Eastern Oregon - Washington, Oregon and the Pacific Northwest - page 726

matically to the west. The 66-mile, gravel Fields-Denio Rd (slowly being paved)
between the hamlet of Fields and Hwy 78, is well maintained and open year-round.
About 23 miles north of Fields is rustic but worthy Alvord Hot Springs (fee $5) ; look
for the small metal shelter 100yd off the road. Some 30 miles north of Fields, a side road
goes a few miles to Mickey Hot Springs , a miniature Yellowstone with bubbling mud
pots, steam vents and - beware - pools too hot for bathing (keep dogs leashed). Mann
Lake , 42 miles north of Fields, offers fishing, birdwatching and primitive campsites (no
water).
There's free backcountry camping around the edge of the Alvord Desert (windy).
There's also camping down a dirt road directly across from Alvord Hot Springs. Bring
food, water and sun protection; there are no services or cell service along the
Fields-Denio Rd. For more details, contact the BLM office ( Click here ) in Hines.
In the hamlet of Fields, Fields Station ( 541-495-2275; www.thefieldsstation.com ; 22276
Fields Dr; store 8am-6pm Mon-Sat, 9am-5pm Sun, cafe 8am-4:30pm Mon-Sat, 9am-4:30pm
Sun) has a small store and a cafe. It's a near- mandatory stop for gas, snacks, good bur-
gers and sublime milkshakes. Rooms are available to rent here ($65). There's also the
tiny Alvord Inn ( 541-589-0575; www.alvordinn.com ; d $70) ; minimum two-night stay.

TOP OF CHAPTER

Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge
From the tiny town of Plush, Hart Mountain Rd crosses the Warner Lakes Basin, climbs
into the spectacular, near-vertical Hart Mountain fault block (peak elevation over 8000ft)
and emerges onto the prairie-like expanses of the Hart Mountain National Antelope
Refuge. Roughly 3700 pronghorn antelope are protected within the refuge's 435 sq miles
- a shadow of the millions of pronghorns that once roamed North America, but at least
the population has remained steady.
Pronghorns are not true antelopes, and have horns rather than antlers, shedding only
the outer hairy sheath and growing a new covering each year. Pronghorns are the world's
second-fastest land animal (after the cheetah), having been clocked at more than 60mph.
The refuge also protects bighorn sheep, reintroduced to Hart Mountain in the 1950s
and now living on the steep western side of the refuge. Cougar, bobcat, coyote, mule deer
and a wide variety of birds (including sage grouse) inhabit the area.
Hart Mountain has an extensive network of 4WD trails and single-tracks through isol-
ated areas, making for good hiking and mountain biking. At Petroglyph Lake , a short
loop around the lake makes for great petroglyph-spotting, or hike along Skyline Drive