May was quickly approaching and rivers in Oregon were closed. Our trip down the Owyhee River we planned for 6 months was doomed. Time to make other plans. It is pretty easy to find remote spots in the Owyhee country, so it seemed like the logical choice was to head for the same country, but switch from a river trip to a truck camping trip. Before we knew it our days off rolled around. It turns out that the flow was too low to float the river anyway. If you plan a trip on the Owyhee you need a back up. Last year was the Sunshine Coast, B.C. Darn, maybe next year. Owyhee Uplands here we come.
Just over the border from Oregon lies the Owyhee Uplands, complete with a backcountry scenic byway. We headed to Jordan Valley and then hit the gravel.
We made it as far as the North Fork of the Owyhee and settled in for a couple days. The sun was out and temps were in the 80’s. The wildflowers were blooming everywhere you looked.
Oh and birds. Lots of birds.
The next day was all about exploring. We hiked up the North Fork a couple miles, past an abandoned homestead to a view of the canyon and back. It’s amazing how long it takes to travel in the broken up country, especially when you aren’t quite used to the warmer temps.
We made our way back to camp. The hike turned out to be just about the right distance. Beauty at every turn.
Wildflowers, singing birds, a sunny hike and campfires. What took us so long to get here? We moved on in the morning….more in part 2.
