Idaho's overlooked Owyhee Uplands Byway

[@toma5153]

Great trip. I like the gentle pacing and music as well. This reminds me of the time about 1995 I took the road from Idaho through Silver City and then on to Jordan Valley. Did it on a lark with zero preparation. Made it through OK but I remember some spots the road was extremely rough.

[@sagebrushcountry]

Thanks for the feedback…sometimes those spontaneous trips are the best kind of adventures….

[@nathangreer8219]

I took the kids on this route some years ago. We started at Jordan Valley and exited at Grandview. We camped at the North Fork campground, which was nice. I believe there are 4 or perhaps 5 sites, and they are spaced widely, to give privacy. While we didn't see many fish in the river, we greatly enjoyed seeing pairs of river otters working their way up and down from the bridge. There is a caution to not drive the road during periods of soaking rains. The clay composition of the road is such that it will become severely rutted, and the wheel wells of your vehicle will fill with clay, which sets up like concrete, trapping you. There is a large sign at the beginning with a message to effect of "if you get stuck, you won't be rescued" or something similar.

[@sagebrushcountry]

Thanks for the comment, sounds like you had a great trip!

[@SASProductionsGodBlessAmerica]

Awesome video

[@craighoover1495]

Grew up out at the base during high school so this was home although I preferred the mountains. Later went to college at BSU. Folks had a home in Boise for 40 years. Once worked as a ranch hand out in Owyhee County.

[@sagebrushcountry]

Cool - you have a lot of experience with this country! Hope you still get to visit it.....

[@deborahlh7747]

Great video. I appreciate the plant references.

[@sagebrushcountry]

Thanks for saying so, I know some people don’t care, but it’s an element of the landscape I really enjoy 😊…thanks for your comment!

[@jamsessionrecordshop8872]

Really great video! I'll be checking this route out.

[@kwaichang368]

Love that area such beautiful scenery!

[@sagebrushcountry]

Me too!

[@sagebrushcountry]

I agree!

[@mathewgraves1741]

Great video, we’re planning out a cross country road trip with our kids for next June (we like the road less traveled, dirt and solitude experience) and these type videos help tremendously.

[@sagebrushcountry]

Thanks for the feedback. If you get a little further west in Eastern Oregon, would highly recommend checking out a couple other places - Steen's Mountain kzbin.info/www/bejne/pquzZX2rrL9rf6c and Pillars of Rome kzbin.info/www/bejne/gGGam5SHoLakftU

[@davec9244]

thank you

[@sagebrushcountry]

You're welcome…..

[@SynthLove]

Any good rocks? I’m a super crazy about the graveyard point, succor creek, Owyhee reservoir areas. I know them like the back of my hand. But ! I’ve never ventured up north! I’ve heard silver city has good materials.

[@sagebrushcountry]

Sorry, I’m not much of a rock guy, so can’t help you much there. I’ve been to Silver city many times, looks to me like some cool stuff going on, specially, given its mining history…..

[@2flight]

Nice video as always. Thanks for sharing!

[@sagebrushcountry]

Really appreciate your comments, thanks for taking the time to give some feedback!

[@marianfrances4959]

What kind of poison?😅! Beautiful area. Tks. 👍😎🇨🇦

[@sagebrushcountry]

You’re welcome….😊

[@NatureShy]

Stunning area. I love sagebrush and desert scenery in eastern OR and Idaho. I live in Portland but do a lot of hiking out in the sagebrush deserts in eastern OR. Always wanted to explore the Owyhee Canyonlands and that general area over there. Enjoyed this video and some of your other ones too. Thanks for sharing.

[@sagebrushcountry]

Thanks for your positive feedback, really appreciate it. It’s comments like this that keep me going……😊

[@williamweiss6128]

Driving through those areas imagining what life was like way back when. I need to make time to explore some side roads next time. Head north of JV, explore Sands Basin, Succor Creek, Jump Creek, ideas.

[@sagebrushcountry]

All good ideas, you can’t go wrong looking around most of that country. If you want more perspective on historical life in that area look at my video on “Undiscovered Birch Creek Ranch” (that was an especially historically interesting place). Also other videos I did in that general area you might like include “Pillars of Rome” and “Eastern Oregon’s Coffeepot Crater”. Thanks for your comment!

[@iguanaamphibioustruck7352]

I spent the first five years of my life on the banks of the Owyhee River at Rabbit Draw (google earth). My dad was a Forest Ranger and we lived in the government house with shop and barn from 1935 until 1940. Our Post Office Box was in Mountain City which was 3 miles beyond Prattville and the turn off to to the Rio Tinto Mine. The names that come to me are the neighbors; Walt Davidson, old man Peck and the Andres. The mine had a doctor that served the community as well as the miners. I will remember his name tomorrow. David W. Hansen Ps Maybe it was Dr. Sigurd

[@sagebrushcountry]

What a cool place to grow up - thanks for sharing!

[@guitarzan0515]

Hey, I used to deliver to a Walmart distribution center in Grandview!

[@sagebrushcountry]

Oh cool!

[@gungadingo]

You’re probably talking about the distribution center in Grandview, Washington. States away.

[@sagebrushcountry]

Ahh… that would make more sense….

[@SkylinersYeti]

We traveled portions of this from 3 forks east. Long day then found private property on the Idaho end. The rancher was good enough to let us continue through his ranch to the highway. Posted private lands is always a risk in much of this area. I plan to return next spring and do some camping, exploring and paddling on Owyhee River.

[@sagebrushcountry]

I also have had some positive experiences with private landowners on the idaho side of the Owyee’s. I’ve recreated along the Owyhee river in several locations, and have loved all of them, hope you make it out again….

[@idahobackyardbbq1061]

LWe loved the video ! We've been planning to take this route in May, is it a fully marked route on BLM land or is there private land to deal with? Thanks again for a great video!

[@sagebrushcountry]

Thanks for watching! Most of the route is through BLM land, especially the central portion going through the mountains. There is private land in some portions, but these parcels are usually pretty well marked with signs. Since all of the roads on this route have Public access, there’s nothing to worry about. Have a great time out there!

[@Ruger44Redhawk]

Glad I found this! Been interested in getting up to these areas since we aren't far in Caldwell. Any good camping options with trees up in the higher elevations? How about Silver City area? Also, have you been to the Sage Hen Falls above Succor Creek Reservoir on the Idaho side off of 95 at the border? Just subscribed.

[@sagebrushcountry]

Glad you found the video! There is a lot of good camping high in the Owyhee’s. Try on Jordan Creek south of Silver City…. some good dispersed sites right on the creek, and last time I was there, caught a few fish as well.

[@elaine8477]

Think the boom bust cycle of insects partly allows them to not be eaten as high percentage wise by predators, and they sometimes follow a food cycle.

[@sagebrushcountry]

What you say makes sense to me, thanks for taking time to make the comment!

[@somestratguy4886]

Did you do this drive in 2 days? If so, where did you camp?

[@sagebrushcountry]

I did stay overnight on the drive. I just slept in the back of my 4runner on the western side of the byway (found a pulloff as it was getting dark). There is plenty of dispersed camping options along the byway (especially in the higher elevation zones that contain western juniper). But you can also camp at the BLM campground I showcased in the video called North Fork Recreation Site.

[@BoiseG]

The BLM has been cutting down the junipers all through that area. They're creating a big eye sore in my opinion.

[@sagebrushcountry]

Yeah, not pretty is it. Unfortunately, Western Juniper will aggressively expand without regular wildfire. So if you’re managing for grazing or wildlife that need more rangeland (like sage grouse) that’s their current solution….