Little Blitzen River
| Little Blitzen River | |
|---|---|
Little Blitzen U-Shaped Gorge | |
| Etymology | German for lightning. Given in 1864 by soldiers who crossed the main stem during a thunderstorm and named it Donner und Blitzen (thunder and lightning). |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Oregon |
| County | Harney |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Steens Mountain |
| • location | Little Blitzen Gorge, Harney County, Oregon |
| • coordinates | 42°40′33″N 118°34′56″W / 42.67583°N 118.58222°W |
| • elevation | 8,975 ft (2,736 m) |
| Mouth | Donner und Blitzen River |
• location | near Riddle Ranch, Harney County, Oregon |
• coordinates | 42°40′26″N 118°47′37″W / 42.67389°N 118.79361°W |
• elevation | 4,862 ft (1,482 m) |
| Length | 12.5 mi (20.1 km) |
| Type | Wild |
Little Blitzen River is a 12.5-mile (20.1 km) tributary of the Donner und Blitzen River in the U.S. state of Oregon. Little Blitzen River rises on the west flank of Steens Mountain about 20 miles (32 km) southeast of Frenchglen and about 70 miles (110 km) south of Burns in Harney County. Flowing west in a steep-walled canyon, it joins the South Fork Donner und Blitzen River at 42°40′26″N 118°47′37″W / 42.6737752°N 118.7935277°W to form the Donner und Blitzen main stem, which continues north about another 40 miles (64 km) to its mouth at 43°17′30″N 118°49′12″W / 43.291542°N 118.8199273°W in Malheur Lake. The Donner und Blitzen River was named by soldiers of German origin and translates as "thunder and lightning". Little Blitzen River brings to mind one of Santa Claus's reindeer.
As part of the Omnibus Oregon Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1988, Congress designated "the 12.5-mile segment of the Little Blitzen from its headwaters to its confluence with the South Fork Blitzen" as Wild and Scenic. It is part of the nation's first Great Basin redband trout reserve, established by Congress in 2000. The American Hiking Society has listed Little Blitzen Gorge Trail among its 10 "hidden gems".