Harney County lies in the high desert at the northern edge of the Great Basin. Burns, the county seat, is at the crossroads of three major highways. Burns-Hines is a center of both tourism and commerce.

Harney County covers 10,200 square miles, the largest county in Oregon and larger than several states. Population of the county is approximately 7,609 (2000 Census).

With a typical high desert climate, Harney County experiences over 300 days of sunshine per year, receives an average of 11 inches of annual precipitation. Warm and sunny days of summer record highs in the eighties with cool nights. Winter temperatures are typically in the low thirties.
 

The towns of Burns and Hines are on the northern edge of the Harney Basin, at the base of the Blue Mountains. Fertile meadows produce large crops of both alfalfa and native grass hay.
 

The elevation at Burns is approximately 4,200 feet. Steens Mountain to the south peaks at an elevation of 9,733 feet.