SE Oregon Desert Road Trip

This post first appeared on July 18, 2023 at danielhedrick.com and is part of the migration from Wordpress to Substack.

I first saw pictures of the Alvord Desert 10 years ago, and knew it was a place I needed to visit. I never had the opportunity when I lived in Oregon, but after moving back to Montana I started planning the trip. It was originally supposed to just be just a trip to Alvord, but over the years it expanded to include various other photo-worthy stops in Southeast Oregon because of YouTube videos by Primal Outdoors and Soft Roading the West. I didn’t do the full overland route they charted due to time and supplies, but I managed to check out the A6 Intruder memorial, Shirk Ranch, and Coffeepot Crater. I added Fort Rock, Leslie Gulch and Succor Creek for good measure.

The drive from Portland to Christmas Valley didn’t feel as long as it was. A quick stop in Sisters for gas, and a scenic detour to Fort Rock broke up the drive perfectly. I hit up the gas station in Christmas Valley to top off the tank and began the short drive to the first night’s camp spot near the A6 Intruder memorial. Once off the main highway, the dirt road to the campsite was fun but definitely requires a vehicle with a decent amount of ground clearance. The ruts and rocky spots were plentiful, but persistence paid off. There were some other folks camping in the spot I had planned on, but I found a clearing not far away.

Once I got settled in, Diego and I hiked over to the A6 crash site. The beginning of the hike is straight up a hill, but the rest is pretty flat. It’s definitely worth the hike. It’s humbling to stand there and see the remains of that plane scattered across the desert.

Back at the truck, I fed Diego, made a Mountain House for myself, and just sat and enjoyed the quiet. The only word that came to mind was peace. I hadn’t felt like that in a long time. Everything about sitting there in the high desert was exactly as I had hoped it would be.

The next morning, I packed up and headed back out towards the highway.

After a stop in Lakeview for gas, I drove to Shirk Ranch. It was a pretty awesome thing to see, but something about the area was unsettling. I’m not sure how to explain it. I stopped long enough to take photos and make a sandwich, then we were back on the road. I wanted to make it to Alvord that night–preferably before the gas station in Fields closed.

We did not make it to Fields before the gas station closed, but there was enough left in the tank that I wasn’t overly worried. Seeing Alvord for the first time was nothing short of breathtaking. Just a vast expanse of nothing. There weren’t many people on the playa at all so I drove around taking it all in, trying to decide where to set up camp. Recommendations online suggested avoiding the wind by staying on the west side, (but away from private property.) Living in Central Montana has forced me to all but ignore the wind, so I parked right in the middle of the lake bed and called it good.

I spent most of that night enjoying cold beer and taking photos of the stars. I tried to do a timelapse of the super moon, but borked the exposure. Probably because of afore-mentioned beers. It was still an epic night in the desert.

In the morning, we headed back to Fields for gas. Fields station is a great little place. When I pulled up, a guy out front told me how the gas process works—fill up, take a picture of the analog readout on the pump, then take it inside so the woman inside knows what to charge you. It’s a perfect mix of 2023 and 1990.

From Fields, we took the scenic route to Jordan Valley. I wanted to check out Coffeepot Crater. Unfortunately, this is the part of the trip I didn’t do enough research on. I just trusted Gaia to get me there. Three different routes dead-ended at private property. After a few hours of trying, I gave up and decided to just head to Leslie Gulch and camp there for the night. I passed through Jordan Valley again, headed north… And saw the sign for Coffeepot Craters. I decided to just keep going and save the Jordan Craters for another trip.

Leslie Gulch is a picturesque place. The road is fun, and the rocky cliffs bordering the road are amazing. When I got all the way down to the water, however, I found that I wasn’t the only one seeking a cold dip in the water to escape the heat. There were people. And I was attempting to avoid people on this trip. The lake front consisted of a boat ramp and a small grassy area. There were people on the ramp, and tents on the grassy area. I headed back up the road to the campground. I figured I’d just camp there for the night and call it good.

I can’t explain exactly why, but after sitting at the campground for a bit, I knew it wasn’t where I wanted to stay. Five carloads of teenagers cruised down the road to the lake, it was hot, stale, and dusty. Weird complaints for someone who voluntarily decided to travel through the high desert, I know. Like I said, I cant’ really explain it. It just wasn’t right.

I remembered seeing Succor Creek State Nature Area nearby on the map, so I made that my destination. Just shy of the actual campground, I found the perfect dispersed site. It sat on the edge of a cliff overlooking Succor Creek. Sometimes things just work out the way they should.

In the morning, the plan was to head towards Boise to visit my brother and his family, but he worked until 3:30. I had some time to kill…

I figured, I’m already here, I might as well backtrack down to the Jordan Craters sign and go see Coffeepot Crater. So I did. It’s definitely worth visiting, but I can’t say it was my favorite part of the trip. At any rate, getting there meant I hit every single spot I planned for this little adventure.

This was my first extended trip using the FSR roof-top tent, and it worked out perfectly. Quick to set up and take down, comfortable, just enough room for the dog and I. He’s not a fan of being lifted in/out of the tent, so I just let him sleep in the cab of the truck, but it’s good to know he fits when the cab is otherwise occupied.

I can’t believe I put this trip off for so long. I mean, I had decent reasons the past few years, but why didn’t I do it when I lived in Oregon? I’m already planning my next visit. Alvord is only a few hours from my brother’s house, so I’ll make a week of it and spend more time exploring the area.