Here in Oregon, the sky truly is the limit when it comes to hiking adventures. Whether you want to walk behind a waterfall, traverse an old-growth forest, hike along a resplendent river, or explore the high desert, you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for here in Oregon! And if it’s an adventure to a spooky, abandoned old homestead you’re seeking, you’ll find it along the Guano Creek Trail in Oregon.

Located in the high desert of southeast Oregon, you'll find the Guano Creek Wilderness Study Area: 10,350 areas of untamed Oregon wilds.
Bureau of Land Management Oregon and Washington/Flickr
And right in the heart of this rough and rugged region, sits the abandoned Shirk Ranch.
Bureau of Land Management Oregon and Washington/Flickr
One of the most unique hidden treasures in all of Oregon, you can access the Shirk Ranch via the Guano Creek Trail.
Bureau of Land Management Oregon and Washington/Flickr
This four-mile loop trail follows Guano Creek, which is almost always barren and dry.
Gerard Bonfils/AllTrails
While the trail is a very doable four miles, the uneven and rocky terrain adds an extra challenge to this hike. Part of the canyon has vertical basalt walls, which you can see along the route.
Gerard Bonfils/AllTrails

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As it's located in the middle of Oregon's high desert, be sure to bring along plenty of water, and wear proper hiking shoes. (You might also encounter rattlesnakes on the trail, so watch out!)
Gerard Bonfils/AllTrails
Your efforts will be rewarded, however, upon arriving at the historic Shirk Ranch. The property was originally homesteaded during the initial settlement of Lake County in the early 1880s by the Hill family. In 2009, the ranch was entered into the National Register of Historic Places.
Bureau of Land Management Oregon and Washington/Flickr
Surprisingly well-preserved, you can walk right up to the old, weather-worn horse ranch. However, as with visiting any abandoned site, pay extra attention to your surroundings and be on the lookout for rotten floorboards.
Bureau of Land Management Oregon and Washington/Flickr
While you're on the property, you'll notice a mysterious (and frankly, unsettling) sandstone headstone. It's said to be the final resting place for two men -- Bill Vickers and J. Gruenke -- who were killed and buried on the ranch.
J P/Google Local
After exploring this mysterious, abandoned ranch in Oregon, you'll simply follow the Guano Creek loop trail back to where you began. In total, the trail spans just over four miles.
Bureau of Land Management Oregon and Washington/Flickr
The Guano Creek Trail is an under-the-radar trek in Oregon that offers some of the most intriguing and sublime scenery in the state, and definitely belongs on your hiking bucket list!

Have you hiked to the abandoned Shirk Ranch before? What a unique Oregon gem! For more information on the Guano Creek Trail in southeast Oregon, visit AllTrails.

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