Jarbridge/Bruneau
The Jarbidge Bruneau river trip is one of Idaho's hidden gems. Located in the southwest part of the state, this stunning desert canyon will not disappoint! Known as the "Sistine Chapel" of desert runs, you will understand quickly the magnificence of this trip. Beautiful old growth juniper groves line the banks as you float through towering walls of rhyolite and basalt. Challenging class III-V whitewater along with several portages make this one of our most adventurous trips we offer.
We begin our adventure in Boise, Idaho. We will meet here for our pre-trip orientation the evening before we launch. Here, we will go over logistics, gear, and answer any questions that you still might have. Boise is Idaho's biggest city and is full of great food and fun nightlife. It is a great spot to base this trip out of because of how easy it is to get here. There are many incoming flights each day from all over the U.S. and beyond.
Highlights
- Spectacular Canyon Scenery
- Challenging Whitewater
- Very Few People
- Great Hiking
- Close Access in Boise
The next morning marks the beginning of our trip. We load up early in the morning and head towards Bruneau, ID which is just over an hour away. This is the take-out and where we will pick up our shuttle driver to head towards the put-in. The put-in is located in Murphy Hot Springs which is a small outlaw town near the Nevada- Idaho border. Here we will meet with all of our guides who arrived the night before to set up for the launch. Once everyone is situated we will go over safety topics and concerns for the river, as well as wilderness camp rules and hazards to watch out for. After this, it is time to hit the river!
Right away you will notice the unique character of this amazing western river. With steep gradient, the current quickly rushes us downstream. There are no major rapids in the first bit, however, the river is extremely fast and exciting. We navigate our way around large boulders and under low hanging junipers that extend over the river until we find a suitable place to set up camp for the night. Here we will relax and unwind by the fire. Our guides will prepare healthy and delicious meals that will not disappoint - and don't worry, there will always be plenty for everyone, as well as desert. Yum!
The next day you will wake up to hot coffee and a warm fire. After a hot satisfying breakfast we will go over the logistics of the day. This is when the whitewater and adventure starts to kick it up a notch! The river continues downstream in the same swift manner as the day before, but with several noticeably larger rapids along the way. Day two is also when we hit our first portage of the trip. A large landslide rockfall on river right damned the entire river and backed the river up considerably. The notable Sevy Falls is now drowned in the backwater of this new rapid "Castle Gray Skull". It can take the better part of half a day to get all the people and gear around this substantial obstacle but the beauty of the location and the challenge of the portage make for a very fun and adventurous day! But it isn't over yet - we approach several larger rapids soon after this portage downstream. Wally's Wallow is probably the most notable of any. This is around the time we will find a great campsite for the evening.
Day three is our final day on the Jarbidge river and by far the most exciting. We shove off of shore from camp directly into some fun substantial whitewater. The morning is filled with swift water and technical rapids. We will eventually come to Jarbidge Falls which is the crux of the river. This rapid is usually portaged, but it is possible to run clean at certain flow. However, this rapid is rated as a class V+ at all levels. The name Jarbidge originates from the original Native American inhabitants of the area. They described an "evil spirit" or "great monster" that lived in the canyon and they referred to it as Jahabich. All people who have experienced this western adventure agree that Jarbidge Falls is the perfect embodiment of this legend, but you will have to come see and judge for yourself!
Once past the falls, the gradient and character of the river relaxes a bit. We will soon come to the confluence with the West Fork Bruneau, creating the Bruneau River proper. This is the only time the canyon opens up to the surrounding desert landscape. There is also a nice natural hot spring here for anyone needing a hot soak! From here on out we will be paddling down the Bruneau River.
The Bruneau River is absolutely spectacular. Soon after the confluence and hot springs, the river descends deep into one of the most stunning river canyons you will ever see. With high vertical walls and a deep narrow gorge, it truly feels like floating through a crack in the earth - the scenery is second to none down here. The camps are gorgeous and the side hikes are breathtaking! The most notable being Cave Draw - you might never want to leave. The character of the whitewater on the Bruneau is more mellow than on the Jarbidge. However, it is still full of excitement. There are still plenty of rapids and swift sections, but several long scenic sections in-between.
On our final day floating the Bruneau, the challenge and excitement pick back up considerably. As we descend deeper through the canyon we will eventually reach Five Mile rapid. The name says it all. It is basically a continuous class III-IV rapid for the final few miles of the trip. It’s not quite five miles, but it definitely feel like it could be! This is a challenging and extremely fun section of whitewater that will leave you hooting and hollering. We typically find a suitable place for our final lunch soon after this rapid. After a few more miles of mellow whitewater, the canyon begins to open up into rolling desert hills and eventually a wide plane. We usually reach our take out in the early afternoon. From here, we will load everything up in our rigs and head back to Boise. Depending on individuals travel itineraries we often get together for one last night of good food and fun times in Boise - following up with you traveling home with incredible memories and stories that are never to be forgotten.
*guided trips on the Jarbidge Bruneau are offered through Wilderness River Outfitters and Trail Expeditions Inc. WRO is licensed and permitted to offer these guided activities in the state of Idaho.
Photo Gallery
Q and A
Q: Is the Jarbidge Bruneau in a wilderness area?
A: Yes, the Owyhee Canyonlands Wilderness, designated in 2009.
Q: When is the best time to kayak the Jarbidge Bruneau?
A: It can be difficult to predict spring flow on the rivers of the the Owyhee Canyonlands, but historically the best time of year to hit good runnable flow is going to the second week of May through the first week of June.
Q: Is the Jarbidge Bruneau whitewater comparable to the whitewater on the Middle Fork Salmon?
A: The whitewater on the Jarbidge section is fast and continuous the first 35 miles, definitely a step up in difficulty from the Middle Fork. You want to be completely comfortable paddling a river like the Middle Fork before running the Jarbidge Bruneau.
Q: Can I walk the more difficult rapids if I am not comfortable running them?
A: The more significant rapids can be scouted and portage. There are some long continuous class III rapids that would be hard to walk, but the most challenging rapids can be portaged.
Q: Can I put my kayak on a raft?
A: It depends on the trip, but often we will have a raft along to carry gear and will not be setup to carry kayaks and riders. If you would like to have the option to ride on a raft, those arrangements need to be made ahead of time.