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The Alvord Desert, a place unlike anywhere else in the Pacific Northwest. 

Leave behind any ideas about what Oregon looks like, the Alvord Desert isn’t any of those things. Instead of lush forests, rushing waterfalls and moody skies you are greeted with cracked earth, rustic hot springs and warm sun. 

In this guide you will find out how to get to the Alvord Desert, when the best time to go is and where you should check out. 

Get ready for a trip of a lifetime.

Disclaimer: This blog post features affiliate links. This means I get a small commission if you make a purchase (at no extra cost to you :)) !

Why Go To The Alvord Desert?

Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, I never truly got to experience the desert.

My world was filled with deep forests and grand mountains, I never stopped to think maybe I would like to experience the total opposite. 

The Alvord Desert is the opposite.

Driving over the playa, with endless directions to go in, you start to truly experience the grandness of the playa.

The hot sun makes for a nice escape from the moody PNW winter and the hot springs that surround the area, help to soak away your worries. 

The Alvord Desert is the perfect escape, an escape from society, an escape from the cloudy weather to the west, and an escape from the business- things slow down while you’re here and I can’t help but think that maybe that’s exactly what we all need.

Where Is The Alvord Desert?

The Alvord Desert is in southeastern Oregon– far away from any other towns.

It truly feels like you are in the middle of nowhere. The desert itself is a dried up lake bed, now turned into a flat and long playa. It sits under the shadow of the Steens Mountain- a 70 mile mountain range that takes over the horizon.

The Alvord Desert itself is 20 miles long and 7 miles wide- making for an insane camping experience.

The Alvord Desert is far out of the normal range of cities in Oregon. It sits 70 miles south of Burns, Oregon and from Bend, Oregon it is a long 4 hours and 50 min drive

How To Get To The Alvord Desert?

Getting there From Portland: Driving Time: 8 hours and 15 mins

Getting to the Alvord Desert requires a lot of patience. From Portland, Oregon you are looking at an 8 hour and 15 minute drive to the Alvord Desert. 

From Portland you will want to head east on the I-84, at Fairview you will exit the freeway and get onto US-26 E.

You will stay on US-26 E all the way through Mt. Hood National Forest and Government Camp. At Madras you will stay to your right and take US-97 all the way into Bend! 

Bend is a great spot to grab lunch, stock up on gas, and water and food to bring to the desert! It is the last large town that you will go through, the next stop is Burns, Oregon! 

From Bend you have a 4 hour drive ahead of you- and almost all of it is on the same road!

Get onto US-20 E towards Burns, Oregon. At Burns you will get onto OR-78 E and head all the way to the Alvord Desert!

If you put Alvord Hot Springs into your google maps it will take you to the right place! 

If you want to split this trip up into a couple of nights- look into camping at Trillium Lake at Mt. Hood and stopping in Bend, Oregon and Crystal Crane Hot Springs in Burn!

Where To Enter The Playa

You can’t get onto the desert from just anywhere, the main highway runs alongside of it and there are different entrance points that you can use to get onto the actual playa. 

One of which is through the Alvord Hot Springs campground- for this one you will need to either be a guest or pay a $5 fee to be able to use their entrance road. This road is more well maintained than the other entrance roads but I didn’t think it was worth it for the price.

The second entrance is called Frog Springs– if you continue along the highway that got you to Alvord Hot Springs (Fields-Denio Rd.) it is about .8 miles south down the road. This road is rougher than the Alvord Hot Springs road but isn’t too bad- we were easily able to get down it in a 2WD Sprinter van! 

What Towns Are Near The Alvord Desert?

Burns, Oregon is the closest actual town to the Alvord Desert and that is about an hour and a half away! The closest place for food and gas is the Fields General Store Motel and Cafe which is essentially a cute general store with great milkshakes! Keep in mind this is still around 20 miles away from the Alvord Hot Springs and Alvord Desert. 

Best Time To Visit The Alvord Desert

Best Time of Year to Go To The Alvord Desert

The best time to visit the Alvord Desert is by far Fall! The weather is still warm during the day and the nights aren’t too cold.

Alvord Desert Weather By Season

Spring– during the springtime the area gets more rain than any other time of the year, making the playa muddy and stranding any rogue cars left on its surface.

One of the number one things you want to keep in mind when visiting the area is this- if there is water, or it begins to rain you need to get off the playa or you will get stuck. No fun and an expensive towing experience. 

Winter- the Winter can also be a great time of year to go, but beware of VERY cold night time temperatures. On occasion the Alvord Desert can get snow and that can be a really cool experience! Although, if it does snow heavily beware when it starts to melt you can get stuck!

Summer- due to the location the weather does tend to get extreme in the summer. The weather can be blazing hot here (think 85-95 degrees) and without shade it can be quite uncomfortable. On the bright side you will be able to see the galaxy during this time of year and it can be great for astro photography!

Check Out My Oregon Wall Art!

Can You Drive On The Alvord Desert?

Yes! This is one of the best things you can do in the Alvord Desert. 

Speeding in any direction with absolutely no obstacles and flat ground underneath you is one of my new favorite feelings.

Driving really gives you a sense of how large the area really is, if you want another fun option would be to bring bikes and bikes around the area- just make sure to drop a GPS pin at your campground and the desert entrance!

Alvord Desert Camping

Cost Of Camping / Permits Required

Camping on the Alvord Desert is free! 

If you did want to camp right off of the desert at more of an official camping spot you can camp at the Alvord Hot Springs for $40 a night. This gives you full 24 hour access to their hot springs as well. 

What To Bring For Camping On The Alvord Desert?

– Tent

A 3 Season Tent will be best since it can get pretty cold at night in the desert.

– Sleeping Pad

Sleeping pads help with warmth SO much- getting off the chilly ground is a must. I prefer having a z-lite foam sleeping pad and then a Therm-a-Rest air sleeping pad on top.

– Cold Weather Sleeping Bag

If you are headed to the Alvord Desert in the Fall I would recommend a 0-15-degree bag or warmer.

– Pillow

Don’t forget the pillow! I love these super-pack-able ones as they take up practically no room!

– Camp Chairs

 Create a little hangout spot with cute camp chairs!

– Gas Burner

Bring a backpacking stove- or even better a two-burner stove! Since you will be car camping there is no excuse not to eat well.

Best Things To Do In The Alvord Desert

Drive on the Playa:

This is by far one of the most exhilarating things to do in the Alvord Desert! With no obstacles, a seemingly endless stretch of flat land and no speed limits this is the perfect place to speed around and feed your inner daredevil. 

Camp:

After speeding around, why not find a spot to camp? You can camp almost anywhere on the playa (beware of private property signs) and you can have a huge open space for you and all your friends!

Stargaze:

Now that you have camp all set up and the sun has set, take out those camp chairs and blankets and settle in for a night of star-gazing. With pretty much no light pollution this is the perfect spot to look for shooting stars and find constellations. 

Go to the hot springs:

It’s the next morning now and you are looking for a way to relax- look no further than the Alvord Hot Springs! While you do have to pay $20 per person, it is definitely worth it to soak amidst the tall grass and silent landscape. 

A Photo-shoot!

So you have done everything I have mentioned above and you are starting to get bored- (I get it, this area doesn’t have a ton to offer in terms of entertainment) I would recommend doing a photoshoot! 

This type of environment is perfect for drone shots, conceptual portrait shoots and cool landscape photos. Take out your camera and get creative! 

Go for a hike!

Your trip is coming to an end, but you want to get one last vantage point of the desert. Time to take a hike! Hike to Wildhorse lake for an unreal view in the Steens Mountains! Or maybe even challenge yourself and head up to the Steens Mountains summit! 

Hot Springs Near The Alvord Desert

 Alvord Desert Hot Springs

This is the main hot spring in the Alvord Desert area- it is privately owned and you have to pay $20 per person for soaking. The hot spring has two main tubs about 10 ft x 10 ft with a cool, rustic structure around it. 

You can also camp at the Alvord Hot Springs for $40 for two people and a car! This gives you 24 hr access to the hot springs. 

Crystal Crane Hot Springs

About an hour and a half from the Alvord Desert, Crystal Crane Hot Springs is another beautiful hot springs/resort situated in Burns, Oregon! 

This hot spring is connected to a resort which also rents out teepees (how cool!), hotel rooms, private hot spring cedar tubs and RV camping spots! It is far out in the desert, nice and clean and a lovely escape! 

    Willow Creek Hot Springs

If you head about an hour and 15 mins southeast you will come upon Willow Creek Hot Springs! This single pool is probably the most natural of all 3. It truly is situated in the middle of nowhere!

Camera Gear To Bring

 Check out my blog post on adventure photography gear for hikers!

– Drone

Capture the landscape from above! There is no better way to capture the expansiveness of the playa than from the air! 

-70-200 lens or 100-600

 Work with a friend and create cool compression shots of the Steens mountain range and the desert! 

– 16-35mm

Showcase the textures of the desert with a wide angle lens- getting close to the earth provides some truly awesome shots!

What To Bring To The Alvord Desert

Food

Bring more than you think! The only spot closer than Burns, Oregon to grab food is the Fields General Store which is still 20 miles away from the Alvord Desert. 

Cooler

When staying in the desert you will want to make sure your food can stay cold during the day- a cooler is a must!

Water

I would recommend bringing 3 or more gallons of water- in this area water is sparse and you truly wouldn’t want to be without it. 

Clothing Items

Keep in mind that the temperature can change quite a bit in this area! During the day I was running around in leggings and a t-shirt, that changed a lot when nighttime hit.

I recommend bringing warm sleeping clothes, a big puffy jacket and some layers that can be taken on and off. 

Microfiber Towel

For the hot springs this is a must! I love microfiber towels since they dry so quickly and take up next to no space! 

Sandals

Make your hot springs experience a bit easier with easy slip on sandals. I love my Chacos for all types of adventures! 

Sunglasses and Sunscreen

It can get crazy sunny during the days and there is absolutely no shade here- sunglasses & sunscreen are a must!

Tips For Visiting The Alvord Desert

• Drop a GPS Pin where you entered
• Bring extra water, fuel, and food! 
• Dont camp on the playa if it looks like there is rain or going to be rain- you will get stuck.
• Campfires are not allowed
• Leave No Trace

Conclusion

If you’re looking for an escape from the rainy PNW I could not recommend the Alvord Desert more! With hot springs, stargazing, camping on an insane playa and isolation from the rest of the world it really is the best type of getaway! 

Have you been to the Alvord Desert? Let me know in the comments if there is anything I need to do the next time I am there!