Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge
| Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge | |
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IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)
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Warner Valley from Hart Mountain, looking southwest
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| Location | Lake County, Oregon, USA |
| Nearest city | Lakeview |
| Coordinates | 42°32′58″N 119°39′20″W / 42.5493254°N 119.6555036°WCoordinates: 42°32′58″N 119°39′20″W / 42.5493254°N 119.6555036°W |
| Area | 270,608 acres (422.825 sq mi; 1,095.11 km2) |
| Established | 1936 |
| Governing body | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
| Website | Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge |
Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge on Hart Mountain in southeastern Oregon, which protects more than 422 square miles (1,090 km2) and more than 300 species of wildlife, including pronghorn, bighorn sheep, mule deer, sage grouse, and Great Basin redband trout. The refuge, created in 1936 as a range for remnant herds of pronghorn, spans habitats ranging from high desert to shallow playa lakes, and is among the largest wildlife habitats containing no domestic livestock.
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:
I always feel sad leaving Hart Mountain. Yet after I travel a few hours and turn to see its great bulk against a southern sky my heart rejoices. This refuge will leave our grandsons and granddaughters an inheritance of the wilderness that no dollars could recreate. Here they will find life teeming throughout all the life zones that lead from the desert to alpine meadows.
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 of any kind 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, 25 miles (40 km) west, and Frenchglen, 50 miles (80 km) east. Lakeview, 65 miles (105 km) southwest, is the nearest city with basic services such as vehicle repair, lodging, and medical care. Accommodations are available in Frenchglen.
The diverse habitat supports diverse wildlife: There are 239 bird species, 42 species of mammal, and at least eight species of reptile, including rattlesnake, bull Snake, Eastern Yellowbelly Racer, and various lizards.
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