Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge is a

National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge System is a designation for certain protected areas of the United States managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The National Wildlife Refuge System is the system of public lands and waters set aside to c ...

Hart Mountain Hart Mountain is a fault-block mountain, in Lake County, Oregon, U.S. It lies about to the east of Lakeview. It is sometimes confused with a mountain range, but is more properly described as a mountain. The two highest peaks are Warner Peak a ...

in southeastern

Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...

, which protects more than and more than 300 species of wildlife, including

pronghorn The pronghorn (, ) (''Antilocapra americana'') is a species of artiodactyl (even-toed, hoofed) mammal indigenous to interior western and central North America. Though not an antelope, it is known colloquially in North America as the American a ...

bighorn sheep The bighorn sheep (''Ovis canadensis'') is a species of sheep native to North America. It is named for its large horns. A pair of horns might weigh up to ; the sheep typically weigh up to . Recent genetic testing indicates three distinct subspec ...

mule deer The mule deer (''Odocoileus hemionus'') is a deer indigenous to western North America; it is named for its ears, which are large like those of the mule. Two subspecies of mule deer are grouped into the black-tailed deer. Unlike the related whit ...

sage grouse Sage-grouse are grouse belonging to the bird genus ''Centrocercus.'' The genus includes two species: the Gunnison grouse (''Centrocercus minimus'') and the greater sage-grouse (''Centrocercus urophasianus''). These birds are distributed through ...

, and

Great Basin redband trout The Great Basin redband trout (''Oncorhynchus mykiss newberrii'') is one of three redband trout subspecies of the rainbow trout in the western United States. The Great Basin redband trout is native to drainages in south central Oregon east of th ...

. The refuge, created in 1936 as a range for remnant herds of pronghorn, spans habitats ranging from high desert to shallow

playa lake Playa (plural playas) may refer to: Landforms * Endorheic basin, also known as a sink, alkali flat or sabkha, a desert basin with no outlet which periodically fills with water to form a temporary lake * Dry lake, often called a ''playa'' in the so ...

s, and is among the largest wildlife habitats containing no domestic livestock.

Protected status

Since its creation as an antelope reserve, management of the refuge has broadened to include conservation of all wildlife species characteristic of this high desert habitat and restoration of native ecosystems for the public's enjoyment, education, and appreciation. The area's protected status has been remarked upon by former Supreme Court Justice

William O. Douglas William Orville Douglas (October 16, 1898January 19, 1980) was an American jurist who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, who was known for his strong progressive and civil libertarian views, and is often c ...

Recreational activities

* Wildlife photography and observation are the most popular refuge activities. There are permanent blinds throughout the refuge. * Hiking is encouraged, but trails are not maintained, though most of the terrain permits cross-country hiking. * Backpacking is the only way to experience remote parts of the refuge. * Camping is free, but there are no reservations, and there is a 14-day limit. Generators and power equipment are prohibited. * Bicycling is limited to roads open to motor vehicles, but the rough roads require sturdy bikes. * Fishing is allowed in a few locations, with an Oregon fishing license. * Hunting is permitted for a very limited number of deer, pronghorn and bighorn sheep. * Rock collecting is limited to per day, only surface objects may be collected, Digging and blasting are not allowed. The nearby

Bureau of Land Management The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior responsible for administering federal lands. Headquartered in Washington DC, and with oversight over , it governs one eighth of the country's la ...

Sunstone Sunstone is a microcline or oligoclase feldspar, which when viewed from certain directions exhibits a spangled appearance. It has been found in Southern Norway, Sweden, various United States localities and on some beaches along the midcoast of ...

mine is a source for the Oregon state gemstone.

Logistics

None of the refuge's roads are paved, and most are not passable by passenger autos. A few roads are graded, but most are dirt ruts ("jeep trails"). No services are available within the refuge, except compressed air, potable water, and a restroom at the refuge's headquarters. The nearest fuel and grocery is in

Plush Plush (from French language, French ) is a textile having a cut nap (textile), nap or pile (textile), pile the same as fustian or velvet. Its softness of feel gave rise to the adjective "plush" to describe something soft or luxurious, which was e ...

, west, and Frenchglen, east. Lakeview, southwest, is the nearest city with basic services such as vehicle repair, lodging, and medical care. Accommodations are available in Frenchglen.

Wildlife

The diverse habitat supports diverse wildlife: There are 239 bird species, 42 species of mammal, and at least eight species of reptile, including

rattlesnake Rattlesnakes are venomous snakes that form the genera ''Crotalus'' and ''Sistrurus'' of the subfamily Crotalinae (the pit vipers). All rattlesnakes are vipers. Rattlesnakes are predators that live in a wide array of habitats, hunting small anim ...

bull snake ''Pituophis'' is a genus of nonvenomous colubrid snakes, commonly referred to as gopher snakes, pine snakes, and bullsnakes, which are endemic to North America. Geographic range Species and subspecies within the genus ''Pituophis'' are found th ...

eastern yellowbelly racer ''Coluber constrictor flaviventris'', commonly known as the eastern yellow-bellied racer, is a subspecies of the eastern racer, non-venomous colubrid snake. It is endemic to North America. Description The eastern yellow-bellied racer is a thi ...

, and various lizards. Residents active year round include

deer Deer or true deer are hoofed ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. The two main groups of deer are the Cervinae, including the muntjac, the elk (wapiti), the red deer, and the fallow deer; and the Capreolinae, including the reindeer ...

bobcat The bobcat (''Lynx rufus''), also known as the red lynx, is a medium-sized cat native to North America. It ranges from southern Canada through most of the contiguous United States to Oaxaca in Mexico. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUC ...

coyote The coyote (''Canis latrans'') is a species of canis, canine native to North America. It is smaller than its close relative, the wolf, and slightly smaller than the closely related eastern wolf and red wolf. It fills much of the same ecologica ...

marmot Marmots are large ground squirrels in the genus ''Marmota'', with 15 species living in Asia, Europe, and North America. These herbivores are active during the summer, when they can often be found in groups, but are not seen during the winter, w ...

squirrel Squirrels are members of the family Sciuridae, a family that includes small or medium-size rodents. The squirrel family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels (including chipmunks and prairie dogs, among others), and flying squirrels. Squ ...

, and

rabbit Rabbits, also known as bunnies or bunny rabbits, are small mammals in the family Leporidae (which also contains the hares) of the order Lagomorpha (which also contains the pikas). ''Oryctolagus cuniculus'' includes the European rabbit speci ...

. Most birds are seasonal.

Golden eagle The golden eagle (''Aquila chrysaetos'') is a bird of prey living in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the most widely distributed species of eagle. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. They are one of the best-known bird of p ...

, sandhill crane, colorful

, and numerous migratory species. The pronghorn are North America's fastest land animal, capable of speeds up to , run free across the upland sagebrush at the east side. Bighorn sheep prefer the rocky cliffs of the refuge's west side. Numerous shallow lakes, grassy spring fed meadows attract the greatest variety of species. Bighorn sheep were eliminated by disease and hunting in this area by 1915. Reintroduction began in 1954 from

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

stock. There are now approximately 300 bighorn sheep.

Cattle Grazing

Cattle grazing in the refuge caused damage including overgrazing, eroded stream banks, trampled springs, damaged aspen groves, and destroyed wildlife habitat. In 1994, cattle grazing was banned inside the refuge. A study published in 2015 described the recovery of the landscape after cattle were removed, the return of vegetation including aspens, rushes, and willows, and the restoration of riparian areas. A Public Broadcasting System documentary, "Rewilding a Mountain," was made about that recovery.

References

External links

* * * {{authority control National Wildlife Refuges in Oregon Protected areas of Lake County, Oregon Wetlands of Oregon 1936 establishments in Oregon Landforms of Lake County, Oregon Protected areas established in 1936