observation exist. Wild horses sometimes drink from the springs on the eastern edge of the desert. In areas where natural hot springs flow into the playa, especially around the Alvord Hot Springs, one can usually find nesting long-billed curlew. Further out into the playa proper are numerous killdeer and snowy plover, along with the occasional American avocet. The outlet waters from the springs typically flow roughly one mile into the desert, and their reach roughly delineates the bird habitat. The nearby Steens Mountain Wilderness contains populations of bighorn sheep, mule deer, elk, and pronghorn. Further west is the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, which is popular for birding. Land speed record The previous women's Land Speed Record was set at Alvord Desert by Kitty O'Neil, in the jet-powered SMI Motivator, in 1976. O'Neil reached . On August 27, 2019, Jessi Combs died while making back and forth runs at Alvord Desert in an attempt to break O'Neil's record, and in June 2020, Guinness World Records recognized Combs' runs on that date as the official new world record of . Gallery References External links Alvord Desert - Bureau of Land Management The Wilderness Society: Wilderness in Oregon’s High Desert Alvord Desert Gliders Video produced by Oregon Field Guide Deserts of Oregon Great Basin deserts Deserts and xeric shrublands in the United States Geography of Harney County, Oregon Bureau of Land Management areas in Oregon Protected areas of Harney County, Oregon