Bruneau River Trip: What You Need to Know Before You Go
Are you planning to visit the Bruneau River soon? Like any river adventure, the Bruneau River promises an unforgettable and immersive experience.
President Obama signed the Omnibus Public Land Management Act into law on March 30, 2009. According to this act, 317 miles of Bruneau and Owyhee drainages, including the Bruneau River, were designated as wild, scenic, or recreational wilderness.
The Bruneau River flows through a magical canyon of stunning beauty. The canyon walls are a thousand feet taller than you, adding to the beautiful landscape.
Here’s everything you need to know before embarking on a memorable trip to Bruneau River.
What Is the Best Season to Visit the Bruneau River?
The best time to float the Bruneau River is during spring, between May and June. During this time, you’ll experience:
- A mini-Grand Canyon
- The stunning Bruneau Canyon
- Vertical red-rock cliffs
- Caves
- Fingers
- Other strange shapes
In the spring season, this area is filled with appealing desert flowers that contrast with the dark volcanic rock.
The boating season in the Bruneau River is short; there is only enough water to float during spring. The river’s flow reaches its peak in mid- or late May, but heavy rainfall, warm, or cold weather may cause changes in water levels at any time.
Be prepared for snowstorms, rain, and strong winds on the Bruneau River. Also, check the water levels if you plan to go for Bruneau River rafting.
Water flows of over 1000cfs are best for white water rafting in Idaho. Avoid boating on the Bruneau River when the USGS gauge reads above 2500cfs.
Leave No Trace
In addition, educate yourself on the seven principles of Leave No Trace as you prepare for Bruneau River camping. These principles help you keep the environment pristine and cause minimal impact. Below is a list of the seven principles of Leave No Trace:
- Plan and prepare
- Camp and travel on durable surfaces
- Properly dispose of waste
- Leave what you get
- Minimize the impacts of campfires
- Respect wild animals
- Be considerate of other people
How to Access the Bruneau River
The road that leads to the Bruneau River is an adventure in itself. There are two common routes used to reach the river.
The first one passes through the Jarbidge River, the headwater of the Bruneau. Rafting through the Jarbidge River usually takes around two to three days.
The Jarbridge is quite technical and narrow, requiring expert maneuvering and small, lightly loaded rafts. This route is considered too technical and dangerous, as it requires lining boats and portaging to navigate.
The second route to consider when planning your Bruneau River itinerary is through an off-road overlanding adventure. You’ll use lifted vehicles, designed to handle the rugged roads. After a few hours of traveling through the dirt roads, you’ll finally reach the Bruneau Canyon.
With the help of Far and Away Adventures guides, you’ll walk down to the river. The Lower Owyhee is easy to access. However, you’ll need to be more daring to reach the other sections.
As an adventure lover, you’ll enjoy the geologic unconformity, stunning gorge, and wildlife that is not used to seeing people.
Bruneau River Rapids
The Bruneau River has Five Mile Rapids, where it descends through stunning class IV rapids. You’ll watch as the experienced guides from Far & Away Adventures expertly maneuver through the endless boulder fields.
The challenging and remote class III, IV, and V whitewater rapids in the Bruneau River make it an outstanding experience for paddlers. However, due to the challenging log jams, rapids, and several other hazards, it’s recommended that you only float the Bruneau and Jarbidge Rivers if you’re an experienced boater.
Scenery
The Bruneau River has a landscape of narrow canyons, more of which are 800 feet deep and open, broad sag with brush steppes. The canyons consist of vertical, high lines and form black, brown, or red coarse-texture eroded cliffs. You’ll also find light green or yellow microflora in these canyons.
In the sagebrush plateau of the Owyhee canyons, you’ll find more than 200 wildlife species. Among the wildlife you may spot include deer and bighorn sheep. Besides, hawks and soaring eagles are often spotted resting along the cliff and flying over the Bruneau River skyline.
What to Bring for Bruneau River Safety
At Far & Away Adventures, we provide everything you need to experience a 5-star trip including all necessary camping equipment gourmet meals, wines, and fine linens for a luxury camping experience.
All our meals are prepared by a talented and trained chef who uses local ingredients. Our chef also prepares a custom kids’ menu to ensure everyone is happy and satisfied.
Below are some essentials you can bring to the Bruneau River trip:
- Clothing that adapts to the changing weather conditions
- Lightweight and athletic camping shoes
- A small flashlight or headlamp
- A water bottle for use during hikes
- Sunglasses with straps
- Any allergy medicines or prescription drugs that you may need
- Toiletry items and hand wipes
- Camera
Enjoy a Memorable Bruneau River Trip With Far & Away Adventures
Every section of the Bruneau River offers a unique experience for an adventurous traveler. Some areas provide a great chance of solitude, others have better hiking, while other sections have more intense whitewater. Whichever kind of adventure you want, you’ll surely find it in this overlooked wild river.
At Far & Away Adventures, we provide a magical and out-of-this-world wilderness experience in the Bruneau River Canyons in Southwest Idaho. With the help of our professional Bruneau River guides, you can choose to ride in a raft or paddle your craft.
Contact us today to book your next adventure to the Bruneau River.