$1,495
Owyhee River Rafting in Oregon
A MULTI-DAY RAFTING ADVENTURE THAT COMBINES THRILLING WHITEWATER RAPIDS, REMOTE WILDERNESS SCENERY, NATURAL HOT SPRINGS, AND WET PLANET’S EXCEPTIONAL GUIDES AND SERVICE.Overview
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Ages: 10+
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Difficulty: Class III
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Includes: All meals and group camping gear
Includes trip overview, packing list, and travel logistics
The Grand Canyon of Oregon
Few people have had the pleasure of descending into the Owyhee River Canyon, one of the country’s secret gems of wilderness multi-day river rafting.
The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act has protected over 120 miles of the Owyhee River from development since 1984. Often called Oregon’s Grand Canyon, the Owyhee River contains thrilling Class III rapids in a deep desert canyon. Bighorn sheep and cougars wander through sagebrush at the base of sheer-walled volcanic canyons, nearly twice the height of the Washington Monument.
The Wildlife and Rich History of the Owyhee River
Guides point out herds of antelope, birds of prey, and other distinct wildlife who visit the river for sustenance. Add stellar archaeological sites, unique geology, and hot springs, and this trip fulfills all the requirements for one of the world’s most remarkable river journeys.
Hawaiian trappers were first sent into the canyon in 1820, never to return. The harsh environment and challenging rapids proved treacherous for future explorations, allowing the region to remain untouched for generations. While miners ventured into the deep layers of basalt, few others have experienced the intrigue of the Owyhee River wilderness.
Hiking, Hot Springs, and Lifelong Memories
Our trip begins 5-days travel upstream from Leslie Gulch. Each day, you’ll drift deeper into the wilderness and deeper into your relaxing river routine. You will calmly float along the river’s path between the exciting Class III rapids scattered throughout the trip. A riverside lunch, prepared by your guides, will replenish energy levels for the afternoon. Pulling into a favorite campsite, your guides set up the kitchen with captivating scenery surrounding you.
In places like Jackson Creek, Chalk Basin, and Green Dragon Canyon, you’ll find colorful side canyons, stunning waterfalls, and scenic ridgelines with amazing views of the river below. Take a hike up a side creek, relax on the beach with a good book, or explore nearby hot springs for a dip in Mother Nature’s hot tub. Your gourmet appetizers and dinner will have you believing you’re at a five-star restaurant. After dinner, it’s time to revel in the day’s adventures, tell stories by the fire, and drift off to your personal stargazer’s paradise.
You’ll wake up to this rich environment with an itinerary of relaxing, exploring, and enjoying the river for the next five days.
Make your next vacation a multi-day river trip on Oregon’s famed Owyhee River and bask in a remote wilderness for five days with delicious food, exciting whitewater, and good company.
Itinerary
Owyhee River Rafting: A Typical Day
Rafting on Oregon’s Owyhee River is all about exploring this impressive canyon. Towering canyon walls, fantastic Class III whitewater rapids, and stretches of meandering desert scenery create a truly unique wilderness experience. Whitewater rapids, such as Bull’s Eye, Whistling Bird, and Montgomery, put on a big show with large waves and boulders, while natural hot springs offer a chance to relax and enjoy the scenery.
A lunch buffet prepared by your five-star guides restores your energy for more river play and enjoyment in the afternoon.
Landing at camp in the afternoon, your guides will provide camp comforts and exquisite meals while you relax by the river’s edge. There is always time for games of frisbee or bocce ball as you nibble on appetizers. Eagles soar in the skies while you enjoy your warm and tasty dinner prepared by your guides. The sun sets behind the canyon walls as you sink even deeper into the wilderness and the gentle lull of the river’s flow.
General Itinerary
DAY 0
ARRIVAL DAY IN BOISE
Arrive in Boise, Idaho, the day before your scheduled launch date and check into your hotel. We will have a pre-trip meeting at 7:30 PM at the Best Western Vista Inn on Airport Way the evening before your scheduled start date. During the meeting, we will discuss the trip, check out gear, help with packing, cover any last-minute details, and answer any questions you may have. If you’re driving to Boise, you will leave your vehicle at the Best Western Vista Inn during your trip.
LAUNCH DAY
OUR JOURNEY BEGINS
After meeting again in the morning, your Wet Planet guides shuttle you to the beginning of our river journey. The trip starts with a nice float from our Rome Valley launch until we enter the first of many gorges. Look for Golden Eagles’ nests high on the canyon walls. Lunch on our first day will be riverside before entering the first canyon. After running thrilling rapids like Bullseye and Upset, we’ll arrive at our first camp in time to enjoy a hike or relax and listen to the river pass by before enjoying a delicious evening meal.
RIVER DAYS
RIVER DAYS
Each day, we will follow a similar routine. In the morning, you will be awakened by the sunlight creeping down the canyon walls toward your tent and the rich smell of morning coffee and tea. After a hearty breakfast, we’ll pack our personal gear, load the rafts, and prepare ourselves for another amazing day on the river. We’ll encounter exciting rapids and enjoy the Owyhee’s incredible geology and canyon scenery, with opportunities for side hikes and relaxing soaks in natural hot springs. Each day, we will find a nice riverside lunch spot to replenish our energy levels for more river adventure. In the early afternoon, it will be time to choose one of the many unique and beautiful camps the Owyhee offers. Many of the camps provide excellent hiking opportunities for those interested. In places like Jackson Creek, Chalk Basin, and Green Dragon Canyon, you’ll find colorful side canyons, stunning waterfalls, and scenic ridgelines with amazing views of the river below. After dinner, it’s time to revel in the day’s adventures, tell stories by the fire, or drift off to your personal stargazer’s paradise.
LAST DAY
RIVER AND TAKE-OUT DAY
We start our final day on the river in the usual style, with a tasty breakfast before breaking camp and loading the rafts. On our way downstream, we’ll enjoy the last bits of the canyon and its incredible wildlife. At the Leslie Gulch take-out, your guides will unload rafts while you change into dry clothes. We’ll enjoy a final lunch together before saying goodbye to the magnificent Owyhee River. A two-hour shuttle drive will take you out of the canyon to the Best Western Vista Inn at the Airport in Boise, ID, where you will arrive in the late afternoon.
*Exact camp locations and daily river mileage will vary with water levels and river conditions
Make your next vacation a multi-day river trip on Oregon’s famed Owyhee River and bask in a remote wilderness for five days with delicious food, exciting whitewater, and good company.
Dates & Pricing
2024 Trip Dates4-Day Owyhee Guide School Trip: April 20 – April 23 (this trip is part of Wet Planet’s Guide School) 5-Day Owyhee River Trips:
Please inquire for 2025 Owyhee trip dates. |
Please note: Some dates may be available as private charter launches for you and your family, friends, or work group. Please call the office to inquire!
Pricing
5-Day Trips
$1,495/person
What’s Provided
- All meals on the river, from breakfast on the first day to lunch on the last day
- Rafts and guides
- River equipment: personal floatation devices (PFDs), helmets, paddles, and wetsuits (if needed)
- All camping gear not listed in the personal packing list: group gear, kitchen equipment, tents, sleeping pads, and camp chairs
- Dry bags for your clothing and personal items (One large bag and one small bag)
- Beverages, including water, OJ, lemonade/Gatorade, coffee, tea, hot cocoa, and hot cider (you can BYOB, too!)
What You Are Responsible For
- Transportation to Boise, ID, and from Boise, ID, after your trip
- Lodging in Boise the night before the trip and in Boise the night after your trip
- Personal clothing and miscellaneous gear (see “Packing Guide” for suggestions)
- Personal beverages: Feel free to bring canned versions of your favorite drinks. No glass, please. If you would like to bring wine, please make sure it is in a box or bag. Liquor can be transferred into plastic or aluminum bottles for safe transport.
Food Allergies
Beyond our standard menu, we can provide options for medically necessary allergy-restricted diets for a supplemental menu fee of $100/person. However, we cannot always offer the same diversity or sophistication for restricted diets as our regular menu. Similarly, certain allergen-free snack foods are difficult or impossible to source in rural locations, so feel free to bring your favorite snacks to supplement our provisions. Due to the constraints of cooking for a large group in a wilderness setting, the availability of ingredients or specialty items in remote locations, and limited packing space, we are unable to cater to dietary preferences (likes or dislikes). Please keep in mind that by selecting a restricted diet, you are committing to eating specially-made meals for the duration of the trip. We only bring enough of our standard meals for those without restricted diets, so changing diets mid-trip will not be accommodated.
We cannot guarantee that cross-contamination from allergens will not occur during meal prep. If this is a consideration, please get in touch with us to discuss the potential for a medical emergency caused by a severe food allergy.
Available To Rent
| Sleeping Bag | Synthetic and comfortable! | $25 |
| Rain Gear | Rain jacket Rain pants |
$25 |
| Wet Planet Comfort Kit | Sleeping bag Rain jacket Rain pants Small camp pillow Groundsheet |
$40 |
Make your next vacation a multi-day river trip on Oregon’s famed Owyhee River and bask in a remote wilderness for five days with delicious food, exciting whitewater, and good company.
Logistics
Your Owyhee River adventure begins and ends at the Best Western Vista Inn near the Boise, ID airport.
Getting There
We will meet at the Best Western Vista Inn (2645 W Airport Way, Boise, ID 83705) at 7:30pm the evening before your launch date. You will need to make hotel reservations in Boise for the night before your trip begins. On the morning that the trip begins (launch day), we will shuttle the entire group from the Best Western to the Owyhee River launch site.
Flying to the Boise Airport (BOI):
Fly into Boise Airport, a small and easy-to-access airport, which is serviced by most major airlines. Make sure to reserve your flight for the day before your trip start date. We recommend arriving by 6:00pm to give yourself time to arrive at the pre-trip meeting at the Best Western Vista Inn by 7:30pm. The Best Western offers a complimentary airport shuttle – call the hotel for details.
Driving to Boise:
Boise is located conveniently along Interstate 84. Please note – Boise is on Mountain Standard Time. Be sure to account for the time change if driving from another time zone to ensure that you arrive at the pre-trip meeting on time. You will leave your vehicle at the hotel during your trip. This can be arranged with the hotel for a nominal fee when making your hotel reservations.
Getting Back Home
Our Owyhee River rafting adventure will finish in Boise, ID. You will be shuttled from the river take-out to Boise at the end of the rafting trip, arriving at the Best Western Vista Inn in the late afternoon on the final day of your river expedition. You will need to make reservations for a hotel in Boise the night after your trip.
Arranging Return Flights:
We recommend staying the night in Boise, and arranging return flights for the day after we finish our river trip. If you choose to arrange your flight for the same day that we take out, please note that there is a risk of missing your flight as we cannot guarantee an exact arrival time in Boise.
Packing Guide
What to Bring on Your Owyhee Adventure
While we provide all group camping equipment and meals (including tents, sleeping pads, and camp chairs), you will need to provide clothing and personal gear for off the river and at camp. Below is a suggested packing list to use for your river expedition.
Layers
Always be prepared for changing weather! Appropriate clothing on a multi-day river trip is essential for comfort and risk management. While on the river, we could experience warm sunny days, cold rainy days, or anything in between. We need to be prepared for all possibilities. When planning your trip, try using the “layering system.” By bringing clothing that can be worn under or on top of others in layers, you will have the flexibility to adjust to various weather conditions. Make sure you have warm layers made of synthetic materials (not cotton), such as polypropylene, Capilene, or wool. Cotton does not keep you warm when it is wet!
River Gear
We will provide your river gear: wetsuit, booties, paddle jacket, helmet, and PFD (personal flotation device). We will also provide a dry bag (like a large waterproof backpack) to protect your belongings from the water.
Essential Gear
- Warm sleeping bag (available for rent for $25)
- Rain jacket and pants (available for rent for $25)
- One or two T-shirts
- One pair of shorts for camp and hiking
- One set of long-sleeved light clothes (for sun and camp)
- Pants for camp (can be same as above)
- Synthetic thermal underwear layers (top & bottom)
- Down or synthetic jacket (puffy and warm but compressible for packing)
- Fleece or pile top & bottom for camp (top can be pullover or jacket)
- Fleece pullover or jacket to wear on the river, under your paddle jacket
- Swimsuit
- One pair of waterproof shoes/boots (for off-river if it is raining)
- One pair of lightweight hiking shoes (for off-river in good weather – can be same as above)
- Wool or polypro/Capilene/fleece socks (stay away from cotton)
- Shade hat/visor (baseball cap)
- Warm hat and gloves for camp
- Thin wool or synthetic hat for on river under the helmet
- Sunglasses with securing strap
- Plastic bags for wet/dirty clothing
- Sunscreen/moisturizing lotion
- Chapstick with SPF
- Insect repellent
- Water bottle with securing strap (1-liter minimum, more if hiking)
- Flashlight/small headlamp & extra batteries
- Personal medications
- Toiletries (keep to a minimum)
- Small hand/face towel (optional)
Optional Items
- Camera
- Binoculars
- Diary or sketchbook
- Book
- Small daypack or fanny pack for hikes
- Small travel pillow
- Musical instrument
- Liquor, beer, or wine: you will need to provide your own alcoholic beverages! See below for more info
Optional Rental – Wet Planet Comfort Kit: sleeping bag, rain jacket, rain pants, small camp pillow, groundsheet ($40)
Beverages
Wet Planet will have coffee and tea ready for you every morning. Water and lemonade/punch/Gatorade will be available throughout the day. At dinner, hot drinks will be available (hot cocoa, hot cider, tea), and a bottle of wine for the group.
If you would like additional personal beverages at camp, such as soda, beer, wine, liquor, etc., you’re welcome to bring your own. We will have a cooler with us to put beverages in. No glass bottles; broken glass and rafts don’t mix! Wine should be in bags/boxes, and other adult beverages can be transferred from glass bottles to plastic or aluminum containers before taking them on the river. Personal drinks can be purchased in Salmon before the trip if needed.
Gratuities
Your guide team will work hard to ensure your river experience exceeds your expectations. If you had a fantastic trip and feel your guides did an incredible job, post-trip gratuities are an appreciated way of saying “thank you.” Tips commonly range from 5 to 15 percent of the trip cost but should always be based on your satisfaction, financial comfort, and personal attitudes about gratuities. It is common to leave gratuities with the lead guide at the end of the trip, and they will distribute them among the team.
Make your next vacation a multi-day river trip on Oregon’s famed Owyhee River and bask in a remote wilderness for five days with delicious food, exciting whitewater, and good company.
Frequently Asked Question's
What are the bathroom facilities like?
Check our our blog about “How to Use the Bathroom on a Multi-Day River Trip.” It’s the best view you’ll ever have while using the loo!
I'm going to stink if I don't shower for 5 days. What do I do?
Take a river shower! Swimming in the river is the easiest way to feel refreshed each day. You can even put your chair in the water while enjoying an afternoon beverage. If you want to wash with soap, please bring biodegradable, eco-friendly soap, such as Dr. Bronner’s, and a microfiber washcloth. If you choose to use soap, you will take a bucket of water away from the river (it’s essential to keep all soap out of the river!) when doing personal cleaning.
What kind of boats do you bring?
Check out our blog about our multi-day raft fleet. There are options for all levels of adventure!
What kind of food do you bring?
Often, folks think we’ll be eating backpacking meals the whole time. That’s not the case! From blueberry pancakes with bacon to fresh vegetable wraps at lunch to steak dinner, you will be blown away by the food on your trip. With our delicious menu, you’ll eat better out on the river than at home. Take a sneak peek at our multi-day menu!
What if I have food allergies?
We can accommodate a wide range of food considerations. Beyond our standard menu, we can provide options for various dietary restrictions for a supplemental menu fee (details can be found on the Dates & Pricing tab). Make sure to complete your online trip registration early so we know what modifications we need to make to our menu! If you have any questions about our menus and your dietary needs, feel free to give us a call.
Can I bring personal beverages?
While we supply plenty of water, tea, and coffee, most people have their favorite beverages that they enjoy when they are on vacation. If you would like additional personal beverages at camp, such as soda, beer, wine, liquor, etc., you’re welcome to bring your own! Please do not bring glass bottles; broken glass and rafting don’t mix! Wine should be in bags/boxes, and other adult beverages can be transferred from glass bottles to plastic/aluminum containers before taking them on the river. Personal beverages can be purchased in Salmon before the trip if needed.
What are the sleeping arrangements?
Tents: We provide SPACIOUS tents. We assume people reserving together will be sharing two to a tent. If you are traveling alone, you’ll have a single tent. Your guides will demonstrate how to set them up on the first night and assist you if you want the extra hand.
Sleeping Pad: The sleeping pads provided are plush, river-specific sleeping pads. These are not your average car camping pad! They are filled with 2-3 inches of foam and are incredibly comfortable.
Sleeping Bag: You can rent sleeping bags for $25/person, or you can bring your own.
Comfort Kit: The Wet Planet Comfort Kit is available to rent for $40/person, and contains a sleeping bag, rain jacket, rain pants, small camp pillow, and ground tarp.
I'm rafting solo, do I have to share a tent?
We will provide a solo tent. Don’t worry, they’re still spacious!
What size are the dry bags you provide?
We provide two dry bags per person. A large 110L dry bag will hold items you only need at camp and be packed away during the day. Think of this like your “checked luggage” on a plane. A smaller 10L day bag will hold items you would like access to during the day, such as sunscreen, extra layers, and anything you want to keep available while on the rafts.
I have back pain. Will I be OK on this trip?
We always recommend checking with your doctor for any physical considerations since they know your personal situation and can provide medical counsel! For back pain, a good measure is whether or not you are comfortable in a seated position for 2-3 hours at a time. If you would like additional back support while on the river, you can bring a Crazy Creek Chair or something similar without metal. Or ask us what we can do to help you remain comfortable in the rafts. Please inquire about additional accommodations if you have difficulty getting up from the ground from a lying position.
How do you communicate with the outside world in an emergency?
Can we go fishing?
You’re welcome to go fishing at camp and fish off the rafts in calmer areas when permitted. Common fish you might catch are Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, and Redband Trout. The Oregon Department of Fish and Game requires anyone over 12 years old to have a fishing license.
Should I get travel insurance?
Sometimes life happens, so we highly recommend purchasing travel insurance to guard against any surprises (unexpected late cancellations, travel delays, medical emergencies, etc.).
Past Wet Planet guests have reported good experiences using Travel Guard (www.travelguard.com) and Travel Insurance Services (select.travelinsure.com).
TRIP REVIEW
“I can’t say enough about this outfitter! We just keep coming back for more adventures. Just returned from the Owyhee Multi-day trip. The trip was fantastic! The service amazing! The guides were skilled and knowledgeable about the unique geology, The guides were instructive – allowing some of the guest to oar the rafts making for amazing experience and young teenager that is now dreaming of being a river raft guide. The staff were up first and down last. They were not only pleasant, but genuinely interesting people and engaging staff with all the guests! They got along with each other and we enjoyed their company. They were attentive to everyone’s needs, no matter the allergies or special dietary requests. More than one guest commented that they were eating better on this back country trip than at home. Thanks to Gianni! And then there were the hikes with the most beautiful views! If you want an incredible experience, with the nice comforts that make the back country enjoyable – this is absolutely the outfitter to go with!”
- Michele K. from Portland, ORTRIP PHOTOS
