Pete French Round Barn
Diamond, OR
A round stone-and-juniper barn from the 1880s, built to break horses through the winter. It stands alone on a gravel road east of OR-205.
The Pete French Round Barn is a historic round barn in Harney County in southeastern Oregon, about 50 miles (80 km) southeast of Burns and roughly 13 miles south of Malheur Lake. Peter French and the cowboys of his P Ranch built it in 1883 or 1884.
The barn served as a covered riding ring where horses and mules could be trained even in winter; the ranch raised nearly 300 colts a year. It measures about 100 feet (30 m) across. The support rings and central pole are juniper, a stone wall about 64 feet across stands inside, and the conical roof is covered with red cedar shingles. Of the three round barns the P Ranch once had, it is the only one left.
It has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1971, is run by the Oregon State Parks system and is open to the public. For road trippers: it sits off the main roads in the sagebrush country of the Blitzen Valley; ask about access and road conditions beforehand, and note that fuel is far away.
- Nearest town
- Diamond, OR
- Category
- History & culture
- GPS
- 43.0470, -118.6770
Hours, fees and access change. Confirm with the operator or park before you go.
Good to know
Best time to go
The most pleasant months are usually May and September–October. Still fine, with some compromises, in April and June. Cold, short days in January–February. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)
Featured in these trip guides
Nearby
Campsites nearby
- Steens Mountain ResortMotorhome stopover19 mi from Pete French Round BarnMotorhomesWi-Fi
- Page Springs CampgroundCampsite19 mi from Pete French Round Barn
- The Narrows RV ParkMotorhome stopover20 mi from Pete French Round BarnMotorhomesWi-Fi
- Lily Lake Primitive Camping AreaCampsite21 mi from Pete French Round BarnFree
- Mann Lake CampgroundCampsite22 mi from Pete French Round BarnTentsCaravansFree
- Jackman Park CampgroundCampsite23 mi from Pete French Round Barn · 6 pitches
All campsites in Oregon · Campsite data: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL 1.0 · Updated October 3, 2026
FAQs
Where is Pete French Round Barn?
Pete French Round Barn is in Diamond, OR, at GPS 43.0470, -118.6770. It is about 19 mi from Frenchglen.
Can you camp near Pete French Round Barn?
Yes. The nearest campsite listed in OpenStreetMap is Steens Mountain Resort, about 19 mi away; within 25 mi there are 7 campsites and motorhome stopovers.
Which road trips pass Pete French Round Barn?
Pete French Round Barn is a stop on these CampingSpirit trip guides: Steens Mountain and the Alvord Desert.
What is there to see near Pete French Round Barn?
Places worth a stop nearby: Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (17 mi), Kiger Gorge Overlook (23 mi), Alvord Desert (37 mi) and Kam Wah Chung State Heritage Site (96 mi).
When is the best time to visit Pete French Round Barn?
The most pleasant months are usually May and September–October. Still fine, with some compromises, in April and June. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)