Can you reserve a site at Birch Creek Historic Ranch?

No. Birch Creek Historic Ranch is not reservable through Recreation.gov, so sites are first-come, first-served or booked elsewhere.

Birch Creek Historic Ranch, Oregon — sites, fees and cancellation alerts

Nestled among cream and chocolate colored hills, barren red cliffs, and towering rock spires lays a secret oasis: the Birch Creek Historic Ranch. Established in the early 1900s, the ingenuity and determination of a Basque sheepherder and a West Virginia cattle rancher are still evident at the site today. Stone walls built in the Basque tradition still ascend the mesa. Remnants of a waterwheel hint at the lush alfalfa fields fed through the gravity irrigation system. Nineteen buildings and structures at the ranch contribute to the property's designation as a historical rural landscape on the Department of the Interior's National Register of Historic Places.

Know Before You Go

Open YEAR ROUND, best access May-October.
Accessibility is dependent on road conditions. A high clearance, four-wheel drive vehicle is recommended.
There is a single water source and restroom. Five-unit campground.

Point of Interest

Contact the Bureau of Land Management Vale District office for facilities rental information, current road access conditions, and any seasonal fire closure restrictions.

Getting there

The Birch Creek Historic Ranch is located in the southeast corner of Oregon in Malheur County. From Highway 95, 8 miles north of Jordan Valley, turn west at the Jordan Craters sign onto Cow Creek Road. Follow BLM Owyhee River access signs 28 miles to the Ranch.

43.21473, -117.50326 · 43°12'53.0"N 117°30'11.7"W

Directions (Google Maps) · Directions (Apple Maps)

Official map for this area

Typical weather

Typically 91°F in Jul, down to 38°F in Dec.

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °F	39	44	54	62	71	80	91	89	78	63	48	38
Low °F	22	25	28	32	39	44	49	48	39	31	25	21
Precip in	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

1991–2020 averages from the nearest NOAA station, 22.1 mi away — not measured at the facility itself, and elevation can make a real difference over that distance.

Map

Fees and stay limits

Contact the field office for more information about fees and permits.

From Recreation.gov, which is not always current. The operator's own page is the authority on what you will be charged.

Common questions about Birch Creek Historic Ranch

Can you reserve a site at Birch Creek Historic Ranch?: No. Birch Creek Historic Ranch is not reservable through Recreation.gov, so sites are first-come, first-served or booked elsewhere.

Camping near Birch Creek Historic Ranch

Jordan Craters Area of Environmental Concern 5.2 mi · Facility
Slocum Creek Campground 11.8 mi · Facility
Snively Hot Springs Recreation Site 38.7 mi · Facility
Silver City Campground 41.8 mi · Campground
Hemingway Butte OHV Trailhead 43.9 mi · Facility
Three Forks 49.3 mi · Facility
North Fork Campground 50.5 mi · Campground
Halverson Bar/Lake 51 mi · Facility
Chukar Park Campground 52.2 mi · Facility
Dedication Point Overlook 56 mi · Facility
Mickey Hot Springs 56.5 mi · Facility
Swan Falls Picnic Area 56.8 mi · Facility

Contact

Recreation.gov last updated this record on 2026-05-15.

Birch Creek Historic Ranch