Introduction
Nestled out in the furthest reaches of southeastern Oregon, the Pillars of Rome is a sight to behold. This five by two-mile swath of multi-colored fossil-laden cliffs rest just West of the Owyhee River.
These highly textured cliff formations make a unique canvas onto which one can witness an amazing light display throughout the progression of a sunrise or sunset. If you enjoy stargazing, this extremely dark corner of the high desert provides fantastic conditions.
Reminiscent of ancient structures in the Italian city of Rome, these cliffs were a landmark to travelers traversing the Oregon Trail throughout the 1800s.
Dawn
Location
The Pillars of Rome lie just outside the tiny hamlet of Rome, Oregon along the ION Highway. Aside from Rome Station and a few ranches, not much else exists but open lands calling for adventure!
This entire region of Oregon is one of my favorite places to enjoy magnificent geological formations, endless starry skies, peace and quiet, as well as numerous hot springs and open wilderness. The two largest counties in Oregon, Malheur and Harney, make up this remote wilderness.
The drive to the cliffs is much easier than some of the other areas of interest in this corner of Oregon. From the main highway, a well maintained 4-mile gravel road heads North along riverfront pasture lands until a left turn is made onto Kiger Road near a grouping of mailboxes.
Please be aware that Kiger Road runs along public lands, but the fields leading directly up to the cliffs are on private ranch land and should only be accessed with permission from the property owner.
Daybreak
Where to Stay
Aside from wilderness camping, the hospitable family-owned Rome Station is the only option.
Rome Station has three cabins available for rent, a small area for RVs to park, a restaurant with great home cooked meals, and a fuel station. The rustic cabins are an ideal place for any traveler to rest.
During our stay, we enjoyed visiting with other guests and the owners. Our breakfast, consisting of fresh farm eggs and smoked bacon, was delicious!
In nearby Jordan Valley, we had an excellent dinner at Big Loop Pizza & Subs. Should you be out exploring the area, this is a wonderful spot to stop in for dinner one evening.
What to Do
The Pillars of Rome is an amazing location for photography or painting. Countless compositions exist from numerous viewpoints. Soft pastel colors illuminate the cliffs during blue hour and golden hour provides for an entirely different tonal range as the cliffs showcase warm orange and yellow hues.
Astrophotography is also superb at this location as it resides in one of the darkest regions of the entire state. The area hardly experiences any light pollution as the two closest larger cities are approximately two hours away.
Hiking is restricted to the path of the main dirt road as all ranch lands are private. However, the road has multiple pull out areas where a camp table and chairs could easily be set up to simply enjoy the surroundings.
Evening Pastels
Best Safety Practices
As the Pillars of Rome are only a few minutes off the main highway, no additional security precautions are necessary in addition to standard best practices. Food, fuel, and lodging are all within a relatively short distance.
However, should you plan to visit any of the other nearby areas of interest in this remote corner of Oregon, please be aware of the following:
As with any remote adventure, I highly recommend taking external fuel containers, a GPS communicator, tools, and large-scale paper maps. Let friends and family know of your travel plans, route, and trip duration before leaving.
Cellular service will likely not exist at many of the locations listed at the end of this article. As always, take any supplies to sustain your group for a few days should you run into an emergency or inclement weather. Conditions can be harsh in the high desert.
Pillars of Rome
Nearby Areas of Interest
Leslie Gulch (see previous blog)
Jordan Craters
Coffeepot Crater
Jean Baptiste Charbonneau grave - youngest member of Lewis & Clark expedition
Birch Creek Historic Ranch
Chalk Basin
Three Forks Recreation Site
Alvord Desert
Alvord Desert Hot Springs
Mickey Hot Springs
Steens Mountain
Travel Times
· From Boise - 2 hours
· From Portland – 7 hours
· From Salt Lake City – 7 hours
· From San Francisco – 8 hours
· From Seattle – 9 hours