Trail Overview
Upper Cold Spring is a scenic 2.6-mile high-desert trail near Steens Mountain ideal for beginner and intermediate offroaders looking to explore rugged sagebrush terrain with panoramic mountain backdrops. Connecting Fish Lake Road to the crossroads of Grove Creek and Lower Cold Springs, this moderately trafficked route offers a true taste of Eastern Oregon's remote wilderness. It traverses elevations between 7,707 feet and 8,210 feet, featuring an overall elevation loss of roughly 460 feet. The trail winds along a fence line and primarily through expansive fields of sagebrush, presenting an unpaved, dirt-based track that is narrow with limited passing pullouts. Oncoming traffic may need to reverse in tight spots to allow passage.
With a technical difficulty rating of 3, the terrain consists mostly of easy dirt tracks interspersed with sections of fine moon dust and scattered large boulders. High-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicles and SxSs are recommended to easily navigate the rocky segments and avoid catching a differential on the larger rocks. Offroaders should remain vigilant for sharp boulders embedded along the trail's edge that can easily slice tire sidewalls. While there are no suitable spots for dispersed camping directly along this route, reliable communication is assisted by about two bars of Verizon LTE cell service.
