Harney County

In a very remote part of Harney County, covered in the rain shadow of the Steens Mountains, lies one of Oregon's most breathtakingly still landscapes—the Alvord Desert. This desolate expanse of cracked, sun-dried lake bed ripples across the earth. Roughly 12 miles long and 7 miles wide, the Alvord averages only about seven inches of rain per year. Because of its barren, wide-open nature, the desert is a favorite spot to go land sailing in the dry season, or you can camp beneath the starry skies in one of the quietest, most secluded spots in Oregon. The beautiful Alvord Desert is extremely remote—please check the weather report and the Bureau of Land Management website for any weather alerts or cautions regarding visiting, and pack extra water, fuel, and essentials if you make the journey.