The Badlands, named in the 1920's for its lack of forage and harsh terrain, is a surprisingly undisturbed area located just east of Bend.  The elevation ranges from 3,376 feet to 3,800 feet, making it a place to visit year-round, even in the winter when Central Oregon’s other wilderness areas are covered in snow.

Badlands geology

The Badlands Wilderness Study Area holds a number of remarkable landforms and geologic features.  This area formed from a rootless basaltic vent, associated with Newberry volcano.  Lava flowed out of this vent, or hole, and created the Badlands shield volcano.  The remains of this vent is an irregularly shaped pit crater, located about 1500 feet northeast of milepost 15 on Highway 20.  Around 80,000 years ago, lava flowed slowly out of this hole onto the surrounding terrain. The outer layer cooled while it moved, and the inner lava pushed up the cooled lava to form pressure ridges such as Badlands Rock and Flatiron Rock. Windblown volcanic ash from Mt. Mazama and eroded lava make up the sandy soil that covers the low places amid the lava features.

Badlands plants

Native vegetation in the Badlands has had to adapt to the less than 12 inches of rain that falls here each year.  Western juniper tree, protected from fire by the rocky outcroppings, can live to be over 1,000 years old. The oldest dated tree in Oregon is nearby and is estimated to be over 1,600 years old.

Dominant shrubs within the Badlands include big sagebrush and rabbitbrush. The predominant bunchgrasses are Idaho fescue and bluebunch wheatgrass.  In the spring, the area blooms with a variety of wildflowers, including yellow Oregon sunshine, dwarf purple monkeyflower, sulfur buckwheat, indian paintbrush, and mariposa lily.

Badlands animals

The Badlands Wilderness Study Area provides a home for many species of wildlife.  Some of the most common animals are black-tailed jackrabbits and mule deer.  Other mammals in the area include elk, pronghorn antelope, cottontail rabbits, coyotes, and six species of lizards.  One of the most enchanting and endangered animals found in the Badlands is the sage grouse, which may nest in the area and is a candidate for listing as an endangered species.  Other birds that nest in the area include golden eagles and prairie falcons.  Birders may be interested to note that over 100 species of birds may be found in the Badlands area.