White Water Rafting on Owyhee River

The Owyhee River springs in Nevada and flows across the southwest corner of Idaho before entering the extremely precipitous canyons of our trip in southeastern Oregon. Historians say that the river and nearby town were named in 1826 by Peter Skene Ogden, an explorer for the Hudson Bay Company, after two men in his party who had been killed by hostile American Indians. These men came from the islands of Hawaii, which in those days was spelled phonetically as Owyhee.

The colourful environs of the Owyhee alternate from the white, yellow, brown, and red John Day Formation to glistening black bluffs of basalt, brimming with occasional springs and waterfalls. The same erosive forces that have left the spires and temples have exposed myriad fascinating fossils and have brought agates and other gemstones down to the beaches, creating a rock hound's paradise. A variety of feathered and furred wildlife, including eagles and egrets, mink and bobcats, pronghorn antelopes, bighorn sheep, and even wild horses inhabit the canyons.

Our trips are scheduled for the time of the year when we can expect the best river flows—springtime in the semi-desert area bordered by the Owyhee, Trout Creek, Sheepshead, and Mahogany mountain ranges.

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Itinerary / Highlights

Sample Itinerary

We pride ourselves in running a relaxed and always flexible schedule. Every trip is different depending upon the group, other trips on the water and sometimes the weather. The following is a sample of what your trip might be like.

The Day before Your Trip
There will be an orientation meeting at 8:00 PM at the Best Western Vista Inn. Your trip leader will meet with you to answer last-minute questions and distribute waterproof bags in which to pack your gear.

Day 1
We meet at 7:00 AM for a 3-hour drive southwest into Oregon. En route we'll stop for fishing licenses and any last-minute items in the town of Jordan Valley. Our launch point is Rome, Oregon (which could have been built in a day). Once through the pastoral Rome Valley, we pass the confluence of Crooked Creek before making camp.

Day 2
We shove off anticipating real whitewater action. We encounter many rapids of various sizes, including Artillery, which we usually stop to scout. The Badlands area begins here, with its interesting clay and sandstone formations.

Day 3
Whistling Bird rapid is the highlight for today. With a difficult hairpin turn against a dramatic cliff face, it's a certain scout and great photo opportunity. We enter a narrow section of river bounded by precipitous cliffs.

Day 4
Lambert Rocks and Jackson Creek entice us on extended walks up into colourful side canyons and scenic ridgelines. Small hot springs near the river add another interesting geologic dimension.

Day 5
Today there is more excitement with a Class IV chute at the diversion dam. Afterward, we pass Hole in the Ground ranch, a historic remnant of the past.

Day 6
At low water Birch Creek, a tributary on the right bank, offers road access, which can be used for our take-out. In high water, we travel on to the Owyhee Reservoir, where we have a short motorboat tow to Leslie Gulch. The intensity of the colorful rock formations makes up for the lack of current as we cross the lake. We load up and drive 2.5 hours back to Boise—back to civilization and hot showers.

Other Details

Accommodation Details

Reservations and Deposits
A $250/person deposit is required at the time of reservation. The balance is due 60 days prior to departure.

Cancellations and Refunds
If you find it necessary to cancel your trip, please notify us as soon as possible. The cancellation fee after you’ve made your deposit can range up to the entire trip cost, based upon the number of days prior to your trip that we receive your cancellation notice. We regret we cannot make exceptions for personal emergencies. For this reason, we strongly urge you to investigate trip insurance (see Insurance).

Cancellations 60 days or more prior to your trip earn a full refund less a $100/person fee. Cancellations 59 days or less prior to your trip are not refundable.

If you transfer from one trip to another, there is a $50/person charge up until 60 days before the trip. Transfers made after this time will be treated as cancellations.

Medical
Under most circumstances, if you are of an adventurous spirit and in reasonably good health, you should have no problem enjoying an O.A.R.S. trip. People with medical conditions including pregnancy, should have a physician’s approval before taking an adventure travel trip.

Insurance
Although every effort is made to insure a safe trip for all, we strongly recommend that you protect yourself, your belongings, and your vacation through the purchase of a short-term traveler’s policy. A trip cancellation policy covers your non-refundable payments in most cases, should you have to cancel your trip at the last minute due to illness or injury. Trip participants should realize that in the event of illness or injury on an adventure travel trip, evacuation can be prolonged, difficult and expensive. Personal belongings and cameras are carried entirely at the owner’s risk, and O.A.R.S. accepts no responsibility for lost, damaged, delayed or stolen property.

Liability Waiver
Everyone is required to sign a standard release form before the trip, acknowledging awareness that some risks are associated with the trip. Safety is of the utmost concern on our trips. However, due to the nature of the activities, a condition of your participation is that you will sign this form and return it to our office before the trip begins. Anyone who refuses to sign the form will not be allowed to participate, and consistent with O.A.R.S. cancellation policy, there will be no refund of the trip fees at that time.