The Owyhee Canyonlands - the little known Grand Canyon of Oregon - have miles and miles of roads to explore, and solitude to enjoy. Located in the southeast corner of the state and spilling into Idaho, the Owyhee River runs north-to-south through the vast landscape. Having previously limited our explorations to the east side of the river, we decided it was finally time to venture across the water and see what we could find along the west bank!
Wandering into the Unknown | Owyhee West #1 - There aren't many people who have discovered the joys of the Owyhee Canyonlands. Nestled in the remote, southeastern corner of Oregon, the roads that crisscross this remote stretch of desert hold many wonderful secrets to explore for those who do venture into the folds of the landscape. Through it all, the Owyhee River runs south-to-north, carving the Grand Canyon of Oregon - thousands of feet down - through the volcanic surface. Nearly all explorations in Owyhee region start east of the river - that is, after all, where the most well-known landmarks lay. In fact, I know only one person…
Some Luck and a Bit of Misfortune | Owyhee West #2 - The lightning stopped not long after we climbed into the tent, but the wind picked up and the torrential rain poured down, on-and-off, until about 4:00am. Luckily for us, the downpours never lasted more than a few minutes, and when I climbed down out of the tent around 6:30am, the ground was completely dry, as was the tent. There would be no muddy roads for us, we were lucky! The wind had - however - meant that neither of us got a great night sleep, so I wandered off for a hike while @mrs.turbodb got a little more shut eye.…