Hart Mountain is about as remote as you can get in Oregon. And that's a good thing, as it sports…read moreone of the few spots left that you can find pronghorn antelope running wild through the prairies. It's pretty damn amazing, if you ask me. Getting to Hart Mountain is a trek. We started out in Lakeview and headed northeast through Plush, then off across a wetlands and on to Hart Mountain Road. There's a point at which the pavement stops and the preserve begins. This marks your steep uphill traverse onto the plateau and into the grassland that is home for the roving herds of pronghorn. The main road cuts through the preserve and dead center is a small set of buildings housing research and park offices. You can continue on out the other side of the preserve, and it's a long, long trek to get out to any sort of pavement again. Keep your eyes peeled as you cruise down Hart Mountain to Frenchman road. We spotted a couple of different herds of antelope grazing out in the grasses, one near a small lake off a slight spur from the road. We were only able to get within about 100 yards of the antelope before they got skittish and bounced out (literally). But with good specs (protip, bring something with an optical zoom lens) you can see some cool stuff. There's really not much going on here, but if you have time on your hands and like seeing wildlife in its natural habitat, then this is a fine place to visit.

Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge is a treasure, and a bit of a surprise if you're not…read moreexpecting it. I drove through here on my way to Steens Mountain years ago and while Steens is undeniably dramatic, Hart NAR was no less amazing. Not expecting much between Lakeview and Frenchglen I was shocked to see the dramatic rise from Plush to the top of Hart Mountain as I approached from the Southwest. Hart was not my main destination so I had to drive through but even that simple drive was really breathtaking. Lots of antelope crossing the road to the N past the HQ. The smell of sage brush everywhere. I've been planning a return trip for years now! I make maps for a living and Hart turned into a small obsession for me. The result was a detailed digital mobile map, mostly for my use later, but also available online for anyone else who may want a mobile map of Hart NAR: https://www.avenzamaps.com/maps/68/ A word of caution, the main road is all washboard and can be pretty rough. Take is slow and air down your tires if you can. On my return home I pressed through a little fast without reducing air pressure and blew out a rear tire on my new to me FJ60. It was only then that I discovered that wheel had two different size lug nuts and I only had the wrench for one size! I limped over to the Hart Mountain NAR HQ (a grueling slow speed drive), where the staff were amazing and very helpful! Can't wait to go back, will drive slower next time!