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North Fork Owyhee Wilderness Area

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is responsible for 1 in every 10 acres of land in the U.S.

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North Fork Owyhee Wilderness Area

The North Fork Owyhee Wilderness Area encompasses more than 43,000 acres of sprawling public land in southwestern Idaho. The land is overseen by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), a government agency tasked with making these areas available and maintaining their beauty. The wilderness area offers Bureau of Land Management free camping, including bathrooms, picnic tables and public-use grills. The North Fork Owyhee Wilderness Area presents ample opportunities for river boating on the Owyhee and Bruneau-Jarbidge systems for everyone from beginners to seasoned boaters. Visitors can also enjoy fishing in the rivers, hunting, hiking, horseback riding, wildlife viewing, and photographing the beautiful rock bluffs and placid river scenes.

The closest town to the North Fork Owyhee Wilderness Area, Jordan Valley, is just across the Oregon border about 32 miles to the north. The nearest larger town is Mountain Home, Idaho, which is about 100 miles northeast of the wilderness region. The closest national parks to the North Fork Owyhee Wilderness Area are Crater Lake National Park, about 9 hours, 14 minutes to the northwest in Oregon, and Grand Teton National Park, 10 hours, 40 minutes to the northeast in Wyoming.

What to See and Do

Hiking and Biking

North Fork Owyhee River Hike

The demanding North Fork Owyhee River Hike features a 430-foot descent to the North Fork Owyhee Canyon. The trailhead is in Idaho, and the trail ends on the Oregon side of the canyon. You’ll need to traverse rocks and be able to pick up the trail again. The path down and back is very steep, so plan according to your skill level.

Length: 3.5 miles

Intensity: Difficult

Three Forks Hot Springs

The Three Forks Hot Springs trail begins where the North, Middle and Main forks of the Owyhee meet. The main route to the hot springs is a three-mile stretch of road for four-wheel-drive vehicles that will take you past the dramatic canyon below and Three Forks Dome.

Length: 4.2 miles

Intensity: Moderate

Fishing & Boating

While visiting the North Fork Owyhee Wilderness Area, you won’t have to look any further than the North Fork Owyhee River for great fishing and boating. While here, you’ll enjoy angling for ample fish, including largemouth and smallmouth bass and a variety of trout, salmon, tiger muskie, and whitefish. For fishing, you can put in right at the North Fork campground with a 13.6-mile route to the main Owyhee River stem at Three Forks. This section is rated as Class IV with continuous Class III whitewater and a few Class IV rapids. The westward flowing section also contains numerous obstacles on the riverbanks and in the river, so experienced boating skills and judgment are a must to avoid dangerous entanglements.

Wildlife Viewing

The North Fork Owyhee Wilderness Area will provide you with plenty of wildlife viewing opportunities with its variety of songbirds, sage grouse, pronghorn antelope and bighorn sheep. Take a day trip northeast to the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area to see even more bird species. This area boasts North America’s greatest concentration of nesting birds of prey with over 800 eagles, falcons, owls, and hawks migrating every spring to mate and raise their offspring.

Picnicking

You can enjoy picnicking right at the North Fork Campground. The area offers public-use grills and picnic tables near the river. This is a remote area with plenty of other natural spots for picnicking but few cultivated or maintained picnic areas.

Bureau of Land Management Camping

RV Camping

If you would prefer to go RV camping at facilities with modern amenities, check out Sunny Ridge RV Park in Jordan Valley, which provides 40 RV spaces with full water, sewer, and electric hookups for $42 a night. Travel a little farther east to Mount Home, and you’ll have more options at Cottonwood RV Campground, Wagon Wheel RV Park, and Gem State RV Park.

Free Camping

You can enjoy pull-off camping right in the wilderness area. There are several places that make for a great campsite, and you can stay for up to seven days, according to the posted signs. Staying in the wilderness area is free of charge, but you won’t have amenities like electricity, water hookups, or sewage dumping. There is ample camping available throughout the wilderness area, even away from the maintained campground. If you arrive and find the campground is already full, you can search for "BLM camping near me.” There are a couple of sites directly north on a two-wheel trail. However, if you want an even more remote experience, travel north on Juniper Mountain Road for about half a mile, and there’s a vehicle trail on the left that will take you all the way into Oregon. There are a few areas where you may be able to find a pull-off spot, depending on the size of your RV and whether it can handle the road. Head south instead, and you’ll find a similar trail that heads southeast with some areas that may make a decent campsite if your rig can traverse the trail.

RV Rentals Near North Fork Owyhee Wilderness Area Plan your next adventure

Credit: Vanna Mae, @vannamaeart

Planning your North Fork Owyhee Wilderness Area BLM trip

While North Fork Owyhee Wilderness Area is beautiful, it’s also extremely remote, with the nearest town being nearly an hour's drive away. You’ll want to pack accordingly to make the experience enjoyable. Expect large temperature swings from day to night even in the summer. Make sure you pack clothing for both warm and cool weather, including sweatshirts, hats and light gloves for the early morning.

Be sure to bring a substantial first aid kit with you, including what you’ll need to treat snake bites, as rattlesnakes are native to the area. You’ll be right next to a freshwater river, so if you have the right filtering equipment, you may enjoy fresh river water while saving your rig’s water supply. Also, bring sunscreen and bug spray to keep everyone safe and comfortable. Before you head out on your trip, check out our blog for all you need to know about BLM camping.

Leave No Trace

There are a few pro tips to keep in mind to make sure you can enjoy your experience while staying at Bureau of Land Management campgrounds. First, make sure you pack out all your trash with you and dispose of it at an appropriate facility. Avoid dumping any foods or liquids, which can attract unwanted wildlife or damage the habitat. Finally, avoid disturbing the nature around your campsite. Following all these tips prevents issues with animals in the area and leaves it beautiful for the next camper.

North Fork Owyhee Wilderness Area Location

If you’re coming from Jordan Valley, OR, you’ll want to travel east on Yturri Boulevard. This will turn into Pleasant Valley Road, which will change to Soldier Creek Road before becoming Juniper Mountain Road. You won’t need to turn since it’s all the same road with several name changes. The campground is about 32 miles from Jordan Valley. If you’re coming from Mountain Home, head west on Airbase Road toward the Air Force base. In about 9 miles, turn right onto ID-167 to continue heading west for about 16 miles before turning left on ID-78E. In about 2 miles, take a slight right at a fork to continue on Mud Flat Road. This will eventually turn into Juniper Mountain Road, and it's about a 72-mile drive from reaching Mud Flat Road to arrive at the campground.

Ready to visit the North Fork Owyhee Wilderness Area? An RV rental is a great way to experience your destination. Not only will you be close to all the action, but at the end of a long day exploring, you’ll have your RV to return to for the night, where you’ll enjoy a full kitchen, bathroom, and nice, soft bed. Not sure about renting an RV? Here’s a step-by-step guide to renting an RV with RVshare.

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