The Rimrock Springs Trail in the Crooked River National Grasslands is a great place to take family and friends for a wintertime outing that (usually) doesn’t require snowshoes, skis or other snow gear.

In fact, chances are, you’ll be hiking on bare ground. And the bonuses are that the trail is High Desert-beautiful, there’s a chance you’ll see some wildlife and you’ll definitely work off some of that holiday paunch without embarking on a post-Christmas death march.

The Rimrock Springs Trail is 18 miles northwest of Prineville on Highway 26. From the parking lot, a 1-mile-long loop trail leads into the Rimrock Springs Wildlife Management Area. The path, both paved and gravel, is wheelchair-accessible and ideal for all hiking ability levels.

You’ll stroll through typical Central Oregon grassland juniper and sagebrush country on your way to a spiffy wooden viewing platform overlooking a small lake. The platform, accessible to all, is a good place to spy waterfowl, local birds, beaver, deer and other wildlife. Binoculars and a camera are optional but highly recommended.

Up the trail a way, you’ll come to a second platform where you’ll get a different perspective on the lake.

The Crooked River National Grassland can be a welcome alternative for anyone seeking a change from the wintry recreation spots to the west.

According to The Bureau of Land Management, which administers the 111,352-acre National Grassland, the area surrounding Rimrock Springs was homesteaded extensively around the turn of the century. But the Great Depression and low rainfall totals proved a tough one-two punch for many of the settlers. The Resettlement Administration bought the land in the late 1930s; in 1960, it became a permanent part of the National Forest system.

While this isn’t a zoo, and wildlife viewing is an opportunistic proposition, patience and a keen eye can yield unexpected rewards. Birds of prey love this harsh High Desert country as do pronghorn antelope.

A good way to cap off a trip to Rimrock Springs Wildlife Management Area is to explore one of the back roads that slice through this subtly appealing country.

About a half-mile south of Rimrock Springs, we followed a dirt road to the east and then to the north and ended up following it all the way to Madras. Road 54 and then 53 takes you through the heart of grassland country and offers a good taste of the area: canyons, junipers and cattle spreads.

But check the road conditions before heading out. It’s a long way between services out here. And since the road climbs a bit, there may be snow.