Discover, Plan & Go!

The Four Sections of the Owyhee - The Lower Owyhee. 5 days. 50 miles. This is the most approachable section of the Owyhee as the rapids are easy to moderate in nature and we are able to use our larger 16' rafts and run more of a "normal" rafting trip with the usual amenities that make for very comfortable and cushy camping. Our put-in is near the town of Rome with our take-out being at Birch Creek. During the trip we visit several wonderful hot springs where we try to spend a night or two. Camps are set on sand beaches. We see some dramatic geologic formations along the way, some of which are similar to the Dakota badlands. There are plenty of hiking possibilities and plenty of camp time for relaxing, photography, and bird watching. The 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. Best-suited for very experienced rafters due to the remoteness and severity of the whitewater, we use extra caution and conservative judgement in running the rapids. Our put-in is at the Three Forks launch site with our take-out near Rome. During the trip we stop to scout several of the rapids, and line our rafts at the Widow Maker - a process requiring 3-5 hours, depending on how many rafts we have. This section flows through red-rock canyons with huge monolithic pillars of rock. There are a number of graceful, twisted juniper trees along the river and many interesting hikes. 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. The put-in is around 5000' elevation near the Duck Valley Indian Reservation and will vary with our take-out usually at the Three Forks launch site. Due to the numerous rapids and narrow, rocky courses, we use a small 13' raft to carry the community camp equipment, and each person or couple paddles their own inflatable kayak. There are at least two portages on this section and we travel light in order to minimize the delay and hard work these present. Due to the extreme remoteness and inaccessibility of the area, wildlife sightings are best on this part of the river. This canyon is as remote as anyplace on the North American continent. The South Fork. 7 days. 120 miles. We put-in at a local ranch in Nevada, miles from nowhere and may vary with our take-out being at the Three Forks launch site. The first three days of this trip does not have the tight, rocky, nearly impassable rapids that are found on the East Fork. The South Fork meets the East Fork on the fourth day, so the last three days of this trip are the same as the last three of the East Fork trip. There is at least one portage below the confluence of the two forks. (A portage requires that we carry all gear around the rapids. Sometimes we can let the rafts through on ropes (called "lining,") but this depends on water levels. If we can't line the rafts, we have to carry them as well. Hence the beauty of using lighter inflatable kayaks.)