Honeycombs Research Natural Area

Vale District , BLM

Northern Basin and Range Ecoregion

Cell(s):

• Wyoming big sagebrush/needle-and-thread on cinders
• Annual forb communities on exposed ash beds

Access by unimproved road which goes north of main road to Leslie Gulch and then hike in on foot.

The 6,413 ha Honeycombs RNA is located on the east edge of Owyhee Reservoir south of Vale in Malheur County, Oregon. This highly scenic RNA contains unusual geologic structures, steep cliffs and deeply dissected canyons, and colorful desert soils of volcanic origin. Elevation ranges from 975 to 1310 m. The dominant plant community is sagebrush/bunchgrass; other shrubs include shadscale and greasewood. Soils, volcanic-derived loams from ashes and basalts, are shallow over much of the area. The temperate desert climate has cold, moist winters and hot, dry summers. Annual precipitation averages 20 to 25 cm. In addition to the spectacular geologic formations, Honeycombs RNA has habitat for California bighorn sheep, special status plant species, and examples of two excellent condition native plant communities: big sagebrush/needle-and-thread (Artemisia tridentata/Hesperostipa comata) on cinders and annual forbs on exposed ash beds. Special status and rare or endemic species include sterile milkvetch (Astragalus sterilis), grimy ivesia (Ivesia rhypara var. rhypara), Ertter's senecio (Senecio ertterae) and Owyhee clover (Trifolium owyheense). Past and current disturbances included spring grazing of livestock and wildfires in 1986 and 2002. Pat Packard, College of Idaho, conducted botanical inventories in 1976 and 1977.