If you want to explore the Owyhee Desert and have a blast doing it, motorcycles and other off-road vehicles are the way to go.
There’s a huge network of trails in the Walters Ferry and Murphy areas with hundreds of miles of singletrack, ATV trails and backroads.
“It’s really prime time for riding,” said Terry Heslin, trails and travel management coordinator for the Bureau of Land Management.
Riding in the desert provides a lot of different experiences. You can get an adrenaline rush on tight, rocky trails, scope out awesome vistas of vast open country, spot wildlife, or share an all-day ride with your family or buddies.
Whichever experience you prefer, riders must be prepared to deal with some remote, unforgiving country.
There are no services and help is a long ways away, so self-reliance is critical.
Terrain varies from low-elevation sagebrush plains up to 8,000-foot peaks with lots of canyons, draws, buttes and other land features in between.
Getting around in the vast country requires some sound navigation skills and backcountry savvy. You also have to watch the weather and the season. Despite being in the desert, higher elevations are likely to be covered in snow until early summer.
But there’s still a lot of riding available now. The first challenge is getting started.
Dirt bikes and ATVs
If you have to haul your vehicle to the trails, here are two parking areas with trailheads and outhouses.
Hemingway Butte: From Walters Ferry, cross the Snake River and go southeast on Idaho 78 to Upper Reynolds Creek Road and follow it to the parking area.
Rabbit Creek: From Walters Ferry, take Idaho 78 southeast to the marked parking area about a mile from Murphy.
Each area has access to a variety of trails for motorcycles and ATVs, and Hemingway has a 200-acre play area for hill climbing and other riding.
Outside that area, riders must stay on designated roads and trails, which has been the rule since 2009.
There are about 150 miles of singletrack and additional marked ATV routes in the Hemingway and Rabbit Creek areas.
Many trails from the parking areas are beginner-friendly and provide short loop rides that intersect with lots of others trails.
You can download maps for the area by going to http://on.doi.gov/huabAP.
If you’re unsure about the country, do laps within a relatively small geographic area so you can keep your bearings and then branch out to other trails.
If you plan to do longer trips, take a GPS, but don’t expect a preloaded map to be perfectly accurate or show every road and trail because there are lots of old Jeep roads and trails that might not be on it.
The BLM is continuing its work maintaining and marking trails. Open trails are marked by narrow, brown signs, which also mark the trail number and what vehicles are allowed on those trails.
Closed trails are marked with white signs.
ATV riders need to stay on trails appropriate for those vehicles. Do not ride ATVs on singletrack trails.
Ryan Homan, outdoor recreation planner for BLM, reminds riders it’s in their best interest to stay on designated routes not only because it’s the law, but those are the trails that are marked and maintained.
They will likely lead you to other trails rather than a dead end in a rough patch of terrain.
Homan also asks riders to respect seasonal closures intended to protect wildlife. Most closures are small areas, and there are typically open trails nearby to route you around the closed areas.
Dual sport adventures
On/off-road motorcycles are another good way to explore the Owyhees. Unless you are an expert rider, stick with the roads. Get a current map of the area from the BLM office at 1387 S. Vinnell Way in Boise.
There’s lots of country to explore, but it might be a little early to do the long loop rides like the Owyhee Backcountry Byway from Jordan Valley, Ore.
to Grandview.
Homan said higher elevations are likely to remain snowy and/or muddy into June.
When the higher elevations open, grab a map and go, but pick your route carefully and consider your fuel consumption. Gas stations are few and far between.
TVTMA Fun Run
The event will be Saturday, May 14 starting at the Rabbit Creek parking area.
The Fun Run is a family event in which motorcycle and ATV riders ride a marked course with checkpoints where they stop and draw chips that are good for raffle tickets. There is a prize drawing at the end of the rides.
The course is designed to accommodate riders of all skill levels.
Entry fees are $20 for individuals and $40 for families.
The short course for ATVs and motorcycles is 27 miles. The long course for dirt bikes is a 60-mile loop.
Sign-ups are from 8 to 10:30 a.m. First bike out is 9 a.m. and first ATV out is 9:30 a.m. Prizes are awarded at 4 p.m.
For more details, go to http://tvtma.com.
Backcountry riding tips
— Be prepared to deal with mechanical breakdowns. Have spare parts, tools, tire repair kits and other things to keep a machine running.
— Watch your fuel. Make sure you have enough to get out and back and account for unexpected side trips.
— Carry water, especially when the temperature heats up. High-energy shakes are also a good idea.
— Avoid solo riding. It’s much safer to ride with others.
— Have a plan in case of medical emergencies. You probably won’t have cellphone service.
— Be prepared for any weather. Temperatures can drop drastically when a storm rolls through, especially at higher elevations. Cool morning temperatures can turn sweltering hot in the afternoons.
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