Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

by Jamie Hale | The Oregonian, OregonLive

The Oregon Badlands are a remarkable slice of high desert. At first glance, the arid and landscape appears empty – save patches of sage, juniper trees and hardy rabbitbrush – but as you go deeper, fascinating features begin to rise up out of nowhere, showing off the true expanse of the place.



The first site to hit you is that of the old-growth junipers. With rich red bark and long, crooked branches, a lot of the trees in the Oregon Badlands have been around for several hundred years, with some reaching an incredible 1,500 years old. Most trees are barren by fall, but those with a second bloom have branches full of blue berries – richly scented when plucked and split open.



Junipers aside, the main draw at the badlands are the rocks. Or rather, the large, strange formations of lava rock that rise in small towers and rugged crags. They offer a good, though sometimes treacherous, opportunity for casual rock scramblers, and the view from their higher reaches is well worth the minimal effort.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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The wilderness area is just east of Bend, and while trails tend to offer constant views of distant buttes, a higher vantage point affords a look at far taller peaks: the Three Sisters and Mount Bachelor to the West.



While the combination of old-growth, lava rock and mountain views makes the badlands a place of true desert beauty, the human touches add another dimension, bringing focus to the present. The Oregon Badlands are home to ancient Native American petroglyphs, which pop up on weathered rocks, as well as remnants of white settlement, like an old stockman's shelter and a fenced-off cistern on the side of the trail.



But reminders of human occupation do little to change the overwhelming sense of isolation in the badlands. It's easy to find isolation here, in the vast, quiet expanse. This is no place for people, the desert seems to say – it's a place for dust, sage and ancient trees, their scraggly, red-barked arms watching over the land.

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FLATIRON-BADLANDS ROCK LOOP HIKE

Distance: 10 miles

Difficulty: Moderate

Amenities: Parking area at trailhead

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This is only one of many hikes in the Oregon Badlands Wildnerness, which is accessible by six trailheads on all sides. For this loop hike, start at the Flatiron Rock Trailhead, easily found on the northeast side of U.S. Route 20, just 13 miles outside of Bend. A dirt parking area is the only amenity you get, so bring plenty of water and a good pair of shoes.



Start the hike on the Flatiron Rock Trail, to the right of the trailhead, and follow the dusty path past juniper and sagebrush. Before long, you'll pass a junction with the Ancient Juniper Trail on the left. Continue straight past it and you'll soon reach a junction with the Homestead Trail. Pass that by as well, though by the end of your journey you'll wind up back at the same spot.



The trail winds through more of the same kind of terrain, briefly broken up by a marker of three metal diamonds nailed to a tree on your left. If you step off-trail at the marker, you can get to an old well and stockman's shelter, though be careful if you wander off trail, as it's easy to lose your way. Stay on the trail and eventually Flatiron Rock rises out of the sand, impossible to miss next to a sign marking a junction with the Castle Trail.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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This is another formation you can clamber over, but it's quite a bit trickier to navigate than the other two. A ring of rocks and log beneath a juniper suggests it's a popular spot to spend the night, but keep ringing the rock until you reach a sign for the Badlands Rock Trail. Turn right at the sign and follow the old jeep trail nearly 3 miles to the south.



This stretch can feel interminable, as the landscape changes little, undisturbed by rock formations. After a while, the trail begins to run parallel to a barbed-wire fence, passing through it between two tall junipers. Keep your eye on the right side of the trail and you'll soon spot a fenced-off cistern, partially filled with trash and debris.



Near the cistern is the junction with the Homestead Trail. Turn right and follow it another 2 miles to get back to the junction you passed by earlier. Turn left onto the Flatiron Rock trail, from which you can either head back to the start or tack on an extra 2 miles on the Ancient Juniper Trail. Either way, you'll wind up back at the trailhead dusty, dry and probably in need of a drink. Thankfully, nearby Bend has plenty to offer.

--Jamie Hale | jhale@oregonian.com | @HaleJamesB

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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