Middle Fork Owyhee River
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| | Raps:0
Red Tape:No permit required Shuttle:Optional Vehicle:4WD - High Clearance | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Condition Reports: | 24 May 2024
"Parked at Three Forks near the Middle Fork ford. This is a good place to check the flow. Scattered reports suggested that the Middle Fork was largely |
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| Best season: | May-Sept
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42.5100, -117.1394
42.5428, -117.1587
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Weather forecast
Waterflow
Introduction
The Middle Fork of the Owyhee River is a non-technical river canyon, probably best done after May heading into summer when water levels drop. It's known for it's impressive array of spires and rock formations. A beautiful area that is rarely visited. For best scenery, this canyon is likely hiked from bottom-up.
- Warning: In May 2024, the road to the rim just above Three Forks may lead one into a false sense of security. Abruptly below the rim, the road becomes pretty rough: high clearance, if not 4WD, required. The first switchback is also a bit nasty. Use caution. Do not attempt to drive down if you have a 2WD vehicle.
- Watch for rattlesnakes, particularly when hiking around in high vegetation.
Approach
From the parking area, hike up the hill just north of the gate and obvious fence line, then turn south and head crosscountry to pick up the old road. This avoids issues with private property in the lower drainage. It's also a good idea to stay high in any event as some sections of the drainage are choked with thick impassable vegetation. Leave the road somewhere around 42.52701, -117.14114 and make your way cross-country in easy open terrain to eventually drop into the drainage around 42.51507, -117.14078. Continue upstream until you reach the Guardian Pillars which mark the entrance to the Middle Fork. Depending on conditions you may need or want to suit up before then. Sometimes hiking in the creek is the best way to make forward progress.
Descent
Continue upstream wherever is easiest, navigating your way around obstacles. You'll need to cross the creek numerous times, wade pools, skirt rapids, climb over/around giant boulders, etc. There are a number of places requiring swimming where water spans wall-to-wall in the chasm. The going can be slow. Don't forget to look up occasionally, as huge cliff walls and numerous spires soar skyward. (In high flow, it might not be feasible to fight the current going upstream; some areas it could be dangerous.)
Eventually, reach the confluence of Pole Creek. Pole Creek has a different character than the Middle Fork proper. Cross a deep pool and scramble out to continue up through a Rhyolite narrows to reach a giant boulder garden seeming to block further progress. This may be a good place to turn around.
Back at the confluence continue upstream. Eventually, enter a cliff-walled grotto with a 15ft waterfall. A mostly-dry tributary (in May 2024) choked with boulders enters from the west. The falls can be bypassed by backtracking downstream 100ft and scrambling out climber's left.
Continuing upstream, round a giant S-bend with more terrific rock formations about and, on the far side, notice a grassy slope leading up to an obvious saddle. This is the exit. Make your way up cow paths to saddle which is a rise between the Middle Fork and the previously named dry tributary. Take a look around here to note the innumerable rock spires surrounding you on all sides. Spire-land is an impressive sight.
Contour west along the slopes (you may need to climb up a bit) until you spot a grassy gulley on the north side of the trib which leads all the way up to the rim. This is your exit. Drop down to the bottom of the trib and continue on up and out. Huzzah! You made it!
Exit
Up on the mesa, head roughly northwest along the top of the ridge. The hiking is open and easy. Watch for antelope. Keep going until you intersect the road. Follow this back to the trailhead, enjoying views of Three Forks along the way.
Red tape
None.
Further Explorations
Reportedly, there's more good canyon to see upstream of the saddle exit. One old trip report described an overnight trip, going all the way up the Middle Fork and out via North Cross Canyon.
A couple 4WD vehicles for a shuttle might make it easier to spend a longer day in the canyon.
Beta sites
CanyoneeringNorthwest.com (archive.org) : Middle Fork Owyhee River- Super Amazing Map : Middle Fork Owyhee