ALVORD DESERT

Unlike my other entries camping with your Roadster, the Alvord Desert suggests a taller car and preferably something AWD due to the road conditions upon arrival. I do think taking your Roadster is possible if:

A) It isn’t modified with valuable fiberglass body kit parts (they may get damaged)

B) It has a lift kit on it/isn’t lowered

A perfect example if you want to go in your Roadster (@jimmyhasnogarage) via Instagram

So on this trip, I took the CR-V. I spent a night in early October to make the “best time to go” window and see for myself what I would need when I come back. It was an absolutely beautiful place, here’s what I was able to record for my first disperse camp in the Alvord Desert.

Alvord Desert, OR in October

TENT-

Upon arrival it was very windy. We got in at 5:30PM and went toward the lower east side of the desert.

Where I was pitched on Apple maps

I heard if it was windy it’s smarter to go toward the edge of the desert but I preferred a spot where it feels like an open space so I brought a tent that’s quick and easy to setup. I brought my Minute Dome Pro. air 1 by Snow Peak, designed for faster setup in harsher conditions - in this case I needed that. I wanna say around 8PM the wind died down if not completely stopped. I’m not sure if that’s a thing every night as I have only been once, but it was a little difficult setting up as soon as we got there due to wind. But I know setting up in the dark sucks so I set up while I still had light.

Minute Dome Pro. air 1 by Snow Peak

As far as your stakes go I wouldn’t use the OEM stakes your tent comes with, I would upgrade to more sturdy ones that are a lot thicker. These ones are from Daiso, and they worked great. However, I think I’ll be upgrading to Snow Peak because of how reliable they’ve always been.

20cm and 30cm stakes from Daiso

SLEEP-

I brought both my summer and winter sleeping bags to see which one I needed for this time of year. I don’t think I put on a jacket until about 8:30PM and it was completely dark. I did already have a fire going, but even being away from it I didn’t feel like I needed a jacket just yet but I put it on anyway. The coldest it got was about 36f/2c at 5AM. But throughout the night it was about 43f/6c. So close to when you’re waking up will be the absolute coldest. I’m glad I used my winter bag, and honestly in Oregon anytime after September it’s probably time to make the switch from summer to winter sleeping bag. It’s better to run a little hot where you can keep your arms out to help regulate your temp than be cold and shivering all night! I used my Mountain Hardwear Yawn Patrol SE. It’s a 650-fill down rated at 15f/-9c. I slept like a baby. Get yourself a high quality down sleeping bag - they’re light, easy to pack small, and keep the heat from your body trapped in all night. Skip the synthetic crap!

Yawn Patrol SE by Mountain Hardwear

COOK-

For a place like the desert that has high winds and an open playa, I myself would stay two nights max if I weren’t with a group. I only stayed for one night on this trip and it made it extremely convenient. The only food and cookware I had to pack was for dinner. Normally when I camp it’s for 4-5 days so that means a lot of food, and lots of kitchenware for various meals. If you stay for one night and arrive in the evening, you can eat on the way in, and on the way out. So that means you save space on what you bring because you don’t need a huge cooler to store food, and you also don’t need the tools to cook it all. I brought one meal enough for two people, and some snacks. We had planned on leaving relatively early (roughly for us around 9AM) so that when we get back into town we can eat brunch and don’t have to cook before packing up. So staying one night was extremely easy and we still felt like we got to really take in the peace of the desert. I think for my next time around I will stay two nights.

Used the OEM table inside the trunk of the CR-V

This is how bright it was with a full moon at 11pm

EXTRA INFORMATION-

•Map to “Alvord Desert Hot Springs”.

•Upon arrival you will be on a gravel road for about 9 miles before getting to the entrance.

•DO NOT go to all the way to the official campsites unless you booked there. The entrance to the desert will say “Frog Spring” and “Alvord Desert”. It’s about 2 miles before what you mapped if you’re coming in from the South entrance.

•There are bathrooms and dumpsters at the entrance.

•Two bundles of firewood will last you about 4 hours.

•The playa is extremely dusty (obviously) so all your gear and clothes will be a little white by the end of your trip.

•The further East you go into the desert, the longer the sunset before it sets over the Steens Mountains.

•Gas was about 100 miles from the desert if you were to come NW from Burns, OR. However if you go South into Nevada I believe it was around 60 miles. Wouldn’t hurt to bring a gallon of gas as extra.

•This desert is free for disperse camping with no maintenance so please follow the leave no trace rule.

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS-

Arrival at 5:30PM

The sign to enter

Complete silence with the stars

Morning brew (6:30am)

One last look at the Steens Mountains (7:30am)