Page Springs Campground — Donner und Blitzen River Basecamp Below Steens Mountain

Page Springs sits on the Donner und Blitzen River at the foot of Steens Mountain, a few miles southeast of Frenchglen. It’s the camp most overlanders use to stage before running the Steens Mountain Loop. You get cottonwoods, juniper and sage, river noise at night, and a lot of birds. The desert floor is hot in summer, so the shade and water are welcome. Expect sites with tables and fire rings, and basic restrooms. Hookups aren’t part of the deal. Expect it to fill up on summer weekends and when the high road opens, so get in early.

Access is easy, with a short paved spur off Highway 205. Cell service is basically nonexistent, so sort your route and weather check in Frenchglen or before you leave pavement. The Loop Road climbs from here to Kiger Gorge and the East Rim, and the high country stays snowed in until late spring or early summer, so check conditions with BLM Burns District before you commit. Fees, site count and fire rules change. Verify with BLM ahead of time. Have a dirty day.

Riverside BLM camp at the foot of Steens