Riddle Brothers Ranch

This easy out and back is a must-see while it's open from mid-June to the October season. Be sure to check with the Berns BLM office to be sure it's open before you go. It…
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Total Miles
2.4
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Steens Mustang Bounce

This bouncy rocky run features a few dispersed campsites. One nice one near the beginning and one grassy lesser used one near the trail's end with a fire ring. The offshoot trail also has a…
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Total Miles
1.6
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Upper Cold Spring

This is the more heavily traveled section of the trail. It leads to the crossroads of Grove Creek (more traveled) and Lower Cold Springs. "Less Traveled" the trail travels along a fence line and primarily…
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Total Miles
2.5
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su

Lauserica Road

This long out-and-back trail passes through the Historic Roaring Springs ranch property. There is an old cabin on site, but please be respectful that it is private property with access through, so admire it from…
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Total Miles
11.2
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Lakebed Cutover

This bumpy little trail leads across the lower mountainside of the valley along the sides of the dry lake beds. There are quite a few nice offshoots for exploring and finding flat spots to camp.…
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Total Miles
3.7
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Fa

Entrance to Burnt Flat Road

This short section is the smoother, more heavily traveled access road to Burnt Flat Road. It passes through a cattle gate with a nice cheater bar to make stringing it back up easier. Then it…
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Total Miles
0.6
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa