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Floating along the Owyhee River in Oregon, you pass through astonishing high desert canyonlands with thousand foot rhyolite cliffs and sand castle rock formations. Visitors will marvel at the variety of birds and mammals, including river otters, bighorn sheep and golden eagles. The Owyhee River’s fragile ecological balance requires the utmost respect from its visitors. The Owyhee River’s floatable sections are very remote and contain numerous technical and challenging rapids. This river is not for the inexperienced floatboater! Once you enter these deeply carved canyons, you will be a long way from help. Emergency access is extremely difficult, and cell phone coverage is nonexistent within the confines of the canyon. You must be prepared to handle all problems and emergencies on your own. To properly prepare, floaters should contact the Vale BLM Office to obtain information well in advance of a planned float trip. A waterproof river guide that includes a river map identifying rapids may be purchased from the Vale BLM office (541-473-3144).