Best Glamping near Denio, NV

We made the mistake of choosing the Alvord Hot Springs resort for camping by the Alvord Desert. The place is basically a giant gravel parking lot with a few picnic benches and fire pits strewn on the sides. There is a single very dirty bathroom right next to the general store and no other services at all. The people at the store were friendly (but no one was wearing masks in COVID time). But the real issue is that the prices they charge are truly ridiculous for what is offered. The whole place revolves around the hot springs which are nice and have very hot natural spring water collected into two cement pools. It was very crowded and we had to go back to find a time there was less busy. With camping fee $40 for two adults and 30 for any additional adult, campers have unlimited access to the hot springs (which is $20 per soak if you are not camping there). They also charge $10 to give you access to the Alvord Desert floor. But there is few access road just a few miles south of the resort. Marginal cell phone reception on AT&T. Full menu of charges in the photo attached. Unless you are really into the hot springs, do yourself a favor and save yourself some cash and find unlimited dispersed camping just a couple of miles south of the resort.

As I saw mentioned earlier, this is not for everyone.  The journey to get to Alvord was long.  We traveled Hwy 20 from Bend to Burns, 205 to Fields, Fields-Denio Rd to Alvord.  It was a long, very remote drive.  The road from Fields is gravel, so be aware.  Alvord is right off the playa.  You do get an access code with your stay to be able to drive out there.  We were warned to stay away if it rains.  It turns to mud quickly and you will get stuck.  The hotspring is pumped direct from the source.  It's murky, unfiltered, unregulated bliss.  There are two pools, so you have to get cozy with all the other soakers.  The wind was cold and fierce when we stayed.  I thought the trailer was going to tip over during the night.  We met a many nice people and had fun conversations.  Expensive for what it is, but certainly a memorable experience.

This camp ground and hot springs is the perfect entrance to the Alvord desert. There are sites with and without electricity as well as bunkers if you don't want to camp. We were in a van and opted for a site with electricity. The staff was very helpful and knowledgeable about the area. Even if you don't stay here I would recommend using this paid entrance to the Alvord desert. They also have a small shop with food and camping supplies if needed. There is a rustic hot springs spot, which is very lovely. We used it twice during our one night stay. The second night we camped on the playa. I would highly recommend visiting the Alvord desert and at least stopping by this spot if you want to enter the playa.

This is a fantastic stop whether you camp there or stay in the bunkhouses they have. There are 11 camp spots on both sides of the road. We were there in Apr. Tom the owner was manning the general store when we stopped in. He was great. He is very knowledgeable on the local area and his advice was welcome and spot on. He was very accommodating. He gave us some info on the nearby Pikes Creek trail and we were off. We came back after a 6 mile hike and soaked in the springs. The area is kept clean and the views of the Alvord have to be seen in person. It is a short walk from the camping area to the springs. There are two soaking pools at the springs. One is enclosed the other is open. The camping area near the store is basically a parking lot and there is one flush toilet for everyone. The store has all the basics you might need including ice. If you need more the Fields store is about 20 minutes away.

We go up to the South Steens Campground each year and stay in the Equestrian side of the campground. Normally we spend 7-10 days there and ride the gorges and down to the Riddle Brothers Ranch. This campground is great for horses. The solar well is great for water and having corals at each site is awesome! We high line some horses but there is still plenty of space for that as well. No campfires are allowed in the fall but what we do to stay warm outside is we have a small wood stove that works great to cook on as well. Just a little piece of advice is to always have you rain coat with you when you go riding in the Steens, the weather can change fast!

I originally went to the South Steens family Campground to find a site and it was full. I went over to the equestrian campsites even though I didn't have any horses. It worked out just fine. The campsites are close together so there isn't much privacy. It is August and they are not allowing campfires. They have restrooms and a well house to get water from. The skies were clear and I was able to get a glimpse of the meteor shower. I've never seen stars like that it was really nice. This is a good base camp to go to Wildhorse Lake for a quick hike. It's 2 1/2 miles long but worth it. I would come back here.