Sunshine Valleys Loop
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| Best season: | Jul-Sep (avg for this region)
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42.5559, -116.6455
42.5870, -116.6444
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Introduction
A three day backpacking and canyoneering trip through some of the most interesting canyon terrain in the owyhee canyonlands.
Approach
From the parking area, walk south along the east side of the fence for 0.6 miles. Then head south west for 0.3 miles until you reach a dirt road heading south east (this will take you into the forrest). Follow this road for 0.3 miles until you reach a fork, continue on the west fork for 0.17 miles where you will reach another fork. Take the south fork, and continue following this road for a mile (the road because more of a path the longer you follow it). At this point you should be out of the forrest and overlooking the canyons. Leave the path and head east for a half a mile until you reach the upper drainage of the canyon.
Descent
Follow the drainage southwest until the canyon starts to deepen. Look for a place to set up camp before the main downclimbs start. I camped a little below the first major confluence. On day two pack a day pack and continue heading down canyon, there are fun downclimbs, pools, and short slot sections throughout this section. Eventually you will reach the second major confluence, a little below this the canyon will start to slot up and grow deeper. More fun downclimbs and pools in this section, eventually this section ends at the main confluence with sunshine valley creek. Follow the creek south east until the canyon ends, hike south west for 0.7 miles until you reach the next major canyon. Hike north up the canyon, until it starts to slot up, there are plenty of fun scrambles and shallow wades in this section (even a small arch). After this canyon starts to become shallow again, there will be a confluence of two forks. I took the east fork but it doesn’t matter which one you take. Once you leave the canyon hike north west until you find a side canyon dropping back into sunshine valley creek. Follow the creek southwest until you reach the main confluence again (there is a short slot worth checking out right above the confluence on the south west side of the canyon). Follow the Northeast fork back to you campsite. Day three pack up camp and head back up canyon making sure to take the east fork at the upper confluence. At the end of this canyon hike 0.2 miles north until you hit another canyon heading east. This canyon has a few easy down climbs and a large arch on the south side of the canyon. Follow the canyon east until you hit the dirt road heading north.
Exit
Follow the dirt road north west for 1.3 miles until you reach a gate, then head north east for 0.3 miles staying on the south side of the fence (don’t cross the gate it is private property). Then head north for 0.6 miles staying on the east side of the fence until you reach your car.
