Road 6109 towards Green Mountain Lookout

Road 5-12 North
(From junction of Road 6109)

Road 6109
(Viewed from junction of Road 5-12)

Sign on Road 6109
(Viewed from junction of Road 5-12)

Junction of Road 5-12 and Road 6109

Road 5-12 South
(From junction of Road 6109)

From Christmas Valley, OR
Take Road 5-14 east 1 mile
Turn left on Road 6019D
(Crack In the Ground Road)
Crack In the Ground 7 Miles
Green Mountain CG 12 1/2 Miles

Crack In The Ground

Crack In The Ground

Crack In The Ground
LATITUDE: N 43°19.960
LONGITUDE: W 120°40.275
From the parking area it is about 1/4 mile to
Crack In The Ground. Just as the name implies
there is Crack In The Ground. A trail takes
you inside the Crack In The Ground
Not suitable for persons with claustrophobia
It is moderately difficult with only a couple places
you need to use caution. During winter months
after snowing, it will take longer to melt because
the trail is always in the shade.

Crack In the Ground Parking Area
Viewed from Road 6109D

Christmas Valley Sand Dunes

Christmas Valley Sand Dunes

Christmas Valley Sand Dunes

CHRISTMAS VALLEY SAND DUNES
LATITUDE: N 43°21.184
LONGITUDE: W 120°23.160
Elevation: 4300'
(GPS from Junipers Camp Information Board)
Christmas Valley Sand Dunes are only a couple
miles from Green Mountain.. There are dispersed
and primitive camping areas.

Dispersed Camp on Road 5-12B
LATITUDE: N 43°25.020
LONGITUDE: W 120°47.060

Spur road north from above dispersed camp

South from above dispersed camp

A Path to the Past
10,000 Years of Homesteading

PHOTO HERE
Radar Towers in Christmas Valley.
(Photo from the 1980's)

During the cold war the US Military
built radar towers, making Christmas
Valley a nuclear target for the USSR.
The school kids were taught to duck,
cover, and kiss your xxx good-bye.
Towers have since been dismantled.

Map at the Information Board on Highway 140

Map at the Sand Dunes Information Board

Camp in Designated Sites Only

No gathering or cutting firewood in the Lost Forest and Sand Dunes
- You must bring your own firewood.
- Firewood is for sale in Christmas Valley at Valley Foods

Wilderness study areas are public lands that are
identified as having wilderness characteristics:
• minimum size of 5000 acres of contiguous land
• roadless
• possess outstanding opportunities for solitude
or for primitive and unconfined types of recreation.

Sand Dunes Road
Road# 6151 at Information Kiosk

There are several camp areas near the
Sand Dunes and in the Lost Forest.

Fossil Lake
Normally this is a dry lake, but after heavy rains
there area areas of water. Photo taken at sunset,
just as the sun was disappearing over the horizon.

Sign at Fossil Lake

FOSSIL LAKE
LATITUDE: N 43°19.977
LONGITUDE: W 120°28.780
ELEVATION: 4289'
(GPS from sign at end of Five Acre Road)
When we were kids would visit Fossil Lake

Snail Fossil at Fossil Lake

Fossil Lake has been important for scientific
study since 1877 when fossils were first collected
here. Paleontologists have identified 23 species of
mammals, 74 species of birds, 6 species of fish,
and 6 species of mollusk from their fossils. These
fossils are from 10,000 to 2,000,000 years old
(Pleistocene Era) creatures which lived here included
horses, camels, ground sloths, mammoths, flamingos,
pelicans, swans, salmon, and snails.
This area was the bottom of ancient Fort Rock Lake, a
vast lake 200 feet deep when the climate became more arid.
The lake dried up animals that swam in the lake and walked
the shores remain today as the fossils which gave the area
it's name.
To protect these fragile remains the Bureau Of Land
Management has closed 6,540 acres to all vehicles.
Please comply with the closure and help protect this
irreplaceable legacy. You are welcome to explore on
foot, but the antiquities act of 1906 prohibits the
collection of fossils to preserve scientific values.

Power lines across Fossil Lake
It is getting more impossible to take nature
photos without power lines.

Are these piles from people sifting the soil for fossils?
You take a shovel full of soil and sift it through a screen.
These days it is illegal to collect fossils...

Eagle or Osprey Tracks???

PHOTO HERE
Christmas Valley Store

Dispersed Camp
LATITUDE: N 43°25.020
LONGITUDE: W 120°47.063
Near the Jct. of Road 5-12 and Road 6109

Hole In the Ground

HOLE IN THE GROUND
LATITUDE: N 43°24.775
LONGITUDE: W 121°12.321
(GPS from west rim of Hole In the Ground)
Highway 31 / MP 22
Take Road 3125 for 3 miles
Take Road 3130 for 1 mile

Harris Schoolhouse
South from Summer Lake, OR
Highway 31 near MP 74

Big Horn Painting at Scenic Byway Kiosk
Highway 31 near MP 70
Across from Summer Lake Store

Warner Canyon Ski Area
LATITUDE: N 42°14.284
LONGITUDE: W 120°17.790
GPS from entrance gate
Highway 140 near MP 4
10 miles from Lakeview, OR

DIRECTIONS:
From LaPine, OR
Take Hwy 31 / MP 29 - 30
Turn on Fort Rock Road
Continue past Fort Rock a couple miles
Turn left on Derricks Cave Road
Turn right on Road 5-12B
Turn on Road 6109 towards Green Mountain

From Lakeview, OR
Take Hwy 31 / MP 54
Take Road 5-14 / Arrow Gap Road
2 miles past Christmas Valley Store
Turn on Road 6019D / Crack In The Ground Road
Crack In The Ground 7 miles
Green Mountain Campground 12 12/2 mile

Snow on Road 5-14B
It melted by mid-morning...
March 22, 2010

MILEAGE CHART:
Highway 31 / MP 54 and Arrow Gap Road

Silver Lake LaPine Lakeview Christmas Valley

3 Miles 55 Miles 88 Miles 18 Miles

Derricks Cave Road and Road 5-12B

Fort Rock GS Derrick Cave Fort Rock Green Mountain Crack-In-Ground Sand Dunes

2 Miles 8 Miles 13 Miles 9 Miles 15 Miles 28 Miles

Road 6109D towards Green Mountain

ROAD CONDITIONS:
Road 6109 is dirt with some washboards
RVs not recommended

Drinking water at Christmas Valley Library

Broken Arrowhead near Fossil Lake
It is a federal crime to collect or disturb artifacts,
even a broken arrowhead.

Fort Rock Sagebrush Sandals.
In 1938, archaeologist Luther Cressman found
dozens of 9,000 - 10,000 year old sagebrush
sandals in Fort Rock Cave.

Picture Rock Pass Petroglyphs

These petroglyphs are used for most of the
tourist brochures and information guides in
Lake County.

PICTURE ROCK PASS PETROGLYPHS
LATITUDE: N 43°02.880
LONGITUDE: W 120°48.020
Petroglyphs on Highway 31 / MP 63
Six miles north from Summer Lake, OR
There are more petroglyphs in the area.

Woodpecker making a lot of noise

WILDLIFE:
Saw a brown bear on Road#24
(Near the junction of Hwy.31)
Almost hit deer driving at night

Historic Structure on Road 5-14C

Fort Rock north from Silver Lake, OR
You used to be able to camp anywhere at Fort Rock.
There was a road up the middle and almost to the top.
If you walked around the circumference, would be
guaranteed to find an arrowhead.

View of Fort Rock in the Distance

Historic Fort Rock Cemetery

FORT ROCK CEMETERY
LATITUDE: N 43°22.245
LONGITUDE: W 121°03.828
There was a grave marker that said
Killed By Sheriffs Pose 1913, but it
has disappeared???

Cabin Lake Campground

CABIN LAKE CAMPGROUND
LATITUDE: N 43°29.708
LONGITUDE: W 121°03.441
Primitive Campground...

Pine Mountain Observatory

PINE MOUNTAIN OBSERVATORY
LATITUDE: N 43°47.452
LONGITUDE: W 120°56.579
Elevation around 6300'

Prineville Reservoir
Viewed from Roberts Bay East #1 Campground

ROBERTS BAY RECREATION AREA
LATITUDE: N 44°06.810
LONGITUDE: W 120°42.020
Salt Creek Road for 8 miles

Crooked River
Viewed from Lower Palisades Campground

LOWER CROOKED RIVER
The Lower Crooked River National Back Country Byway
has some spectacular scenery and views. The Crooked River
carves it's way through old looking canyons of
Columnar Basalt...

Also see: ALDER SPRINGS
Also see: CABIN LAKE
Also see: COTTONWOOD MEADOW LAKE
Also see: DOG LAKE CAMPGROUND
Also see: HEAD OF THE RIVER C.G.
Also see: MANN LAKE
Also see: NEWBERRY CRATER and MONUMENT
Also see: PAISLEY / ROAD#33
Also see: PINE MOUNTAIN OBSERVATORY
Also see: STEENS MOUNTAIN
Also see: THOMPSON RESERVOIR
Also see: WICKIUP RESERVOIR / ROAD#090
Also see: WICKIUP RESERVOIR / ROAD#4260
Also see: WICKIUP RESERVOIR / ROAD#4280
Also see: WICKIUP RESERVOIR / ROAD#4370
Also see: WICKIUP RESERVOIR / ROAD#44

Google Custom Map by Ian

OREGON FREE CAMPGROUND MAP
Google custom map by Ian with most of the
free campgrounds in Oregon.

EAST FORT ROCK OHV TRAIL SYSTEM
West from Pine Mountain Observatory.
Camping is permitted at all the trailheads
and staging areas, as well as any existing
dispersed camps.
CAMP II TRAILHEAD
ROAD 25 STAGING AREA
CHINA HAT CAMPGROUND
ROAD 2510 STAGING AREA
SOUTH LAVA TRAILHEAD
SAND SPRINGS

Summer Lake is mostly a Salt Flat

Summer Lake

This day the winds were kicking up a dust storm.

FREMONT-WINEMA NATIONAL FORESTS MORE ESTABLISHED CAMPGROUNDS BLY RANGER DISTRICT Corral Creek Forest Camp Holbrook Reservoir Forest Camp Lofton Reservoir Campground LAKEVIEW RANGER DISTRICT Cottonwood Meadows Lake Deep Creek Forest Camp Dismal Creek Forest Camp Dog Lake Campground Drews Creek Campground Mud Creek Forest Camp Overton Reservoir Vee Lake Camp Willow Creek Forest Camp PAISLEY RANGER DISTRICT Campbell Lake Campground Chewaucan Crossing Campground Clear Springs Forest Camp Dairy Point Forest Camp Deadhorse Creek Forest Camp Deadhorse Lake Campground Happy Camp Campground Jones Crossing Forest Camp Lee Thomas Campground Marsters Spring Campground Pike's Crossing Forest Camp Rock Creek Forest Camp Sandhill Crossing Campground Upper Jones Forest Camp SILVER LAKE RANGER DISTRICT Alder Springs East Bay Campground Silver Creek Marsh Campground Thompson Campground BLM RECREATION SITES Dog Lake Campground Gerber BLM Recreation Site IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO KNOW WHAT FIRE RESTRICTIONS ARE IN EFFECT Shovel, ax, and 5 gallons of water may be required Leather gloves and fire extinguisher recommended.

Shower House at Virgin Valley Campground

SHELDON NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
Located in Nevada on Highway 140
South from Lakeview, OR
Badger
Bateman Spring
Big Spring Reservoir
Catnip Reservoir
Devaney
East Rock Spring
Fish Spring
Gooch Spring
Little Catnip Spring
North Hell Creek
Virgin Valley
West Rock Spring
Wheeler Spring

Bend, OR

Camped here Feb.21, 2010
There were still areas of snow on the ground.

Litter on Highway 31 / MP 13
This doesn't represent the majority of people.

CAMPGROUND INDEX
Complete free campground listing

CAMPING ADVICE AND TIPS

TOURIST PHOTOS

Bend, OR

www.eugenecarsey.com

dispersedcampgrounds.com
Free campgrounds and camping
OREGON CAMPGROUND DIRECTORY
GREEN MOUNTAIN CAMPGROUND
CHRISTMAS VALLEY