Alvord Desert and Steens Mountain: A Southeast Oregon Road Trip

Southeastern Oregon is a special place. And not just because it is where Dan proposed to me under a blanket of stars during our brief Oregon road trip in 2018. It is special because it is one of the last outposts of off-the-beaten-path wilderness in the continental United States.

Driving through the lower-right corner of Oregon is like navigating the surface of the moon. It is desolate. It is stark. It is parched. It is often viewed as a wasteland; a barren stretch of flyover country that is defined by its nothingness. There are few big name landmarks in the area, and even fewer towns.

But contrary to popular knowledge, a road trip through Southeast Oregon highlights some of the state’s most dramatic and awe-inspiring scenery—-including the cracked earth of the Alvord Desert, the soaring peak of Steens Mountain, the marshy grasslands of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, and dozens of bubbling thermal springs.

 

ROAD TRIP ITINERARY FOR SOUTHEASTERN OREGON

Dan and I chose to explore Southeastern Oregon as a road trip from Boise, Idaho. The drive can also be easily completed as a loop from Bend in Central Oregon, since the area lies between the two cities.

The first stop on our journey was the Alvord Desert’s sun-baked playa.

When I first saw photos of the Alvord, I couldn’t believe that I had lived my entire life in Oregon and never even heard of the place. At once, it seemed so wild and spectacular,  that I imagined it wouldn’t be kept a secret for long. I knew that Dan and I would have to visit before it became a popular tourist destination.

And so, on a pleasant June weekend, we flew to Boise, rented a 4 wheel drive vehicle, and headed straight into the heart of nowhere. 

There, in complete and utter isolation, Dan and I chased mirages in the desert, soaked in the Alvord Hot Springs at sunset, camped out under a canopy of stars, and got engaged.

 

• THE ALVORD DESERT PLAYA

The Alvord Desert is located in Harney County, in southeastern Oregon. Its main feature is a large expanse of cracked earth—called a playa—that stretches outward like a flattened piece of crumpled paper.

The playa is a dry lake bed that measures about twelve miles long and seven miles wide. Steens Mountain looms above its western edge, creating a beautiful snow-dusted backdrop.

During the dry season (July through November) it is possible to drive out onto the playa and camp on its vast expanse.

For both Dan and I, driving on the playa was a highlight of our Oregon road trip. The experience was at once liberating, thrilling, and disorienting. In the Alvord, one can drive freely in any direction. There are no roads, save for the grooves of tire tracks that swirl about the desert’s surface.

We spent a few hours out on the playa—chasing mirages, driving around in circles till we got dizzy, and doing our best to take fun perspective shots (with limited success).

Then, after a disorienting drive around the playa, we headed toward the tiny town of Fields (population 86), in order to fill our car’s gas tank.

 

• BORAX LAKE GEOTHERMAL AREA

The area around the Alvord Desert Playa is a geological wonderland full of bubbling springs and boiling pools. Our drive to Fields gave us an opportunity to visit some of the more interesting geothermal springs near Borax Lake.

Short walking paths lead visitors around Borax Lake and its colorful pools. Borax Lake is unsafe for swimming due to its scorching temperatures and high arsenic levels. Nevertheless, we enjoyed strolling through the area’s ponds and admiring the ever-changing colors of its geology.

When Dan and I were ready for a swim, we headed back to the playa. Luckily, the nearby Alvord Hot Springs are a perfect place to sit back and soak in the surrounding scenery….literally.

 

• THE ALVORD DESERT HOT SPRINGS

The Alvord Hot Springs lie near the base of Steens Mountain, at the edge of the playa. Though they are not the only thermal springs in the area, they are by far the most developed.

For $8, visitors can spend all day at the hot springs. The fee also includes use of a private road for direct access to the playa.

Dan and I watched the sunset from the hot springs and stayed in the water until stars began to emerge.

Once darkness fell completely, we dried off, hopped back in the car and returned to the heart of the Alvord Desert.

In the middle of the dried out lake bed, we laid out our sleeping mats and gaped at the starry night sky.

It was then that Dan proposed. I can hardly think of a moment more magical.

 

• THE STEENS MOUNTAIN LOOP

On the second day of our Oregon road trip—newly engaged and ready to explore yet another unforgettable destination—we set out to uncover the spectacular wilderness areas of Southeast Oregon’s largest mountain. 

Steens Mountain lies between the Alvord Desert and the Hart Mountain Antelope Refuge. It is an imposing and dramatic geologic feature that rises nearly 10,000ft above the surrounding desertscape.

In summer months, a gravel loop road permits visitors to access some of the area’s most incredible natural landmarks. The Steens Moutain Loop begins in the town of Frenchglen and affords stunning views of Wildhorse Lake and Kiger Gorge.

The loop road ascends past fields of sagebrush, groves of aspen and wildflower-speckled valleys. Glaciers once tumbled down Steens mountain, scrubbing away softer sediments and creating distinct formations in the landscape. Today, though the glaciers have melted, the U-shaped Kiger Gorge remains a dramatic sight.

From Kiger Gorge, the Steens Loop Road turns south and runs along the mountains’s rim. At the East Rim Lookout, unparalleled views of the Alvord Desert’s white expanse stretch outward, toward Idaho.

Dan and I spent most of the day driving along the gravel mountain road and admiring the area’s untouched scenery. 

In the late afternoon—after a short hike near Wildhorse Lake—we continued toward the Crystal Crane Hot Springs via the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.

 

• MALHEUR NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

Those who have heard of Malheur, most likely associate its name with the month-long standoff that gained international attention in 2016. 

And I’ll admit: even though I’m a proud Oregonian, the armed occupation of the Malheur Wildlife Refuge Headquarters was the first time I’d heard mention of this marshy avian habitat, too.

The refuge extends north of Frenchglen, along highway 205. In the summer and fall, its meadows and wetlands attract thousands of rare and colorful birds.

 

• CRYSTAL CRANE HOT SPRINGS

After passing by the lush marshes of the Malheur Wildlife Refuge, Dan and I celebrated our engagement at one of our all-time favorite hot springs. 

Oregon has an abundance of noteworthy hot springs. In my years of living and traveling throughout the Pacific Northwest, I’ve enjoyed soaking in some its finest–from the developed swimming areas at Belknap, to the serene soaking pools in Oregon’s Outback, to the clothing-optional springs at Cougar and Breitenbush.

But Crystal Crane stands out. 

Crystal Crane sits in a natural setting, surrounded by ranchlands. Due to low light pollution, the lake (open 24 hours a day) is a fantastic place from which to view the sunrise, sunset or inky black sky.

Those looking for a more private experience can rent out soaking rooms by the hour, or elect to stay in teepees that are equipped with private hot tubs. Since Dan and I were celebrating a special occasion, we booked a room at the Crane Creek Inn. The room came complete with its own outdoor patio and groundwater-fed bath.

Soaking under the stars at Crystal Crane reminded me of when Dan and I traveled to Alaska to watch the northern lights from the Chena Hot Springs. Both experiences were raw, wild, and magical.

 

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Eastern Oregon receives little attention.

Yet, our far-flung Oregon road trip proved special in so many ways. For the first time in all my travels, I became aware of the staggering beauty that lies beyond the state’s Cascade Mountain Range. I realized that this desolate area is, in fact, teeming with a diverse melange of mountain peaks, wildlife-rich marshes and natural spas.

Simply put, the area exceeded our expectations.

After our engagement, Dan admitted to having doubts about choosing the Alvord as a proposal destination. He thought I might want to get engaged in a place more traditionally associated with romance: Venice or the Caribbean, for example. 

But I’ve traveled to nearly one hundred countries. In doing so, I’ve explored some of the most beautiful landscapes and monuments on Earth.

And still, I maintain that the Alvord Desert Playa is just about the most romantic proposal location that Dan could have chosen.

 

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