Eastern Oregon - Washington, Oregon and the Pacific Northwest - page 725

but you'll want to see the sights so give yourself much more time. You can also see the
eastern side of the Steens via the Fields-Denio Rd, which goes through the Alvord
Desert. Take a full gas tank and water, and be prepared for weather changes at any time
of year.
Sleeping & Eating
Frenchglen (population 12) has one charming hotel with dining room, a small store with
seasonal gas pump and not much else. There are camping options on the Steens Moun-
tain Loop Rd, such as the BLM's pretty Page Springs. A few other campgrounds, further
into the loop, are very pleasant but accessible in summer only; Page Springs is open
year-round. Water is available at all of these campgrounds (sites $6 to $8). Free back-
country camping is also allowed in the Steens.
Frenchglen Hotel HOTEL$
( 541-493-2825; [e-mail] ; 39184 Hwy 205, Frenchglen; d $75-115; mid-Mar-Oct;
) This historic hotel dates from the 1910s and features eight small but cute rooms,
all sharing outside baths. A newer section of the hotel (called the Drovers' Inn) has five
rooms, each with private bath. Dinners ($22 to $25; reservations required) are family
style and served promptly at 6:30pm. Breakfast and lunch is also available, without re-
servations.
Steens Mountain Wilderness Resort CAMPGROUND, CABIN$
( 800-542-3765; www.steensmountainresort.com ; 35678 Resort Lane, off Steens Mountain Loop
Rd; tent sites $15, RV sites $25-30, cabins $65-190; ) Three miles from Frenchglen, just
before Page Springs campground, this 'resort' has nine decent single-wide trailers ('mod-
ular cabins') of various sizes spread out over a sparse hillside with low trees. All have
kitchen areas; most require that you bring linens and bedding. Campsites and RV sites
are available.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Alvord Desert
Once a large, 200ft-deep lake, the stunning Alvord Basin is now a series of playas -
beige-white alkali beds that have resulted from centuries of evaporation. They alternate
startlingly with sagebrush prairies and old ranches, while Steens Mountain looms dra-