Jump Creek Recreation Site in Owyhee County is known for its 60-foot waterfall. You can swim at the foot of the falls, and you can also walk to the Falls Overlook. Jump Creek thus combines an experience by the water with a walk to a scenic viewpoint.

Waterfalls and Canyon Landscapes

The Bruneau Canyon Overlook is the only readily accessible place from which you can see the canyon that the Bruneau River has carved into basalt and rhyolite. The river and rock types give the view a specific geological context. If you’re interested in the shape of the landscape, you’ll also find a striking canyon along the North Fork Owyhee River: its steep-walled gorge is 200 to 500 feet deep.

In the Owyhee Canyonlands Wilderness, canyon heights range from 250 to over 1,000 feet. These figures refer to different measures: along the North Fork, they describe the depth of a steep-walled river gorge; in the Wilderness, they describe the heights of the canyons. River floating is also possible in the Owyhee Canyonlands Wilderness.

Rivers and Routes

A 67.3-mile section of the Owyhee River is designated as a Wild River. It extends from the Idaho–Oregon border to the upstream boundary of the Owyhee River Wilderness. During high spring runoff, experienced boaters also use a section of the North Fork Owyhee River as a Class V whitewater run. For trip planning, it’s worth distinguishing between these different connections to the water: river floating in the Wilderness and whitewater on the North Fork are not the same activity; the latter depends on high spring runoff and experienced boaters.

The Owyhee Uplands Back Country Byway is 103 miles long. The Owyhee Uplands National Back Country Byway is locally known as Mud Flat Road, is mostly a gravel road, and is the main access route to central Owyhee County. The route’s length, road surface, and role as an access route each give it a different significance for navigating the region.

The way other natural destinations are described also points to different highlights. Bruneau Dunes State Park is one of the most important developed recreation areas in Owyhee County. The Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area is among the county’s outstanding natural landscapes. A developed recreation area and an outstanding natural landscape thus serve as different points of reference.

History and Activities on Land

Silver City is the only one of the first three settlements in Owyhee County that still exists; its buildings are well preserved. The Silver City National Historic Site includes 75 structures dating from the 1860s to the early 20th century. Together, the settlement’s survival and the structures’ time span tell two different parts of the area’s history. The area around Silver City also offers hiking, so you can combine historical discoveries with time spent in the landscape.

At Wilson Creek, non-motorized trails are among the recreation opportunities in Owyhee County. The Wilson Creek area in the Owyhee Desert offers hiking, and mountain biking is also possible on several trails. If you’re choosing activities by how you like to get around, you’ll find both hiking and mountain biking here. Silver City and Wilson Creek each have their own focus: history and hiking there, trails and two different ways to explore the outdoors here.

Discover More Destinations

Homedale, Grand View, Franklin County, Payette County, Ada, Fremont, Boundary County, Lemhi County

For the broader travel overview: Idaho.