Spring Basin Wilderness

[retired jerry]

Anyone been to Spring Basin Wilderness?

It's a few miles Southeast of Clarno in central Oregon

It became a wilderness in 2009. It's not real big - 5 miles wide and 3 miles tall. Adjacent to John Day River. Maybe big enough to spend a couple nights exploring. Probably better for day hike.

[cfm]

No, but I look forward to learning about it from your report Jerry!

[BrianEdwards]

Back when I used to hunt, I've twice hiked those hills. The times I went, even in hunting season, I didn't see anyone up in the hills. There were hunters driving Clarno Road, but the hills were vast and empty. I don't know which canyon it was, but one time I hiked a fairly large canyon up to its end and sat under a small rock outcropping. Didn't see any bucks, but the solitude up in that canyon was very appreciated for it being opening day of hunting season. Especially in a unit with very little public land accessible by truck. As far as scenic value, the area looks like anything you can see from the highway ( I don't recall anything extra curricular.). But there are several high points I believe with some rocky area and views of the river.

There's not a lot of evidence of humans for the most part that I seen. There's evidence in some areas of past grazing animals, but their old trails make side hilling easy. I never seen any running water in the two drainages that I spent some days in, but I wasn't pursuing it or springs. Even the really big canyon I hiked was dry, but that's no surprise. I don't have any pictures as I didn't see any bucks. I'd compare the area kinda to the Deschutes. Lots of brown grass with tall hills and ridges. I wonder if there's anything established/developed in there?

[retired jerry]

Thanks

Since it just became wilderness there is little developed.

They said there's a couple old jeep roads and you can walk cross country, sort of like you said.

Maybe I'll check it out.

It's good because it's east and fairly low elevation where it doesn't rain so much.

Somewhere it said there's a year-round spring approximately in the middle. I see one on the USGS map, but the BLM person wasn't sure about that.

[backcountryhunter]

Check out ONDA's web site for info on Spring Basin.

www.onda.org

[Koda]

Somewhere it said there's a year-round spring approximately in the middle. I see one on the USGS map, but the BLM person wasn't sure about that.

I see two on the map Jerry, the one on Horse Mountain I'd bet is it based on the color vegetation layer (?) immediately adjacent to it.


Looks like a gem for winter backpacking, would love to read a TR

[retired jerry]

Somewhere I read there was a year-round spring in the center of the area - that would match the West side of Horse Mountain.

I talked to an official on the phone and he was uncertain - it being the desert you can never be sure

I was thinking about doing a trip, but then all the snow reports scared me off. Then Jessbee did a trip report for the same area so now I am ashamed

Maybe in the near future. My car is only fair in the snow.

Take 197 South from The Dalles towards Bend, then go East on Oregon 293 to Antelope and then 218 to Clarno - no huge passes or anything so it looks doable.

I'll do a trip report if I go there.

There aren't long multi-day trails or anything but might be good for a couple days. Fairly low elevation along the John Day River should be good in the winter.

[jessbee]

Yeah, I've never heard of it either so I'd be curious to read what you find out when you go there . Roads should be accessible in that area.

[Cascadialiving]

After not being able to find a shuttle for my favorite winter trail, the Rogue River Trail, I turned to Spring Basin.

Before reading this I ended up calling the Prineville BLM office and they told me not to count on any springs. But I'm going to go out for a few nights soon and try to document flow of the two springs I saw on the map listed above.

I'll post in here about it once I'm home!

[retired jerry]

Rubbing it in - thanks Jessbee

CL - post a report if you go there - I will

Actually it looks pretty easy to get there except in winter blizzards

I was watching a PBS show about the Rajneeshies. They were just across the river from Spring Basin. And they took over the town of Antelope. I wonder if there's any remnants.