Oregon and Idaho

The east road into the park is a 45 mile gradual climb over a wide gravel road. Since the road is gravel and mostly straight, you can see dust clouds of any approaching traffic from miles away. Seldom, though, is there any other traffic. On this trip I saw two other vehicles on this section. Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge was created in 1936 to protect pronghorn antelope. I've been across it twice and seen only a couple of antelope, but the sheer emptiness and vastness of it makes it worth a visit.

The Hart Mountain natural hot springs. On my two visits there have been five or six tents in the area but only one or two visitors to the hot springs itself. Since the structure style is similar to other CCC structures at Hart Mountain, I suspect that this enclosure was built by them as well. However, I couldn't find any documentation that it was. Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge was created in 1936 to protect pronghorn antelope. I've been across it twice and seen only a couple of antelope, but the sheer emptiness and vastness of it makes it worth a visit.

The hot springs area, from a mile or so away. Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge was created in 1936 to protect pronghorn antelope. I've been across it twice and seen only a couple of antelope, but the sheer emptiness and vastness of it makes it worth a visit.

Headquarters buildings at Hart Mountain, built by the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps). Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge was created in 1936 to protect pronghorn antelope. I've been across it twice and seen only a couple of antelope, but the sheer emptiness and vastness of it makes it worth a visit.

Headquarters buildings at Hart Mountain, built by the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps). Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge was created in 1936 to protect pronghorn antelope. I've been across it twice and seen only a couple of antelope, but the sheer emptiness and vastness of it makes it worth a visit.

Along the western road to Hart Mountain. Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge was created in 1936 to protect pronghorn antelope. I've been across it twice and seen only a couple of antelope, but the sheer emptiness and vastness of it makes it worth a visit.

View over the Warner Wetlands, on the western side of the refuge. Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge was created in 1936 to protect pronghorn antelope. I've been across it twice and seen only a couple of antelope, but the sheer emptiness and vastness of it makes it worth a visit.

View over the Warner Wetlands, on the western side of the refuge. Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge was created in 1936 to protect pronghorn antelope. I've been across it twice and seen only a couple of antelope, but the sheer emptiness and vastness of it makes it worth a visit.

View over the Warner Wetlands, on the western side of the refuge. Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge was created in 1936 to protect pronghorn antelope. I've been across it twice and seen only a couple of antelope, but the sheer emptiness and vastness of it makes it worth a visit.

Description of the water line from when the Warner Valley was a lake. Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge was created in 1936 to protect pronghorn antelope. I've been across it twice and seen only a couple of antelope, but the sheer emptiness and vastness of it makes it worth a visit.

Water line from when the Warner Valley was a lake. Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge was created in 1936 to protect pronghorn antelope. I've been across it twice and seen only a couple of antelope, but the sheer emptiness and vastness of it makes it worth a visit.

West side of Hart Mountain. Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge was created in 1936 to protect pronghorn antelope. I've been across it twice and seen only a couple of antelope, but the sheer emptiness and vastness of it makes it worth a visit.

Site of the former Civilian Conservation Corp camp on the west side of Hart Mountain. Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge was created in 1936 to protect pronghorn antelope. I've been across it twice and seen only a couple of antelope, but the sheer emptiness and vastness of it makes it worth a visit.

Site of the former Civilian Conservation Corp camp on the west side of Hart Mountain. Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge was created in 1936 to protect pronghorn antelope. I've been across it twice and seen only a couple of antelope, but the sheer emptiness and vastness of it makes it worth a visit.

Site of the former Civilian Conservation Corp camp on the west side of Hart Mountain. I was told that this was the only remaining building and was the infirmary. A group of volunteers is working to restore the camp. Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge was created in 1936 to protect pronghorn antelope. I've been across it twice and seen only a couple of antelope, but the sheer emptiness and vastness of it makes it worth a visit.

Look across Warner Wetlands from the road along the western base of Hart Mountain. Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge was created in 1936 to protect pronghorn antelope. I've been across it twice and seen only a couple of antelope, but the sheer emptiness and vastness of it makes it worth a visit.

The next several photos are of a trip across Hart Mountain, which is in south eastern Oregon. The landscape in SE Oregon is nothing like what one imagines when thinking of Oregon, its more like high desert with very long vistas. Most of the road across Hart Mountain is graded gravel.

As you begin to climb up the west slope of Hart Mountain, you begin to get a perspective on the lakes to the west of it. I don't know the name of the mountain further west.