If you have been following my Explorations category here at the Northwest Moments, you know Liddy and I went down to the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in late October of 2020. An unexpected discovery while we were there was the wild horse management areas that the BLM maintains in the region. One such area is just south of Frenchglen in the Steens Mountain Wilderness.
Steens Mountain Wilderness Area
There is a sign just outside the Page Springs Campgrounds extols the virtues of the Steens Mountain Loop Road. A road that loops around the wilderness. Of course they do mention that there is a section that is recommended high clearance 4×4 vehicles only. That excluded Princess Prius from the tour. (Sometimes I wish 🤔)
Anyway, the south end of the loop is where I was told you want to go. This is where the Hollywood Horses live. Why the Hollywood Horses? Because they are pretty Pintos and they don’t mind posing for the camera.
Watching the Herd
I’m not going to say too much about these photos except for this story of Liddy and a Stallion, and its herd.
We drove a number of miles into the wilderness on this really good road, stopping to shoot the horses along the way. On the way out, we came across this herd sheltering under a copes of pine trees.
Liddy checks out a herd of wild horses at the Steens Mountain CMPA in Southeast Oregon
I let Liddy off of her leash and we ambled out into the meadow. What this shot doesn’t show, is the stallion that was standing over to our right looking quite looped, truth be known.
A pinto stallion takes note of Liddy as she is looking at his herd of wild horses at the Steens Mountain CMPA in Southeast Oregon.
Well… that look changed right quick when Liddy started getting close to his horses. He became extremely interested in our Liddy he did.
Not being one to cause a scene, I called Liddy back and all was good. The bonus out of the incident was the different and more animated poses we were given by the big guy as he kept an eye on Liddy and I.
It was a fun moment. We will be travelling back to the Steen Mountains this year some time. We are in Hawaii right now and hope to return to Utah in April. Maybe on the way back we will do some more exploring of this wonderful area.
Steen Mountain Horses – Gallery
A wild pinto slurps up water from a pond at the Steens Mountain CMPA in Southeast Oregon.
A wild horse stands in the grasslands of the Steens Mountain Wilderness. The Steens Mountain Wilderness is managed in cooperation with the local ranchers by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). It is a vast 500,000 acre region south of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. The South Steens Herd Management Area (HMA) is traversed by the South Steens Loop Road making it easy to spot and photograph these magnificent animals in the wild. The herds in this HMA are managed to maintain healthy Pinto specimens.
A trio of wild horses graze the grasslands of the Steens Mountain Wilderness. The Steens Mountain Wilderness is managed in cooperation with the local ranchers by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). It is a vast 500,000 acre region south of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. The South Steens Herd Management Area (HMA) is traversed by the South Steens Loop Road making it easy to spot and photograph these magnificent animals in the wild. The herds in this HMA are managed to maintain healthy Pinto specimens.
A pinto looks back at us in the Steens Mountain CMPA in Southeast Oregon
The Steens Mountain Wilderness is managed in cooperation with the local ranchers by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). It is a vast 500,000 acre region south of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. The South Steens Herd Management Area (HMA) is traversed by the South Steens Loop Road making it easy to spot and photograph these magnificent animals in the wild. The herds in this HMA are managed to maintain healthy Pinto specimens.
The Steens Mountain Wilderness is managed in cooperation with the local ranchers by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). It is a vast 500,000 acre region south of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. The South Steens Herd Management Area (HMA) is traversed by the South Steens Loop Road making it easy to spot and photograph these magnificent animals in the wild. The herds in this HMA are managed to maintain healthy Pinto specimens.
The Steens Mountain Wilderness is managed in cooperation with the local ranchers by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). It is a vast 500,000 acre region south of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. The South Steens Herd Management Area (HMA) is traversed by the South Steens Loop Road making it easy to spot and photograph these magnificent animals in the wild. The herds in this HMA are managed to maintain healthy Pinto specimens.
Liddy checks out a herd of wild horses at the Steens Mountain CMPA in Southeast Oregon
A herd of wild horses seek shade under juniper trees in the Steens Mountain CMPA in Southeast Oregon
A pinto stallion takes note of Liddy as she is looking at his herd of wild horses at the Steens Mountain CMPA in Southeast Oregon.
The Steens Mountain Wilderness is managed in cooperation with the local ranchers by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). It is a vast 500,000 acre region south of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. The South Steens Herd Management Area (HMA) is traversed by the South Steens Loop Road making it easy to spot and photograph these magnificent animals in the wild. The herds in this HMA are managed to maintain healthy Pinto specimens.
The Steens Mountain Wilderness is managed in cooperation with the local ranchers by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). It is a vast 500,000 acre region south of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. The South Steens Herd Management Area (HMA) is traversed by the South Steens Loop Road making it easy to spot and photograph these magnificent animals in the wild. The herds in this HMA are managed to maintain healthy Pinto specimens.
The Steens Mountain Wilderness is managed in cooperation with the local ranchers by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). It is a vast 500,000 acre region south of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. The South Steens Herd Management Area (HMA) is traversed by the South Steens Loop Road making it easy to spot and photograph these magnificent animals in the wild. The herds in this HMA are managed to maintain healthy Pinto specimens.
The Steens Mountain Wilderness is managed in cooperation with the local ranchers by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). It is a vast 500,000 acre region south of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. The South Steens Herd Management Area (HMA) is traversed by the South Steens Loop Road making it easy to spot and photograph these magnificent animals in the wild. The herds in this HMA are managed to maintain healthy Pinto specimens.
The Steens Mountain Wilderness is managed in cooperation with the local ranchers by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). It is a vast 500,000 acre region south of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. The South Steens Herd Management Area (HMA) is traversed by the South Steens Loop Road making it easy to spot and photograph these magnificent animals in the wild. The herds in this HMA are managed to maintain healthy Pinto specimens.
Looking west across the valley plains towards Warner Peak and the Harts Mountain National Antelope Refuge
A panoramic shot of the vast Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Southeastern Oregon