Riding to the Owyhee River

Twice this summer I have ridden from Adrian, over the hills and through the sagebrush, to reach the beautiful Owyhee River. The spot that I come down through the rimrock to meet the river is near Rock Springs. An area where basically the farmland ends and the astonishing tall canyon walls and cliffs begin.

It makes for a fairly long ride, around 20 miles round trip. When I went in June I rode out with my friend Pat Murray and it was fairly cool and really beautiful that day. I found a deer antler not far from where we started and once over by the river we saw a few deer.

Pat Murray and Bailey in June ride to Owyhee River

Today I rode out with my friend Trish Frahm. It was supposed to get hot so we left about 9, mid day temps were forecast to be mid to high 80's. I was riding Thunder and Trish had her mare, Sahra, and we trotted out to the area where the fire had raged only a few days before. Black Jack Butte, Little Black Jack and many miles of land heading south and west were all blackened by the fire. Fortunately it only nicked part of the area we were riding through, burning right up to the fire breaks here and stopping. However farther west in the canyon it had jumped the river in three different places and then they had fire on both sides of the road leading to the Owyhee Reservoir and Dam. 

We rode around the little edge of burn and picked up a cow trail as we trotted on towards the river. A few more hills and the canal came into sight. We turned at the diversion dam and followed the smaller lateral alongside a large meadow, adorned by wild rose bushes along the edge. A true oasis in the desert yet I never see any cows or deer eating in there. Perhaps in the evening. 

After traveling across the arid hills and plateaus the Owyhee River is such a welcome sight!

Sahra and Trish Frahm July 7, 2013

We had to splash about and just take in all the beauty and as I looked around I was shocked to see a Bald Eagle in the tree! 

Just sitting up there on his branch, ignoring our talking and the horses splashing. He was so beautiful and probably wished that we'd leave so he could continue his fishing.

Thunder and I playing in the Owyhee River

Time for a snack before heading back towards Adrian and the horse trailers again.

We followed the canal around for a couple three miles before getting back in our "usual" area of hills and trotting on home. It was a really great day for a good ride.