Tim Neville
ONDA provides interested community members with inspiration to get out and enjoy the desert, and the information and tools necessary to understand what is happening to their public lands.
Terry Butler, 2018 Volunteer of the Year
“If I have to pick a favorite place in Oregon’s high desert, it would be Sutton Mountain, but I’m excited about all of the Wilderness Study Areas,” says Terry, adding, “Each is a gem to explore, and I hope they all get protection someday… I love the scale of the physical beauty of the desert.”
What defines Oregon’s high desert?
Bounded by the Cascade Mountains to the west and the Blue Mountains to the north, Oregon’s high desert covers approximately 24,000 square miles. Annual rainfall in the high desert varies from 5 to 14 inches. The average elevation is 4,000 feet; at 9,733 feet, the summit of Steens Mountain is the highest point in Oregon’s high desert. The terrain of the high desert was mostly formed by a series of lava flows that occurred between 30 and 10 million years ago.
The Land Between: The Greater Hart-Sheldon Region
ONDA’s Oregon Desert Trail Guidebook provides a comprehensive introduction the complete 750-mile Oregon Desert Trail route and important “know before you go” information that is helpful in preparing for a trip of any length from day hike to thru-hike.
Download this free resource for:
* Desert safety tips
* Detailed route information and driving directions
* A guide to water caching
* Section-by-section overview maps and elevation profiles
* Cultural history and natural history
* A public lands glossary and guide to land designations along the ODT
* So much more.
Published twice annually and sent to all members, Desert Ramblings gives readers an inside look at ONDA’s programs.
Our annual reports share the program highlights from the year and our financial health. You can also review our Financials.
ONDA’s calendar has become a highly-anticipated favorite among our members and the community at large. Produced as a volunteer-led effort, the Wild Desert Calendar showcases the beauty of the high desert through stunning photographs.
Chase Jablonski
Each year, Oregon Natural Desert Association shares awe-inspiring photography from Oregon’s dry side in our Wild Desert Calendar. Each calendar features treasured Oregon public lands, from the Owyhee Canyonlands to […]
Read MoreONDA’s conservation work spans millions of acres in eastern Oregon. These maps will fill you in on where our priority regions, including Oregon Badlands Wilderness, Steens Mountain, Owyhee Canyonlands, and Hart Mountain, fit into Oregon’s sagebrush steppe landscape.
Restoring Oregon’s Desert Landscapes
Wild and Unprotected: Protect Oregon’s critical desert waterways
Greater Hart-Sheldon: A Sagebrush Stronghold
Oregon’s Owyhee Canyonlands: One-of-a-Kind and a Million Years in the Making
Independent Stewards Program – 2021 Accomplishments
Our brochures highlight the unique regions with Oregon’s vast southeast desert, provide visitor information, and describe conservation opportunities.
ONDA occasionally publishes in-depth reports on conservation topics.
