page:  = <unk> Creek Mountains = 
   
   The <unk> Creek Mountains are a remote , semi @-@ arid Great Basin mountain range mostly in southeastern Oregon and partially in northern Nevada in the United States . The range 's highest point is <unk> View <unk> , 8 @,@ <unk> feet ( 2 @,@ 593 m ) above sea level , in Nevada . Disaster Peak , elevation 7 @,@ <unk> feet ( 2 @,@ 372 m ) , is another prominent summit in the Nevada portion of the mountains . 
   The mountains are characteristic of the Great Basin 's topography of mostly parallel mountain ranges alternating with flat valleys . <unk> generally north to south , the <unk> Creek Mountains consist primarily of fault blocks of basalt , which came from an ancient volcano and other <unk> , on top of older <unk> rocks . The southern end of the range , however , features many <unk> <unk> . As a whole , the faulted terrain is dominated by rolling hills and ridges cut by <unk> and canyons . 
   Most of the range is public land administered by the federal Bureau of Land Management . There is very little human development in the remote region — cattle grazing and <unk> are the primary human uses — but former mines at the <unk> <unk> produced some of the largest amounts of mercury in North America in the 20th century . Public lands in the mountains are open to recreation but are rarely visited . <unk> includes large <unk> of big sagebrush in addition to desert grasses and cottonwood and alder stands . Sage grouse and mountain <unk> are two bird species native to the range , and common mammals include <unk> and jackrabbits . 
   Despite the area 's dry climate , a few year @-@ round streams provide habitat for the rare <unk> <unk> trout . Fish populations in the <unk> Creek Mountains declined throughout much of the 20th century . In the 1980s , the effects of grazing <unk> on riparian zones and the fish led to land @-@ use conflict . The <unk> Creek Mountain Working Group was formed in 1988 to help resolve disagreements among livestock owners , environmentalists , government agencies , and other interested parties . The <unk> met and agreed on changes to land @-@ use practices , and since the early 1990s , riparian zones have begun to recover . 
   
   = = Geography = = 
   
   The <unk> Creek Mountains are in a very remote area of southeastern Oregon and northern Nevada , in Harney and Humboldt counties . The nearest human settlements are the <unk> Ranch , about 20 miles ( 32 km ) directly north from the middle of the mountains ; Fields , Oregon , about 23 miles ( 37 km ) to the northwest ; <unk> , Nevada , about 15 miles ( 24 km ) to the west ; and <unk> , Nevada – Oregon , about 30 miles ( 48 km ) to the east . The mountains are about 150 miles ( 240 km ) directly southwest of Boise , Idaho , and about 190 miles ( 310 km ) northeast of <unk> , Nevada . 
   The range and surrounding non @-@ mountainous areas cover an area of <unk> square miles ( 2 @,@ 100 km2 ) . The mountains run 51 miles ( 82 km ) north to south and 36 miles ( 58 km ) east to west . More of the range is in Oregon ( 78 % ) than in Nevada ( 22 % ) . The highest point in the range is <unk> View <unk> , which is 8 @,@ <unk> feet ( 2 @,@ 593 m ) above sea level and is located in Nevada about one mile south of the Oregon border . About two miles southeast of <unk> View is Disaster Peak , " a large , symmetrical <unk> that is visible throughout the region . " At 7 @,@ <unk> feet ( 2 @,@ 372 m ) , Disaster Peak anchors the southern end of the mountains in a sub @-@ range called The <unk> . 
   The Oregon Canyon Mountains border the <unk> Creek Mountains on the east along the Harney – <unk> county line ( according to the United States Geological Survey 's definitions ) , while the <unk> Mountains are the next range west of the <unk> Creek Mountains . The <unk> Creek Mountains in both Oregon and Nevada border the <unk> Creek Mountains on the southwest ; the two ranges are separated by <unk> Cabin Creek and South Fork <unk> Creek . South of the <unk> Creek Mountains is the Kings River Valley , which separates the <unk> Creek Mountains on the west from the Montana Mountains on the east . 
   The terrain in the <unk> Creek Mountains varies from broad , flat basins and rolling ridges to high rock <unk> cut by deep canyons . The canyons have steep walls with loose <unk> slopes at the <unk> . There are meadows around springs in the mountains , although most streams in the range do not flow year @-@ round . Major streams that flow off the north slopes of the mountains include ( from west to east ) <unk> Creek , <unk> Creek , <unk> Creek , and <unk> Creek . These streams all flow into <unk> basins in Harney County , Oregon . <unk> Creek and <unk> Creek are the largest of the four . The Kings River and <unk> Creek each drain an area on the south slopes of the <unk> Creek Mountains . The Kings River begins in The <unk> and flows south into Nevada , where it meets the Quinn River , which <unk> in the Black Rock Desert . <unk> Creek begins in Oregon a few miles north of The <unk> and flows generally east , crossing the Oregon – Nevada border five times before disappearing into the floor of the Quinn River Valley south of <unk> . 
   
   = = Geology = = 
   
   The mountains lie within the Basin and Range Province or Great Basin of the Western United States , which is characterized by a series of parallel fault blocks that form long north – south mountain ranges separated by wide , high @-@ desert valleys . The <unk> Creek Mountains are <unk> and <unk> blocks with steep <unk> along the southern and eastern sides of the range . The southern area of the range , known as The <unk> , has numerous <unk> of Cretaceous age granite . These granite <unk> are commonly found in the eroded valleys below the volcanic <unk> . 
   The <unk> Creek Mountains are composed mostly of basalt from a shield volcano that once stood where <unk> Mountain is today . <unk> thinning and the Yellowstone <unk> , which was then beneath southeastern Oregon , induced eruptions from <unk> and nearby <unk> about 17 million years ago , in the Miocene . The <unk> produced a series of <unk> flows that spread across the land now known as the <unk> Creek Mountains . <unk> from the <unk> volcano lasted for about one million years , and at least 70 separate <unk> flows occurred . Under the resulting basalt rock lie much older <unk> rocks that may be related to some of the <unk> age formations of the Blue Mountains in northeastern Oregon . Within these <unk> rocks are <unk> and <unk> <unk> bodies which were presumably <unk> during the Cretaceous Period . 
   The broad <unk> <unk> is a prominent geologic feature in the <unk> Creek Mountains . The oval @-@ shaped <unk> is a collapsed <unk> dome that <unk> the Oregon – Nevada border on the eastern side of the range and south of the Oregon Canyon Mountains . It is about 28 miles ( 45 km ) long and 22 miles ( 35 km ) wide . The <unk> dome was created by volcanic eruptions in the early Miocene . A total of five large ash flows were produced along with a large <unk> dome structure . The <unk> formed when the dome collapsed about 16 million years ago . The <unk> contains significant ore deposits , and mercury and uranium have been mined at eight or more sites in and around the <unk> . Other areas in the <unk> were mined for ores of antimony , <unk> , and lithium . 
   
   = = Climate = = 
   
   The <unk> Creek Mountains are semi @-@ arid because they are in the eastern rain shadow of mountain ranges to the west . When moist air from the Pacific Ocean moves eastward over the Oregon and California coastal ranges and the Cascade Range , most precipitation falls in those mountains before reaching the <unk> Creek Mountains . As a result , the average annual precipitation in the <unk> Creek Mountains is only 8 to 26 inches ( 200 to 660 mm ) per year , with most areas receiving between 8 and 12 inches ( 200 and 300 mm ) annually . Much of the annual precipitation occurs between the beginning of March and the end of June . Most of the rest falls as snow during the fall and winter months . <unk> at elevations below 6 @,@ 000 feet ( 1 @,@ 800 m ) usually <unk> by April ; however , at the higher elevations , snow can remain until mid @-@ June . Local flooding often occurs in the spring as the <unk> <unk> . 
   The prevailing winds are from the west @-@ southwest , and they are normally strongest in March and April . <unk> , intense thunderstorms are common between April and October . <unk> in the summer months tend to be more isolated and often produce dry lightning strikes . 
   
   = = Ecology = = 
   
   
   = = = Flora = = = 
   
   <unk> in the <unk> Creek Mountains is dominated by big sagebrush and desert grasses . Other common shrubs include <unk> , snowberry , and <unk> . There are also patches of mountain mahogany in some areas . Common grass species include Idaho <unk> , bluebunch wheatgrass , <unk> , western <unk> , <unk> 's <unk> , <unk> 's <unk> , and <unk> <unk> , as well as basin <unk> in some well @-@ drained areas . 
   Less than one percent of the range consists of meadow wetlands and riparian <unk> ( vegetation along stream banks ) . However , these areas are vital to the local ecosystem . The meadows surround springs , which are mostly on gently sloping <unk> or in stream <unk> , and range in size from about 1 to 5 acres ( 0 @.@ 40 to 2 @.@ 02 ha ) . <unk> riparian <unk> follow the year @-@ round streams . Many <unk> areas have <unk> <unk> and <unk> groves . <unk> and alder groves can be found at lower elevations where terrain is <unk> and stream channels are wider . <unk> and rushes are also native to these stream <unk> . Years of heavy livestock grazing in parts of the range resulted in the loss of some grass species , riparian vegetation , and young <unk> and <unk> trees . Restoration of riparian areas began in the early 1970s , and plans to reduce grazing were implemented in the 1980s and early 1990s . However , large <unk> in southeastern Oregon during the summer of 2012 burned much of the range 's vegetation , damaging riparian ecosystems and killing hundreds of grazing cattle . 
   
   = = = Fauna = = = 
   
   Animals in the <unk> Creek Mountains are adapted to the environment of the High Desert . <unk> are common in the open , sagebrush @-@ covered basins , while mule deer live in the cottonwood and <unk> groves . There are also <unk> sheep , cougars , and <unk> in the high country . Jackrabbits and coyotes are prevalent throughout the range . Mustangs sometimes pass through the mountains as they <unk> the Great Basin . Some other mammals include the northern pocket <unk> , mountain <unk> , and <unk> 's ground <unk> . North American <unk> live in and along streams , as do Pacific tree frogs , western <unk> toads , and <unk> snakes . Native bird species include the sage grouse , mountain <unk> , gray @-@ headed <unk> , black @-@ throated gray <unk> , Virginia 's <unk> , <unk> 's <unk> , pine <unk> , red <unk> , <unk> , <unk> thrush , northern <unk> , and species of <unk> and eagle . 
   Several streams in the <unk> Creek Mountains are home to trout , including the rare <unk> <unk> trout subspecies . These include <unk> Creek , <unk> Creek , Little <unk> Creek , <unk> Creek , Fifteen Mile Creek , Indian Creek , Sage Canyon Creek , Line Canyon Creek , and some tributaries of <unk> Creek . <unk> <unk> trout live in small , isolated populations that are often confined to individual streams , many of them in the <unk> Creek Mountains . These populations have significant genetic differences due to their history of isolation . For most of the 20th century , the trout 's numbers declined considerably . It was listed under federal law as an endangered species in 1970 and was reclassified as threatened in 1975 . Reasons for the fish 's decline included habitat degradation from cattle grazing , drought , <unk> , competition with other fish , and <unk> with introduced rainbow trout , which decreased the number of genetically pure <unk> <unk> trout . However , reductions in cattle grazing in riparian zones since the 1980s allowed fish habitat and populations to start to recover . 
   
   = = Human uses = = 
   
   The Bureau of Land Management ( <unk> ) administers most land in the <unk> Creek Mountains , but there are also some private lands and some roads in the area . The private lands are mainly used for <unk> along mountain streams , while the <unk> lands include large grazing <unk> for local ranchers ' cattle . At least 100 mining claims in the mountains have been recorded since 1892 , some of which were staked for gold exploration . Commercial mining has occurred in some areas , mostly near the <unk> <unk> , where uranium and large amounts of mercury have been extracted . <unk> in what was called the <unk> <unk> District produced 270 @,@ 000 <unk> of mercury — " the richest supply of mercury in the western hemisphere " — from <unk> extracted from the <unk> in the 20th century . The two leading mercury @-@ producing mines in North America were the <unk> and <unk> mines on the edge of the <unk> in Nevada . Together , they operated from 1933 to 1989 . The <unk> Mine , the last mercury mine in the United States , closed three years later , in 1992 . However , mineral exploration has continued at the <unk> Mine in the 21st century , and waste containing mercury and arsenic was returned there from the community of <unk> as part of a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency <unk> project . 
   The entire mountain range is very remote ; as a result , there are few visitors , and the range offers a wilderness @-@ like experience . <unk> , hunting , fishing , and hiking are the most popular activities . The only developed recreation site nearby is at <unk> Creek Hot Springs , just south of the <unk> Ranch , where nearby there are miles of trails designated for four @-@ wheel off @-@ road vehicles . Hunters come to the mountains seeking trophy mule deer , <unk> , <unk> , and rabbits . <unk> on some streams is sometimes permitted on a catch @-@ and @-@ release basis . The mountains are also suitable for hiking cross @-@ country or on game trails in natural corridors along canyons and creek <unk> . There are more than 100 archaeological sites in the range that document use by Northern <unk> people as long as 7 @,@ 000 years ago . 
   <unk> grazing in the <unk> Creek Mountains began in the late 19th century , and the <unk> currently <unk> grazing <unk> in the area . <unk> can be found grazing in some areas during the spring and summer months . The effects of grazing on the local environment were the subject of controversy in the 1980s . 
   
   = = Land @-@ management compromise = = 
   
   By the 1970s and 1980s , a century of intense cattle grazing had reduced much of the riparian vegetation along stream banks in the <unk> Creek Mountains and elsewhere in the Great Basin . As a result , stream banks were eroding and upland vegetation was encroaching into riparian zones . <unk> populations declined as grazing cattle eliminated young trees , decreasing shade over streams and raising water temperatures . These conditions put the rare <unk> <unk> trout population at risk . Since the <unk> was officially designated as a threatened species , environmental groups began advocating the cancellation of grazing permits in the <unk> Creek Mountains . 
   Beginning in the early 1970s , the Bureau of Land Management identified damaged riparian zones and began projects to restore natural habitat in those areas . Approximately 20 @,@ 000 <unk> trees were planted along streams , small dams were put together to create more pools in the streams , and fencing was added to protect riparian zones from grazing . Next , the agency sought to reform land @-@ use plans to change grazing practices , which became a complex and controversial project . 
   As environmentalists pressed the <unk> to close much of the <unk> Creek Mountains to grazing , frustrated ranchers joined the <unk> Rebellion seeking to protect their grazing <unk> . Initially , it appeared that the issue of grazing in the range would produce prolonged litigation with appeals potentially lasting decades . However , in 1988 , interest groups representing all sides of the issue joined to form the <unk> Creek Mountain Working Group . The group 's goal was to find a solution acceptable to everyone — a plan that would protect both the land 's ecological health and ranchers ' economic needs . 
   Initial members of the <unk> Creek Mountain Working Group included : 
   Over the next several years , the group continued to meet and discuss options for restoring the land while meeting the economic needs of local ranchers . Meetings were all open to the public . 
   The group eventually endorsed a grazing management plan that provided for both the ecological health of sensitive riparian areas and the economic well @-@ being of ranchers . In 1989 , the <unk> Ranch agreed to rest two grazing <unk> totaling 50 @,@ 000 acres ( 20 @,@ 000 ha ) to restore critical stream <unk> and mountain pastures . The <unk> 's <unk> on Fifteen Mile Creek was rested for three years , and its <unk> Creek pasture received a five @-@ year rest before grazing was resumed . In addition , the grazing season in mountain pastures was reduced from four months to two , and the total number of cattle released in the <unk> areas was reduced from 3 @,@ 800 to 2 @,@ 200 . Finally , sensitive areas were <unk> to protect them from cattle , and additional water sources were constructed away from streams . Other <unk> also agreed to rest specific pastures including the <unk> Creek , <unk> Creek , and <unk> <unk> <unk> . 
   In 1991 , the Bureau of Land Management approved a new grazing <unk> management plan . It was based on the agreements made by the <unk> Creek Mountain Working Group , and it took effect in 1992 . Since then , vegetation in riparian areas of the <unk> Creek Mountains has recovered , and studies by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service have found that the <unk> <unk> trout population , still listed as threatened , is also recovering . 
   
   