Owyhee River: Logistics & Details
Southeast Oregon
4 or 5
days
April - June
Class III+ |
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You'll find information here on the following topics:
| How to Sign Up |
What's included |
| Where and When to Meet |
Getting To and From the River |
| What to Bring |
Pre and Post Trip Lodging |
| Camping |
Fishing |
| River Shuttles |
Nearby Attractions |
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How to sign up
Call us (at 503-632-6836,
or toll-free at 1-800-827-1358), or use our
web-based reservation system.
Trip includes:
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The services of our
professional guide staff.
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Transportation to our launch point from the town of Jordan Valley, and from our
take-out back to Jordan Valley at trip’s end.
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All meals, from lunch on the first day
through lunch on the last. Our menu is delicious, varied, and hearty. Meals are
freshly prepared by our guides from the highest quality ingredients. Juice and
water are available at each meal. Coffee, tea, and cocoa are available at dinner
and breakfast, and complementary wine is served with some dinners. Special
dietary needs may be accommodated with advance notice. We also provide
cups, plates, and silverware.
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Durable, professional quality rafts and river
running equipment, including U.S. Coast Guard Approved lifejackets.
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Waterproof river bags and boxes for your
personal gear.
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Tents, sleeping bags, sleeping pads and camp chairs. |
Where and when to meet
We will meet at 7:30
AM Mountain Time (6:30 AM Pacific Time) at the
Basque Station Motel in Jordan Valley, Oregon. The Motel, one of only two in
town, is on the main road and easy to find. Jordan Valley is 43 miles east of
Burns Junction, approximately 425 miles southeast of Portland, Oregon,
and 68 miles southwest of Boise, Idaho.
Getting to and from the river
From Portland follow I-84 to the Oregon-Idaho border. Just past the border turn south onto US-95 and follow it to Jordan Valley. Or drive to Bend, take US-20 to Burns, OR-78 to Burns Junction, and US-95 to Jordan Valley. From California take US-97 or US-395 to US-20, US-20 east to Burns, OR-78 to Burns Junction, and US-95 to Jordan Valley.
The closest commercial airport is Boise, Idaho. It is serviced
by Alaska, United, Delta, and Southwest Airlines. Plan your flight to arrive the
day before your river trip begins.
At this time there is no public transportation
available from Boise to Jordan Valley. Fortunately, car rentals are available at
Boise's airport.
What to bring
When you sign up
for your river adventure we will send you a complete list of what to bring. This
list is also available online.
In general you'll need to bring only your own clothing and toiletries.
Pre and post trip lodging and camping
There are 2 motels in Jordan Valley: The Basque Station Hotel (and Texaco
Station): (541) 586-9244, which is our meeting place; and the Sahara Motel (and
Chevron Station): (541) 586-2500 or 586-9239. Jordan Valley is also the site of
two trailer parks, which provide
showers, a laundry, and hookups for RVs.
Rome features a small BLM campground on the east side of the
river, as well as Rome Station on the west side. Rome Station (541-586-2295) includes a cafe,
small store, gasoline, cabins, RV park and airstrip.
Camping while on the river
We select scenic beaches for our camp sites. Our guides
establish a central kitchen and social area, and trip members select spots in
the surrounding area to pitch a tent or roll out a sleeping bag. O.R.E. will set
up a portable toilet at each camp, which will be located with privacy and
convenience in mind.
O.R.E. practices minimum impact camping, and the crew will
instruct you on the simple steps we follow to protect the Owyhee's fragile
desert river environment.
Fishing
Fishing on the Owyhee ( trout and small mouth bass) is fair to
poor during high water, but improves markedly as the water warms and clears. If
you would like to fish you’ll need an Oregon fishing license, which may be
purchased at most Oregon sporting goods stores.
Pre and post trips river shuttles
Your trip fare includes
transportation from Jordan Valley to our put-in at Rome, and from our take-out
at Leslie Gulch back to Jordan Valley at trip’s end. If you’d rather have
your car waiting for you at Leslie Gulch, give our office a call. We will assist
you in arranging for shuttle service. Conducted by local drivers, the current
price of this service is $ 80 per car.
Nearby attractions
If you'd like to do some additional camping, hiking, and
exploring while you're in the area, consider visiting Leslie Gulch, Jordan
Craters, or Succor Creek State Recreation Area. For more information contact the
Bureau of Land Management at 100 Oregon Street, Vale, OR 97918, 541-473-3144,
and request a map of the region ($4.00): the Vale District Recreation Guide.
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