The Alvord Desert: Oregon’s Best-Kept Secret
Hidden away in Oregon’s dramatic southeast, you’ll discover a barren plain of dazzling beauty and boundless solitude – the Alvord Desert. Not a place most people think about when Oregon comes up in the dinner table conversation, our Beaver State’s better known for its lush forests, running rivers, and craggy peaks. That’s all part of the charm. The Alvord Desert has been our best-kept secret, spread at the base of Steens Mountain like a snow-white canvas. However, I reckon it’s time – this otherworldly landscape deserves its due.
A Visit to the Wondrous Alvord Desert
Driving down the scanty two-lane highways that wind their way to this high-desert spectacle, it’s almost like you can hear Oregon whispering to you, “Thanks for leaving the paths well-trod.” Over here in the southeast, the sky is bluer, the air crisper, and Mother Nature’s stark contrasts more palpable. You meet the extraordinary Alvord Desert after an exhilarating trip down Highway 205, with burnsided junipers and Oregon’s symbol, the Douglas firs, waving you in.
As a traveler, you might expect an arid, sandy desert, but Alvord defies expectations – it’s a cracked, dried-up lake bed stretching a massive 12-by-7 miles. Covered in a layer of glittering white alkali salt, it presents a stunning, moon-like expanse that’s as beautiful as it can be eerie.
In the middle of this surreal landscape, you’ll find Manny’s Yurt, the only oasis for miles. Owned by the local Alvord family for decades, Manny’s offers weary travelers respite and some sumptuous Oregon comfort food, with elk meat straight from Harney County and the finest malt beer brewed right up in Bend. And of course, Manny’s not-so-secret sauce, made from the hearty Oregon marionberries.
A Landspeeder’s Paradise
One thing that strikes about the Alvord Desert is its complete flatness, its ethereal calm. It’s this stillness, interrupted only by the gusty Desert winds called ‘Chinooks,’ that has drawn landspeed enthusiasts since the ’70s. Race tracks aren’t uncommon in Alvord – in fact, another local legend, Al Goldfield, earned himself the nickname “Alvord Al” after he set the motorcycle landspeed record back in ‘92.
Soaking up Oregon
But it’s not all roar and frenzied pursuit. There’s peace in Alvord’s vastness that seeps into you and puts your senses on mute. After a day of dust trails and windswept trees, travelers often retreat to Alvord Hot Springs for relief. The springs, a naturally heated bath, are a rather joyous contradiction to the icy Steens towering next door. Basking in these waters, under the desert sky’s cloak, is an Oregon experience you won’t find in the beloved city of Portland or the snow-capped Crater Lake.
For the Lovers of the Night Sky
The universe conspires to give Alvord Desert another winning card – its crystal-clear night skies. Here, far from the city lights and the Willamette Valley’s mist, the celestial play is breathtaking. You return from lakebed picnics, tired yet excited, put on a pot of Oregon Chai, and simply look up. On a moonless night, it’s like having a personal audience with the Milky Way. And if you’re lucky enough, you can spot the elusive Aurora.
Steens Mountain: The Towering Companion
The ever-present Steens Mountain looms like a giant sentinel over the Alvord Desert, an integral part of its dramatic landscape. While the Desert rests at the Mountain’s feet, what lies at the top is equally mesmerizing – a string of glistening, sapphire-blue alpine lakes. It’s worth packing a lunch and hiking the Steens Mountain Loop to savor Oregon’s rugged beauty.
Farewell, for Now
Our Alvord Desert is a starkly splendid manifestation of Oregon’s rich geographic tapestry, offering a less-explored alternative to the usual coastal and forest adventures. Whether for solitude, landspeed racing, or stargazing, head southeast and experience the Alvord Desert – it might be chilly, dry, and eerily quiet, but it is undeniably ours. True to Oregon’s spirit, it remains enigmatic and enchantingly untamed. So pack a spirit of adventure, maybe a pair of binoculars, and definitely those thermal socks because you’re in for quite an Oregonian journey!