Tiny Frenchglen, Oregon is way the heck out there in the middle of nowhere. Its location in the southeastern Oregon Outback is perfect, though, as a launching spot for an adventure in the Steens Mountain Wilderness. Opportunities for wildlife watching (including herds of wild horses) are a big tourist draw, as is the drive to the top of Steens Mountain.
My Visit
I spent years trying to come up with a vacation itinerary that would take me to remote southeastern Oregon. Every time, I just couldn’t make it work. A visit to Frenchglen and Steens Mountain would take too much time, and it was just too remote to fit into any plan. So, I skipped southeastern Oregon, again and again.
That is, until 2013. And wouldn’t you know it, I ended up in the Oregon desert, during some very lousy, very un-desert-like weather.
The entire drive south from Burns was rainy, but when I pulled into Frenchglen, it was merely a drizzle. I parked the car, and decided I’d explore the entire town on foot. That’s not hard to do, when you’re in a town with a population of 12.
The most notable landmark in town is the Frenchglen Hotel. It’s a State Heritage Site that dates back to 1917, and nowadays it’s operated by Oregon State Parks. One night will run you about $75, but you can also stop by for a family-style meal.
Staying here wouldn’t be a bad idea, if you’re planning on a day of exploring the Steens Mountain Wilderness nearby. Just remember, aside from dinner, there won’t be much else to do. There’s no TV or telephone, and your cell phone might not work.
Elsewhere around town, Frenchglen has a K-8 school…
… and a building that apparently used to be a gas station (there are some modern gas pumps nearby, in case you didn’t fill up in Burns).
This building is boarded up and abandoned. Next door, however…
… the Frenchglen Mercantile is still in business. I was hoping for some exciting Frenchglen souvenirs, but this is more of a “basics” place.
The best reason to go inside is for a cold drink, maybe some snacks, and to check out a few of the antiques that are on display, like that old washing machine…
… and the old post office sign, up on the top shelf.
Outside, there’s one of these boxes with some kind of a telephone inside it. I did some research and discovered that they used to be fairly common, back in the dark ages. My Bluetooth device wasn’t able to connect to the phone, so I can’t confirm that this is, indeed, some kind of communications device. But if it is, it may very well be the only way to reach the outside world from Frenchglen.
I was most excited to visit Frenchglen, because it’s the starting point of an excellent dirt backroad, that leads all the way up to the top of Steens Mountain — the high point of the wilderness area, at 9,733 feet. Sure, the weather was lousy, but I wasn’t going to let that spoil my trip to the top.
Now let’s think about this for a moment. I was in Frenchglen, elevation 4,203 feet, in a cold, drizzly rain, and I was planning to drive to the top of a mountain, gaining more than 5,500 feet of elevation. I wonder if I might run into…
… some snow? Why yes, I might. And I did. It started off as a few flurries, and a thin dusting. No problem, I thought. I’m in a 4-wheel-drive vehicle. I should be fine.
I pressed on until I reached this point. True, the snow wasn’t very deep, just yet. But, the muddy slush on the dirt road was starting to frighten me. Worse yet, the prospect of turning out of those ruts, in order to make a multi-point turn, was also pretty intimidating. But, I knew it wasn’t going to get any better.
I made the turn safely, took a few pictures, and then headed back downhill.
Even in the rainy, cloudy weather, the lower end of the road was quite pretty. I’m sure it’s a remarkable view from higher up. I’ll have to swing by, the next time I’m in the area, and try to do it again.
The Bottom Line
If you’re exploring southeastern Oregon, you can’t help but drive through Frenchglen. Stop for a few minutes and see it all. If the weather is favorable, take the drive up Steens Mountain. If it’s rainy in Frenchglen, keep in mind that it might be snowy at higher elevations.
Location
Frenchglen is located about an hour’s drive south of Burns, Oregon — which itself is located several hours from anywhere. From Bend, Oregon, drive two hours east on US 20 to Burns, then turn south on Route 205 and drive for another hour.
Frenchglen is located 72 miles north of the Nevada/Oregon state line, and the town of Denio (don’t expect a big casino). You’d have to drive 100 more miles south to the next sizeable town, Winnemucca, Nevada.
There are no east-west routes out of Frenchglen, aside from primitive backroads.
Drivelapse Video
Check out this time-lapse, dash-cam video of the drive around Burns, then south to Frenchglen: