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    Alvord Desert

    4.4 (5 reviews)

    Alvord Desert Photos

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    Steens Mountain - A spur road

    Steens Mountain

    4.8(4 reviews)
    30.0 km

    Visited the Steens for a few days - roads were in and out - the loop was closed. Beautiful…read morecountry, and well worth a visit....especially if you have a hunting tag for the area. This review is for the Page Springs Campground - it has to be one of the nicest campgrounds I've stayed in. It's run by the BLM - they take credit cards or cash, but will charge you "extra" for your vehicle - over and above the cost of the campsite. Yes - campsite and car are charged separately. We paid $21 per night for camp and 1 car. The sites are very large and spread out. Privacy was not an issue. Some were shaded and some were out in the open. It's a very popular campground though, and is first come, first serve. We showed up on an October Thursday at 5pm and there were only 2 sites left. There are other private and BLM campgrounds nearby, though not nearly as nice.

    If you're in the area, or if you love stunning drives and don't mind being out of the way, you must…read moretake this drive. It's on a dirt road but don't let that put you off, these two nanna's drove a Ford C-Max with exactly 5.5" of clearance to the top and never hit a bump. It's a beautiful dirt road. If dirt roads can be called beautiful. And the views are drop dead gorgeous. Imagine standing on the edge of a 6,000 foot cliff with a white desert below, black mountains in the distance and clouds here and there that you're looking down on. This isn't my first dog and pony show with escarpments like this, but it was definitely one of the most majestic and sublime I've seen. The drive up is also beautiful, but in a, gosh, what a pretty landscape, sort of way. It's the top that you come for though, if you're a religious person you could probably find God up there, it's that jaw dropping. For a bathroom; about 1/2 way up look for Fish Lake on a little spur road. There are also a few campgrounds up there. What a find. Hopefully someday I'll be back but next time with a motor home so I can spend some time there and do some serious trekking.

    Photos
    Steens Mountain - Smokey atmosphere

    Smokey atmosphere

    Steens Mountain
    Steens Mountain - Alvord Desert below.

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    Alvord Desert below.

    Alvord Hot Springs

    Alvord Hot Springs

    3.8(26 reviews)
    6.4 km

    I've been back 5 times now and never have had a bad experience. Front desk has always been polite…read moreand communicative. If they are busy, they will let you know. People need to understand, this place isn't like Seattle, Portland, or a large city - it's a nice little hot spring in the middle of the desert. The amenities are as they come, and that's all you'll really need. They also have a good selection of beef from the local ranch. We always will buy some to cook there and then a couple to take home. Will definitely be back. Worth the drive.

    If you're exploring all the unique Oregon places this place has to be on the list! The hot springs…read morewere magnificent. There were a few things I wish I had known before going. There is no cold water for cooling down from the hot springs or for drinking. I think there might be water for sale in the office there. Of course fill up on gas because there is none available Mind your step when you get into the pools it may be super slippery. There are rattlesnakes, scorpions and mice that might visit at night! Plus other critters probably. I originally wanted to just due a day soak but I'm glad I decided to camp. It was amazing getting to lay in the springs at night and driving the playa at sunset. I loved every second of it except for getting stalked by a rattlesnake. Very fun experience just make sure you're prepared to be in the Outback!

    Photos
    Alvord Hot Springs - Hike real close to hot springs

    Hike real close to hot springs

    Alvord Hot Springs - Out on the playa

    Out on the playa

    Alvord Hot Springs

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    Steens Mountain Wilderness Resort - Big camping areas, taken across from space 41

    Steens Mountain Wilderness Resort

    3.6(17 reviews)
    45.7 km

    Quiet. Lots of space between lots with long, staggered parking. Some lots are obviously slanted but…read morewith the long lot, you can adjust. Clean bathrooms & showers. Free DVD rentals. Incredible bird songs in the morning. At this June-2026 visit the public dump station was closed (state camping down the way has no utility) but each unit has sewer, water, electricity, unless you are in the grassy tent locations. Mosquitoes just starting to get busy but only bad towards dusk. Great hiking and site seeing area.

    Our family had a very disappointing experience at Steens Mountain Wilderness Resort. We reserved…read morethree camping sites for a group of 13 people and planned a multi-day family trip, but the experience was far from welcoming. The owner, Mark, was not available during the posted office hours, making it difficult to address questions and concerns. When we were able to speak with him, he was rude, impatient, and particularly unfriendly toward our boys, ages 10 and 7, who were genuinely trying to follow the campground's many rules. The situation escalated when we decided to leave two days early, despite having paid for and reserved our campsites. This was extremely disruptive to our family's vacation and left us feeling unwelcome. Considering the high cost of staying here, we expected much better conditions. The campground was very dusty, and the restroom and shower facilities were dirty and unsanitary throughout our stay. Unfortunately, due to the poor customer service, lack of professionalism, and substandard facilities, we cannot recommend this resort.

    Photos
    Steens Mountain Wilderness Resort
    Steens Mountain Wilderness Resort
    Steens Mountain Wilderness Resort - Nearby Steens Mountains closed in early June due to snow

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    Nearby Steens Mountains closed in early June due to snow

    Steens Mountain Guest Ranch - Mustangs

    Steens Mountain Guest Ranch

    5.0(5 reviews)
    54.7 km

    It's possible to travel just 3 hours and feel like you're in another world. When we booked our…read moreadventure over the phone, Susan asked about our riding experience, any food sensitivities and how much we wanted to dive in with the ranch experience. When we arrived, Susan came out of the house to welcome us and showed us our cabin (which they just finished last year). I wanted every experience the ranch had to offer and Tim and Susan did not disappoint. From waking up at sunrise to feed the horses, to witnessing the birth of a calf (they didn't have control over that but a total bonus), fixing fences, riding all day, cattle pushing, taking care of the horses, riding in the back of a truck after a long day, taking care of calves, glorious sunrises and sets, magnificent landscape to wonderful home cooked meals. We would swap stories at the table as I stuffed my mouth with biscuits, steak and homemade jam. I would watch the day break from the loft in our cabin. There was something so comforting and so right to put on the same pair of dusty jeans and boots as I got ready to tackle the day. I never once felt stupid for still not grasping how to cinch my horse by the third day or accidentally splitting up a herd during a push down the mountain. Susan made sure she snapped a photo or got a video during our glory moments. We were all treated like family and it was hard to say goodbye when the time came. Your adventure will be worth every penny, every sore butt and dusty face. In my 43 years next to my daughter's birth, this was the greatest moment of my life. My soul was alive the whole week and have found my calling after my daughter flys the coop. There is no better place to heal the soul than on the back of a horse.

    Suz and Tim are wonderful hosts! There was a welcome sign…read moreon the porch which made us feel right at home. My sweetie had scheduled us for a two hour horse back ride but I've never ridden. The original destination seemed a bit daunting, so we spent some time in the Arena letting me get used to the feel of the horse and learning how to "drive" her, so to speak. I was a little embarrassed, but neither of these horse pro's made me feel anything less than fine. They kept telling me how good i was getting and that they saw me go from tense to comfortable in the short time we were on horseback. I'd love to see them again and I think I would like go on horseback again.... I'm so thankful for their patience and hospitality.

    Photos
    Steens Mountain Guest Ranch - High Country Horseback Riding!

    High Country Horseback Riding!

    Steens Mountain Guest Ranch - Guest Ranch Lodge

    Guest Ranch Lodge

    Steens Mountain Guest Ranch - "Blue Pine Room with a King-size bed"

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    "Blue Pine Room with a King-size bed"

    Malheur National Wildlife Refuge

    Malheur National Wildlife Refuge

    4.4(9 reviews)
    87.1 km

    Pamela G.'s review is spot on. May/June = Mosquitos. Wildlife = birds. Haha. The visitor center is…read morebeautiful, the pond is picturesque and the birds are plentiful, though you hear a lot more than you see. Maybe I just don't have the eye for birding. Janet, in the info center as you first walk in, was very helpful with brochures and directions and recommendations. We walked around the center, checked out the museum (who knew how many different birds were black with white markings, but each very distinct?), took a bunch of pictures and yes, we were immediately swarmed by mosquitos when we got out of the car. Bring your repellent! We took the short gravel road drive down to Wrights pond, because this is the highest the water has been in 15 years and Janet said there was an abundance of wildlife right by your feet. Not wrong, we saw a deer, and hundreds of birds. Really unique area to explore, this little oasis in the middle of the desert and at the foot of the mountains.

    I have never seen so many different species of bird anywhere. What a treasure this is for…read morewildlife, the world habitat and the country. I felt like I was in an Aviary, in fact, when I closed my eyes it felt like the Amazon must feel in the deep jungle with hundreds of different kinds of birds singing and squawking in every direction. And oh what birds they are. I am not a birder so I had no idea what many of the birds were, but I did recognize the Western Tanager, Goldfinch, Great Horned owl chick, and pelicans. The rest of them were called, "Wow! Look at that!", birds. If you go in late late May, early June, cover your body and use mosquito repellent where you're exposed. We were just passing through, but now that I know what a treasure Malheur is and that the best time of year is in March/April I'll be back for more than a few hours.

    Photos
    Malheur National Wildlife Refuge
    Malheur National Wildlife Refuge
    Malheur National Wildlife Refuge

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    Alvord Desert - localflavor - Updated July 2026

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