Owyhee River - Additional Trips

We are excited to announce that we will be running trips down the Owyhee River again this year! With a bigger snowpack in the mountains, predictions for the Owyhee River show the first above average water year in a number of years.

The Owyhee River Canyon is known as the “Grand Canyon of Oregon” and is one of the most untouched, beautiful places in the Northwest. A well-kept secret, this tributary of the Snake River drains a huge and remote area of the arid corners of Nevada, Idaho, and Oregon. The Owyhee River and its tributaries flow through the Owyhee Plateau,cutting deep canyons, often with vertical walls and in some places over 1,000 feet deep. Much of the year the Owyhee River doesn’t carry enough water to float even a small raft but during a narrow and variable window each spring the runoff provides enough water to float through this breathtaking canyon environment. The limited accessibility and short float season has helped to preserve this section of river as wild and untouched. The scenery and geology, as well as the abundant wildlife will occupy your senses while you sit back and enjoy the ride in the comfort and class of a guided drift boat.

The Owyhee canyon is one of the most historically rich sections of river with thousands of historical sites full of Indian petroglyphs (rock carvings). At many of the riverside camps your tent will be set amongst decorated boulders covered in the ancient artwork. Trips through the Owyhee canyon also offer many side hikes and relaxing soaks in riverside hot springs.

We run the Owyhee River in style! Utilizing deluxe drift boats and large rafts for a comfortable classy ride. You just sit back and relax as your guide maneuvers you through the beautiful canyons and fun rapids this river has to offer. Drift boats are the “Cadillac of the River” and offer you the VIP treatment and front row seat to the ever-changing scenery around every turn. The dry ride of the drift boats also allows you to keep your camera out and ready to capture some of the amazing views.

View from Riverside Camp on the OwyheeLike all of our other deluxe river trips, our riverside camps are set to provide comfort for our guests. These camps are comprised of a large dining tent, large sleeping tents for each two guests; comfortable cots with Therma-rest pads, and all the other luxury amenities you expect from us. The dining tent provides the perfect setting to gather, socialize, and eat together in the evenings and also provides added comfort as a rain or sun shelter. Meals are hearty, family style affairs featuring a wide selection of delicious options including dutch oven breads, top quality meats, great side dishes, fruits, vegetables, and salads.
Our trips are five days in length, allowing our guests a relaxed pace and to be able to enjoy all that the canyon has to offer. Layover days are a recommended option to allow even more exploration of the canyon. We would love to be your guide to the experiences of this amazing canyon! Come explore this river with us.

We would love to be your guide to the experiences of this amazing canyon! Come explore this river with us.

BRIEF HISTORY:
The river was named for three Hawaiian trappers, in the employ of the North West Company, who were sent to explore the uncharted river and were never seen again. The Owyhee watershed was part of region inhabited by the Shoshone and Bannock Indians for thousands of years prior to white man’s arrival and there is ample evidence, even today of their presence. The discovery of gold and silver in the region in 1863 resulted in a temporary influx of miners and the establishment of mining camps, most of whom have long since disappeared. A few scattered ranches and farms are all that remain. In 1984, Congress designated 120 miles of the river as The Owyhee Wild and Scenic River offering protection from any further human encroachment.

WILDLIFE:
The canyon is home to a wide variety of large raptors including Kestrels, Prairie Falcons, Norther Harriers, Osprey, and Golden Eagles. Upland game birds including Ring-Neck Pheasants, Chuckar, and Valley Quail are abundant, and there are great densities of various migratory waterfowl. Larger animals include Mule Deer, Elk, Beaver, Bobcat, and Bighorn Sheep.

GEOLOGY:
On the Owyhee, the scenic beauty of this trip is heavily derived from the amazing geology through which this river flows. The canyon cuts down through the strata of the Owyhee Plateau, composed of sediments deposited in shallow lake basins, interspersed with volcanic deposits. Around Rome the river flows through an open valley for a short distance before dropping into a series of very narrow canyons, which consists of alternating thin, fossil-bearing lake and stream sediments, and thicker lava flows composed of black and grey rhyolite. Of great scenic interest, Lambert Rocks is a fantastically eroded monolith, a striking series of black lava flows that provide sharp contrast to the lighter colored lake sediments. As the river turns sharply to the east it enters Green Dragon Canyon which is one of the most picturesque sections of the river. The rocks here are predominantly banded rhyolite, and the varicolored pinks and grays characteristic of this rock are spectacular. Downstream from Green Dragon Canyon the river flows past old lakebed , coarse sand and gravel stained in multiple hues by oxidized iron in the sediments. This brightly colored rock formed in an ancient stream and lake environment that experienced a series of volcanic ash flows and Greely Basin in particular offers amazing views.

Owyhee River Float Trips – 5 Days, 4 Nights 2017 Prices

Drift Boats: $2200/Person (Requires Double Occupancy)
Rafting: $1800/Person

Federal use fee of 3% the overall trip cost included in trip cost.

2017 Trip Dates: Annual Dates Vary
April 17-21
April 24-28
May 1-5
May 8-12