The Alvord Desert is a desert located in Harney County, in southeastern Oregon in the western United States. It is roughly southeast of Steens Mountain. The Alvord Desert is a 12 by 7 mile playa, a dry lake bed, and averages 7 inches of rain a year. Two mountain ranges separate it from the Pacific Ocean, the Coast Range, and the Cascade Mountains. Along with Steens Mountain, these topographical features create a rain shadow. The Alvord lies at an elevation of approximately 4000 feet (1220 m).