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Crossed off another destination on my PNW bucket list! The Alvord Desert is a seasonally dry lakebed located in southeastern Oregon, it's such a unique place. It's 12 miles long and 7 miles wide of playa, it gave me some serious Burning Man vibes. It is a 7 hour drive from Portland but I promise it's worth it! The best time to visit is between June to November when the playa is dry enough to drive on. I went in the middle of June and it was absolutely perfect!
The nearest town to the Alvord desert is called Fields. If you need gas, last minute camp items, or want to grab a bite to eat. Be sure to hit up the Fields Station, it's the only stop for miles. The Fields Station is a gas station ($3.95/gallon), small grocery store, cafe, and bar all in one. They are famous for their milk shakes and they definitely live up to the hype! They are thick, creamy, and they have a bunch of different flavors.
When coming from Fields, you can access the playa from different dirt access roads all along Fields-Denio Road. You can access the playa via a maintained road for $10 at the Alvord Hot Springs (they take cash or credit card) or if you want a free, rougher road you can enter through Frog Springs which is a few miles before you hit the Alvord Hot Springs. Since it was our first time, we entered through the hot springs and paid the fee. There is a hot springs there but I did not go in, it was a hot day, it didn't look that appealing to me and we were practicing social distancing. But I can see how it would be pretty great if you went while it was cold out. There also a campsite at the Alvord Hot Springs but I would highly recommend camping on the actual playa instead.
Once you make your way onto the Alvord Desert, be sure to pick a camping spot near the edge of the playa and not in the middle. There might be vehicles riding through the middle of the playa in the middle of the night, you don't want to get in the way. You will notice there are tire tracks from others who were having some fun driving out there.
Tips:
There is no reception out there so be prepared to screen shot the map to save the directions. Drop a pin at the desert entrance so you know how to get back when it's time to exit.
If you're camping, I would suggest to camp near the Steen Mountain side. The mountains serves as a shelter to block the wind. Also the sun sets right behind the mountain and rises the opposite side, I suggest you watch them both.
Check the weather! Make sure to not go when it's raining, the playa turns into mud and your car might get stuck. It's also not fun to camp in the mud.
Bring plenty of water. The playa is dry and it does get hot during the daytime.
Bring a light to hang on your tent so you can see it at night.
There are no restrooms out in the playa, you can use one at the Alvord Hot Springs for a $2 fee or you can just go in nature at the edge of the playa.
Whatever you bring in, you have to take out! So make sure you bring trash bags so you don't leave any trash on the playa.
Open fire is illegal and if caught you will get a fine. However, while camping I did see a ton of other campers with open fires and even abandoned old fire pits. So if you do decide to get a fire going, do it at your own risk!
Sand/dust will get everywhere! Bring a towel, bandana, wipes, whatever you need.
The sunsets out on the playa are so beautiful! It was probably one of the prettiest sunsets I have ever seen in the Pacific Northwest. Since we stayed on the Steen Mountains side, the sun set right behind the mountains. It was so pretty, it was great to just walk out to the middle of the playa and just sit and enjoy.
Once the sun goes down, it starts getting cold! The weather starts to drop to about 40-50 degrees. Make sure to bring a jacket, some layers, and some handwarmers. Since open fires are not allowed, make sure to bring enough to keep you warm.
Apparently, this region of Oregon is known as one of the best stargazing spots in the Pacific Northwest. Since you're in the middle of nowhere, there is no light pollution so you can see the Milky Way! I have also never seen that many shooting stars in the my life. Just epic. Stargazing was probably the best part of the trip.
Waking up to this view at the playa was something else. I woke up about 7am because it was starting to get warm, I opened my tent up and there was a nice breeze that came in. It was perfect weather to enjoy breakfast. Since we stayed on the Steen Mountain side, the sun rises in front of the mountains, so it was right in front of us. It was magical!
Camping on one of the largest playa lakes in the Oregon was really special. I only stayed one night and I wish I stayed longer! I am already trying to plan my next trip out there. It's a bit of a trek but it's a place that you have to see at least once because it's so unique. Camping at the Alvord Desert was such a great experience and the views will leave you speechless. It's definitely a place to visit!
<3,
Laura C.