Overview
The Owyhee River in Idaho and Oregon is one of the most spectacular desert rivers in the United States. A tributary of the Snake River, the Owyhee begins in Nevada and flows north and west through Idaho and Oregon before the 200-mile long river's terminus into the Snake. The Owyhee travels through sparse country and its remote canyon scenery is a favorite destination for white water rafting connoisseurs. Launches on the Owyhee River are strictly controlled and more than half of the river is designated Wild & Scenic by Congress for its incredible diversity of scenery, wildlife and plants. Considered the "Sistine Chapel" of western canyon lands, the Owyhee River in Idaho and Oregon is one of the best kept whitewater rafting secrets.
Available Activities:
At A Glance
- Trip Duration: 4-7 Days
- Trip Length: 38-220 miles
- Intensity: Intermediate, Class II-V
- Season: April-May
- Minimum Age: 8-16, depending on section
- Begins in: Boise, Idaho
- Ends in: Boise, Idaho
- Closest Airport: Boise, Idaho
- Cultural History: Dozens of great rapids, stunning desert canyons (like Bryce and Zion National Parks), secluded and never crowded, hot springs and great hiking.
- Highlights: Birds of prey, wildlife, Native American historical sites and pioneer homesteads.
Details
Few white water vacations can compare to the scenery, wildlife and adventure of Idaho and Oregon's Owyhee River. The Owyhee has carved dramatic multi-colored canyons, reminiscent of Bryce and Zion National Parks in southern Utah. Sheer-walled rock faces, up to 1,000 feet high, tower above the river and captivate guests as they float through this remote river canyon. The Owyhee River's white water is as diverse as the flora and fauna that adorns the remote canyon hillsides.
Depending on the section, the Owyhee River offers an ideal family vacation or an extreme adventure for experienced rafters. Each portion is unique and ROW has permits to float four different sections of the strictly regulated river. Owyhee River rafting trips range from four to seven days.
A kaleidoscope of life thrives in the canyon and you're likely to see multitudes of wildflowers, birds and reptiles as you raft through the Owyhee's Class II-IV whitewater rapids. You're also likely to see eagles and falcons soaring, beavers, otters, coyote, big horn sheep and antelope.
Undammed and free-flowing, the Owyhee is an early-season (April-June) desert river with strictly controlled launches. Camps are set on white sand beaches among twisted juniper trees and sagebrush. And as your guides prepare the evening's meal, you might soak in a hot spring or hike up a canyon draw. As the evening settles in, you sit in awe as the rock pinnacles of the Owyhee River's hillsides become silhouetted against a colorful Idaho sunset. After dinner, you sit around the glowing embers of the campfire and imagine what life was like when the Nez Perce tribe ruled these hills. This incredible desert canyon is rarely visited and offers an array of adventure, scenery and cultural history.
East Fork and South Fork Owyhee River adventures take you to the most remote river sections and are more expeditionary in nature, with most guests paddling atop inflatable kayaks, or daring duckies. The Middle Owyhee offers the most thrilling whitewater, and the Lower Owyhee has the most hot springs and gentlest rapids.
ROW has been on the Owyhee since 1980 and is one of very few outfitters licensed and permitted to run the entire river (bridging the states of Nevada, Idaho and Oregon). For nature lovers and white water connoisseurs, a rafting vacation on the Owyhee River is a dream come true.
If you need to purchase some gear before your whitewater rafting trip, ROW has assembled the more common items at our ROWear online store, hosted by New Headings.
Itinerary
Because ROW offers trips on four specific sections of the Owyhee, it's difficult to share a trip itinerary. Instead, we've listed each section of the river along with some characteristics that will help you decide which trip is best suited for your desires. When you think you've picked your section, our friendly office staff will be happy to give you a better idea of how a typical trip might be run.
The Lower Owyhee: 5 days, 50 miles:
This is the most approachable section of the Owyhee. The rapids are easy to moderate and we are able to float our larger 16' rafts and run a more "normal" rafting trip, offering the usual amenities that make for very comfortable and cushy camping. Our put-in is near the town of Rome with our take-out is at Birch Creek. On this trip we visit several wonderful hot springs where we'll try to spend a night or two. Camps are set on sandy beaches.
We see some dramatic geologic formations along the way, somewhat similar to the Dakota badlands. There is plenty of hiking possibilities and camp time for relaxing, photography, and bird watching. The Lower Owyhee is best choice for those who don't want the tough whitewater of the Middle Section, or the expedition-quality of the Upper sections. Trips are limited to 16 guests and four guides.
The Middle Owyhee. 4 days, 38 miles:
This section of river is best suited for very experienced rafters due to the remoteness and severity of the whitewater. We use extra caution and conservative judgment when running the Middle Owyhee's rapids. Our put-in is at Three Forks and our take-out is near Rome. During the trip we stop several times to scout rapids, and we line our rafts through Widow Maker—a process that requires 3-5 hours, depending on the number of rafts. This section flows through red-rock canyons with huge monolithic rock pillars. There are many interesting hikes, great wildlife and incredible scenery along this stretch.
The Upper Owyhee, mostly contained in the states of Nevada and Idaho, offers one of the most remote, awesome wilderness river trips in the entire North American Continent. There are two different sections of the upper river that we float. Both trips are limited to ten guests and five guides.
The East Fork. 7 days, 120+ miles:
We put-in around 5,000' elevation near the Duck Valley Indian Reservation and will usually take-out at the Three Forks launch site. Due to the numerous rapids and narrow, rocky courses, we float smaller 13' rafts to carry the community camping equipment and each person or couple will paddle their own inflatable kayak. We have at least two portages on this section and travel light in order to minimize the delay and hard work required. Wildlife sightings are best on this part of the river because of the extreme remoteness and inaccessibility of the area. This section of the Owyhee is as remote as any place on the North American continent.
The South Fork. 7 days, 120 miles:
On this section, we put-in at a local ranch in Nevada, miles from anything and usually take-out at the Three Forks launch site. We use a 13' raft to carry gear, and guests ride on inflatable kayaks. The first three days of this trip does not have the tight, rocky, nearly impassable rapids that are found on the East Fork. However, the South Fork meets the East Fork on the fourth day, so the final three days of the trip are the same as the last three of the East Fork trip. There is at least one portage after the two forks converge. A portage requires that we carry all gear around the rapids. Sometimes we can let the rafts through on ropes, but this depends on water levels. If we can't line the rafts, we have to carry them. This is the beauty of using the lighter inflatable kayaks.
Full Itinerary
FAQ
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