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Owyhee River, OR
Owyhee River 5-Day Row Your Own
5 days / 4 nights
Remote, spring only
Row Your Own
Class II
Class III
Class IV
OVERVIEW
Remote, spring only
Row your own boat through the Grand Canyon of Oregon, with all meals and drinks covered, early April to early May.
5 days / 4 nights
Duration
8
+
Min Age
Row Your Own
Trip Style
DATES
Upcoming Dates
Mon
23
Rogue River Lodge
8:00 AM
Wed
25
Rogue River Lodge
8:00 AM
Fri
27
Rogue River Lodge
8:00 AM
Highlights
Best Parts of The Trip
- Rowing experience required This is not a rowing school, and you row your own boat the whole way.
- The Grand Canyon of Oregon Some of the most untouched, unexplored wilderness in the state, with our guides along.
- All meals and drinks covered We bring the food, the drinks, the kitchen and the toilet. You bring your boat and camping gear.
- Hot springs and the Chalk Basin Hike to Pruitt's Castle and the Chalk Basin, and if things work out, camp next to a hot spring pool.
- Small spring window We only run it from early April to early May, and we meet in Rome, Oregon.
- You choose the stops Your group decides where to stop, whether that is a history site, a side hike or a swim.
INSIDER TIP
From Our Guides
Pack for cold even if the forecast looks warm. Spring in the high desert can swing from snow to clear 80-degree days, and a 30-degree sleeping bag, a puffy jacket and a beanie make camp a lot more comfortable.
Your boat
Boats on This Trip
ITINERARY
Day by day
Inclusions
What's Included
Guides and gear
- Guides to show you the lines and the stops
- The group kitchen and river toilet
Meals
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner every day
- Beer or wine, 3 drinks per person per night, and you are welcome to bring more
Bring or rent
- Raft with a rowing frame, 4 oars and a spare oar lock
- Quality PFDs for everyone (helmets advised)
- Tents, sleeping bags, pads and camp chairs
- A 30-degree sleeping bag, a puffy jacket and a beanie
- A refillable water bottle
- A 5-gallon water jug for refills on the water
- Your own shuttle
From $1,099
BOOK NOWACCOMMODATIONS
Row Your Own
Nights are a mix of historic lodge rooms and guided riverside camps, depending on the launch.
Rogue River
Lucas Lodge
Sadie Lucas built this lodge around 1912 on a ranch where the Illinois River meets the Rogue, and her family has welcomed guests for seven generations since. Your last night on the river ends here with a prime rib dinner served family style.
See the full stay
Owyhee River
Owyhee Camps
Desert canyon camps on the Owyhee, set below rimrock and red rock spires that light up at sunset.
See the full stay
Lower Salmon River
Lower Salmon Camps
Every camp is a big white sand beach with a good swimming hole, and your tent is up before you arrive.
See the full stayMain Salmon, River of No Return
Main Salmon Camps
Big sandy beach camps under the pines. When you pull in, your tent is already set up, your sleeping pad is in it and your dry bags are stacked and waiting.
See the full stay
Snake River in Hells Canyon
Hells Canyon Camps
Riverside camps below the walls of Hells Canyon. Your tent is up before you arrive, and evenings start with a cold drink under the shade tarps.
See the full stay
Rogue River
Rogue River Camps
Riverside beach camps on the Rogue. Your gear boater runs ahead so camp is ready when you pull in, with tents up and dinner served family style.
See the full stay
Rogue River
Paradise Lodge
Paradise has the big deck where we do movie night, with lodge cooking and a real bed. Every room has its own hot shower and private bathroom.
See the full stay
Rogue River
Black Bar Lodge
Black Bar sits right on the water. You pull in at the end of Day 1 to a home-cooked dinner and a real bed, and every room has its own hot shower and private bathroom.
See the full stay
Food & Drink
What To Expect During Meal Time
We provide all the meals, the drinks, the kitchen and the toilet, so mealtime works just like our guided trips. Cold drinks and fresh lunches in the shade, family-style dinners like fajitas, chicken parmesan and tri-tip by candlelight, and coffee by 6:00 AM MT with a hot breakfast. Dietary restrictions are fully accommodated. We pack beer or wine, 3 drinks per person per night, and you are welcome to bring more. You bring your boat setup, river gear, camping gear and your own shuttle.
Meeting Logistics
Where & When To Meet
We meet at the Rome boat launch in Rome, Oregon, and the trip ends back in Rome. You arrange your own shuttle and bring your gear to the river.
Rome is about 115 miles southwest of Boise, Idaho, on Highway 95. The boat ramp is just east of the bridge, on the south side, set back from the road about an eighth of a mile. Rome is on Mountain Time.
Most guests drive in. If you fly, the closest airports are Boise and Redmond, and we do not offer airport transfers.
To stay nearby the night before, Jordan Valley is about 30 minutes from Rome (Basque Station Motel, 541-586-2244), and Burns is a little under two hours away (Silver Spur Motel, 541-573-2077, or the Best Western, 541-573-5050). You can also camp at the Rome put-in, where water is available.
TRAVEL
Getting there
Fly into Boise and drive to Rome the day before. Camp at the put-in. Mountain Time.
Meeting point
Rome boat launch picnic area
Arrive the night before and camp at the put-in. 8:00 PM meeting in the picnic area.
How to get there
Fly into Boise (BOI)
About 2.5 hours southwest on Highway 95.
Stay in Jordan Valley or camp at the put-in
Jordan Valley is about 30 minutes from Rome.
Vehicle shuttle
No airport pickup. Book a shuttle from Rome to Leslie Gulch before you arrive.
They recommend Judy at Owyhee Adventure Shuttle.
CONDITIONS
What to expect
Weather
April and May in the high desert can bring anything. Snow, rain or clear 80-degree days are all possible, sometimes on the same trip, and the temperature can swing a lot in one day. Average May temperatures run about 75 degrees for the high and 40 for the low, but it can go outside that range. We have had absolutely gorgeous trips and trips in a downpour, so pack for all of it.
Whitewater Levels
Class II to IV. Day 1 starts easy, picking a path around gravel bars and prairie islands through farmland before the first canyon. On Day 2 the whitewater begins in Sweetwater Canyon, with Class III rapids like Long Sweetwater, Upset and Bulls Eye. Day 3 runs the inner gorge of Green Dragon Canyon, with two Class III rapids and then Montgomery, the only true Class IV of the trip. Day 4 brings Nuisance, a fun rock garden, and an afternoon of Class II. Even on a warm day the water is cold.
Seasonal Variability
Early April to early May is the only time we run the Owyhee, and the window can be as short as a few weeks. It depends on snowpack and rain, and some years the river does not run at all because there is not enough water. About 4 to 6 weeks before the trip we start to get a good sense of what the water will look like.
PACKING
What to Bring
What you need to bring
- Raft with a rowing frame and room to pack your personal gear
- Personal dry bags
- 4 oars, 2 for rowing and 2 spares
- Spare oar lock
- Throw rope
- Raft repair kit
- Pump for your raft
- Sand stake with mallet
- Your own straps
- Quality PFDs for each person. Helmets are advised but not required
- Personal camping equipment, including tents, sleeping bags and pads
- A sleeping bag rated to 30 degrees, since spring nights in the high desert get cold
- Warm layers, including a puffy jacket, a beanie and rain gear
- Personal chairs for camp
- Refillable water bottle
- One 5-gallon water jug for personal use. This is just so you can refill easily on the water. We will have plenty of group water at camp and to refill your jugs
- A way to transport all of your gear to the river and to pack up at the takeout. Coordinate your own shuttle
- Small personal first aid kit for your boat
REVIEWS
What guests say
POLICIES
Cancellation timeline
90+ days out
Full refund of the trip payment
Minus any non-refundable permit fees.
30–89 days out
50% refund
Date changes may be available if space remains.
Under 30 days
No refund
Weather holds are reviewed case by case.
Refunds depend on how far out you cancel. Weather holds are handled case by case.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need river experience to come on a Row Your Own?
Yes and no. If you are rowing a boat, yes. You need at least Class III whitewater experience, and this is not a rowing school. If you are riding with someone who is rowing, no experience needed.
What is the cancellation policy?
Guided day and half-day trips: cancel 72 hours or more ahead for a 50% refund. Inside 72 hours, the fee is forfeited. Multi-day Orange Torpedo and Briggs trips: deposits and payments are not refunded. You can often move to another date in the same season for a fee, or give your spot to someone else. Lodge dates cost more to change because the rooms are held in your name. Whitewater Cowboys single-day rentals: 7 or more days out, half the deposit can be refunded. Multi-day rentals: 21 or more days out, half the deposit can be refunded. Shuttle refunds depend on the section and how close you are to launch, minus a processing fee.
Do I need travel insurance?
Yes for multi-day trips. Orange Torpedo and Briggs treat deposits as non-refundable and ask you to buy a Travel Guard policy when you book. The office can send a quote.
Where do we go to the bathroom at camp?
Camp trips carry a toilet we call the Johnny, and we set it up with privacy, toilet paper and hand sanitizer, with a separate bucket for pee. Hand washing at the foot-pump station is mandatory, no exceptions. Lodge rooms all have their own bathroom with a flush toilet and shower.
How are dietary restrictions handled?
The answer is yes. Tell us at the pre-trip meeting or when you book. The lodges are very accommodating, our camp menus adjust for allergies and gluten-free, and on the North Umpqua we pack plant-based options and gluten-free chips and cookies.
What if I need basic first aid or hygiene products?
Every trip carries a first-aid kit and a trauma kit, plus a guest self-care box with band-aids, lotion, aloe, sunscreen, menstrual products, Pepto, nail clippers and over-the-counter meds. We also carry poison oak soap. Every guide holds a Wilderness First Aid certification and there is at least one Wilderness First Responder on every trip.
Will my phone work on the river?
On wilderness sections, usually no. Do not plan on cell service once you leave the put-in. Tell family your take-out day before you launch.
Does the Owyhee trip run every year?
Not always. The Owyhee has one of the shortest seasons of any commercially run river in Oregon, and some years it does not run at all because there is not enough water. About 4 to 6 weeks before the trip we start to get a good sense of the season. If we have to cancel for low water, give us a call and we will walk you through your options.
MORE TRIPS
Our Most Booked Trips
|
4 days
|
Class
Hike the Rogue River Trail with a daypack, sleep in the lodges, and let the raft carry everything else.
|
3 days
|
Class
Run the Rogue River Trail lodge to lodge with a light vest while the raft carries your bags.
