Alvord Desert Playa — BLM Dispersed Camping

The Alvord Desert is a flat, cracked alkali playa at the foot of the Steens Mountain escarpment in the Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Area, run by BLM Burns District. You pick your own spot on the hardpan. There are no sites, no fire rings, no tables, no water, and no shade. What you get is a horizon in every direction and some of the darkest skies in the lower 48. Summer brings heat, wind, and a steady stream of land sailors and stargazers. Spring and fall are quieter and a lot more comfortable.

Access is by dirt road off the Fields-Denio Road, and a dry playa surface is usually easy going for most vehicles. Do not drive out when it’s wet. The crust breaks through to sticky clay that has buried plenty of rigs a long way from a tow truck. Check conditions before you commit. Pack in all your water and pack out everything, trash included. Fields Station to the south is the closest fuel and food, so confirm hours ahead. Have a dirty day.

Twelve miles of empty playa under Steens Mountain