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RAFT TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
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- 4 day vacation
- Class III beginner
- April - May
- 68 miles of scenic river
- Birds, flowers & wildlife
- Native American history
- FUN river guides
- Driftboats, rafts or row your own
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Owyhee River Oregon
Whitewater
Rafting
View the beauty of Oregon's "empty quarter".
Even today very few people live in this empty quarter of the State. We offer 4
day vacations on the Wild & Scenic Owyhee river. Originating in the
mountains of northern Nevada, the Owyhee River flows north through the Owyhee
Uplands until it meets with the Snake on the Oregon-Idaho border. One of the
best kept secrets in the west, the Owyhee is a pristine, free-flowing river
that has recently been added to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.
The river slices through a high plateau to
create canyons up to 1500 feet deep. The land bordering the Owyhee is rugged
and remote. It offers a kaleidoscope of unique geological formations.
Topography changes from sagebrush and grass-covered slopes to sheer rhyolite
cliffs, to towering spires tinted in shades of rusts, greens and grays.
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A WHITEWATER RAFT TRIP DOWN THE OWYHEE IS
UNLIKE ANY OTHER... |
 The river races downstream
during the spring, providing challenging and exciting rapids for boaters. By
summer it is reduced to an unnavigable trickle. It is the hearty and
adventuresome who find the Owyhee most appealing. In this remote region,
experience and proper equipment are a necessity.
A trip down the Owyhee is a chance to see
the canyon in full bloom. Lupine, Indian Paintbrush, and other wildflowers
abound. Canadian geese and their goslings are seen frequently along the river.
Prairie falcons, eagles, and other raptors soar overhead. Bighorn sheep may be
glimpsed scrambling over rocky talus slopes. It is a chance to float through
serene canyons, to navigate thrilling rapids, and a chance to experience and
enjoy the wild and untamed Owyhee.
Numerous thermal springs along the river are
remnants of the recent volcanic activity which dominates the geology of the
Owyhee Uplands. A variety of igneous rock types have been produced by tertiary
lava and ash flows. The age of the flows found in the vicinity of the Lower
Owyhee ranges from 15-million-year-old rhyolites and dacites to the basaltic
flows of Jordan Craters, dated at just five thousand years. The older flows
often plugged drainages, creating temporary lakes. Sedimentary lake deposits
are commonly exposed along the river, often interbedded with basalts. Deep,
majestic canyons are formed as the river cuts through the resistant rhyolites.
Then, the canyon opens wide as the Owyhee passes through sediments of the
ancient lakes, only to close again when layered basalts are encountered.
 The Owyhee is a study in geological beauty and contrast. It is a
deep ravine in an otherwise level plateau. Giant slump blocks rest on the
river's terrace, topography varies from right shore to left, and magnificent
pinnacles and spires overlook serene hot springs. It is the multiplicity of
rock formations through which the river flows that creates the variable
appearances of the Owyhee's lower canyon.
Our three night, four day trip begins near
the tiny town of Rome and ends 67 miles down stream in the Owyhee reservoir at
Lesley Gulch. The night before the trip can be spent in either Burns, or Jordan
Valley. Launch time is generally around 10 am. Our start dates vary each year
so it is best to call for specific dates. We supply all the camp gear,
including tents and pads, one only needs to bring their own personal items. An
equipment list is sent out to all those who reserve space. A combination of
driftboats and rafts is possible. Other costs associated with the trip are, a
3% federal user fee, and car shuttling at $135 per car. A 50% deposit is
required to reserve space. The remainder is not due until trips end. If you
must cancel we will refund your deposit if the vacancy is filled. Group size
can vary from 8 to 14 guests with our maximum being 20 including guides.
 TO RESERVE YOUR
DATE & SPACE CLICK HERE >>
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"The incredible views and landscapes are
reminiscent of slicing a jagged cut through the earth’s crust and running
water through it. Spectacular early Oregon history is everywhere."
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