Rafters make the journey through "Oregon's Grand Canyon" on the Owyhee River in Eastern Oregon.

Close your eyes and imagine a place so grand it makes you feel small compared to the size of the thick, rocky walls that surround you. You can almost feel everything that happened before you to form this amazing landscape, making you acutely aware of not just how small you are in this moment, but in your universe. Inside these walls that encapsulate you, you’re floating. Down a river, through a canyon, all of your senses are heightened. Your ears perk to the sound of rushing water ahead, your eyes dart open to follow the dancing of an ouzel on the riverbank.

Did you think you were in Utah? Possibly Nevada? Maybe Arches, Zion, or even the Grand Canyon? How about Oregon? That’s right — reachable from Bend in about four to five hours, you can find High Desert mesas, perfumed sagebrush and rushing rapids in Oregon’s very own Owyhee Canyonlands.

It’s impossible to truly imagine what floating down the Owyhee River is like, but with the help of raft guides such as Ouzel Outfitters, you can make it a reality. Located in the far southeast corner of Oregon, the Owyhee Canyonlands are one of the wildest places in the entire country — and that’s only part of the appeal.

Envision a mysterious, almost mystical, landscape that’s part Grand Canyon and part High Desert. If you get the opportunity to float the Owyhee River, here’s what you’re in for.

Geology and history of the Owyhee

Located deep in Oregon’s desert country and reaching across the corner of Idaho to its headwaters in northeastern Nevada, 35 percent of the Owyhee River within Oregon has been classified as “Wild and Scenic,” conservation designation given to the nation’s rivers that possess outstanding recreational, wildlife, geologic and cultural values.

Spanning three states, the vast Owyhee watershed includes over 500 miles of rivers and streams.

The geology of the Owyhee Canyonlands is quite diverse and breathtaking.

Millions of years ago the land was part of the supervolcano that’s now Yellowstone. Now, honeycomb-like spires, vast rhyolite domes and deep canyons cutting through benches of landscape are all features formed by volcanic activity and erosion from a bygone era.

More river fun

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At the canyon’s base, the Owyhee River has served as an oasis for people and wildlife since prehistoric times. Home to a living cultural richness for the Indigenous Northern Paiute, Bannock and Shoshone tribes, these ancestral lands contain areas considered sacred. The evidence of tens of thousands of years of habitation can be seen in the more than 500 known archaeological sites, and the lands, rivers, fish and wildlife here support tribal practices to this day.

Today, the Owyhee Canyonlands provide a home for a variety of raptors and mammals, including desert icons like bighorn sheep, pronghorn antelope and greater sage-grouse, and endemic plants are abundant.

These attributes, found nowhere else in Oregon, draw visitors looking for a wonder-infused mix of off-the-beaten track desert delights.

Floating the Canyon

Rafting the lower Owyhee River is highly regarded as a once-in-a-lifetime experience that will introduce you to some of eastern Oregon’s most spectacular and untouched high desert landscapes.

Deep canyon walls, riverside camps, and hikes climbing to sweeping vistas are all highlights of this trip.

Visiting the Owyhee River offers outstanding recreation all around. Photography, rafting, kayaking, hiking, nature study, fishing and camping are just some of your options. Offering churning white waters and serene calmer pools, mysterious side canyons and towering spires, it’s easy to find solitude along this scenic river.

Even at night, the area delivers — unbelievable stargazing is a hallmark of the Owyhee Canyonlands. It’s one of only a few places in the lower 48 states where a lack of light pollution allows for viewing of the Milky Way.

Plan Your Trip

Spring is prime rafting time in the Owyhee, and fall is ideal for exploring the Owyhee uplands. However you decide to experience the wonders of the Owyhee, you won’t be disappointed by the region’s deep canyons, wild and scenic river, majestic wildlife and never-ending stars.

Oregon Natural Desert Association, an organization seeking to conserve the most spectacular lands and waters of the Owyhee, offers a visitor’s guide with planning and safety tips.