Camping at the Alvord Desert
Every once in a while, I find myself in one of few truly special places. For a few years now I’ve heard stories of the Alvord Desert from family members and their friends, and subsequently, Kyle. Each of them spoke of this arid landscape with vehemence and a feeling of sacredness. So, when we were invited to join in on a yearly pilgrimage to this holy land of southeastern Oregon, of course, we jumped at the opportunity.
Deep in the rain shadow of the Steens Mountains, the Alvord Desert is actually a dried-up lake bed ripe with not water, but the opportunity for activities like dirt biking and ATV riding, hiking, geode hunting, artifact finding, and hot spring-ing.
This trip was the maiden voyage for our new tent trailer and it was also Rue’s first official camping trip. As it turns out, you can take the mountain dog out of the mountains, plop her in the desert, and she’ll still have a fantastic time.
Before the trip, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. Not only had I not camped in the desert before, but we also had the learning curve of a new trailer we had never used and had only purchased the week leading up to this trip.
The Alvord is in the middle of nowhere. There’s nothing close by. Nothing, except the small privately-owned hot springs office selling bottled water and a few other miscellaneous snack items. Because of this, I felt the need to be a bit over-prepared. Extra food, blankets, Rue supplies, and beverages were all on my list. For Kyle, it was extra gas for his dirtbike, all the right riding gear, and some special amenities to ensure we had a comfortable stay.
We spent our days cruising around the dunes on bikes and ATVs, exploring the desert and watching for wild horses, burros, snakes, and critters. We never did find the horses, but I’m told they exist. We played bocce ball on the playa and listened to music. We gazed at the stars and made yummy margaritas. The dogs played in the morning while it was cool and napped during the warm afternoons. Rue was so covered in dirt and sand, that she almost looked gray instead of black by the end of the trip.
One morning, we went for a hike in the Steen Mountain Wilderness, navigating through a canyon full of blooming Lupin and other wildflowers. The scent hung in the air and the sound of the pollinators hummed all around.
Each evening as we gathered for dinner and clustered around the fire pit, we shared stories of travels and of family, music, and generational interests (the group spanned in age from 36-80+). When the dogs tired of playing, they each retreated to their homes on wheels, soon followed by their people.
The Alvord certainly lived up to the hype and exceeded my expectations. I hope you too get the opportunity to experience its beauty.
This post is dedicated to Kitty the Border Collie, who passed away just a couple of weeks after this trip. Our hearts are with her family, and we’re so thankful for this special time spent together.
