The Owyhee Canyonlands live quietly among Eastern Oregon. The massive tracts of a land have all sorts of surprises if you’re willing to work for it. Take for example the Owyhee Reservoir in Lake Owyhee State Park. Relatively unknown to Idahoans, the lake is only 50 miles outside of Boise.
There is a reason this Oregon lake isn’t more well-known. To really enjoy this area your going to need a boat.
Long and Winding Road: Getting to Lake Owyhee
The road to Lake Owyhee crosses through some desolate but picturesque landscapes. The lake sits nearly 30 miles from the nearest town so be prepared to be out in the middle of nowhere. The drive is actually the best part of this adventure if you don’t own any sort of watercraft. The road follows the Owyhee River all the way to the lake. The river is dotted with campsites and fly fisherman. Fishing in this area is huge, but you are going to need an Oregon fishing license to do so. That is easy to forget when you’re crossing the border from Idaho.
You’ll need to focus when you get to the above tunnel. This one lane tunnel isn’t listed on any maps and is a great surprise. It is, however, a one lane road. This is where the road gets very narrow and proceeds to stay narrow until you reach the state park. Be very careful coming around corners and be prepared to hug the canyon walls or cliff side depending on which way you are heading.
Lake Owyhee
The lake is 53 miles long and very skinny. Completely surrounded by giant volcanic rock formations. As mentioned earlier, you really need a boat to be able to appreciate it. There are no hiking trails in the area. Fishing from the shore is decent because the lake sits in a canyon but shore real estate is few and far between.
Canoes, paddle boards, any of the likes will greatly enhance the fun you can have. There is a campground located right next to the lake but you might want to stick to tent and car camping. Although the campground has RV and trailer spots, the road coming in is not friendly to large vehicles. The road is just large enough for two cars to pass, their mirrors almost touching. And with the cliff side on your right as you enter and no guard rails I wouldn’t risk pulling anything bigger than a boat trailer.
The Verdict
Lake Owyhee is beautiful, but without a way to get on the water, there really isn’t much to do here.
Chad can be summed up by his idea of a perfect day: Waking up early to watch the sunrise over the mountains, warm cup of coffee in hand then grabbing his camera and fly rod, hitting the trail to explore some uncharted territory followed by cold beers and campfire steaks. Chad is often joined on his adventures by his wife, Tori, and their dog, Kona.