Greeley Bar Hot Springs

What to expect

Greeley Bar Hot Springs is a reward for people who have already spent several days in one of the most remote river canyons in the lower 48. It sits at Upper Greeley Bar on the Lower Owyhee River in Malheur County, near the end of the Rome to Birch Creek float. Rafters, kayakers and canoeists usually reach it on the second-to-last or last day of the trip, a few miles above the takeout.

There is no development here. The BLM river guide describes a hot spring pool set back from the river with a small wetland between the pool and the water. That wetland matters: it is breeding habitat for Woodhouse and Western toads, and they lay their eggs there during the spring boating season. The BLM asks boaters to tie up at the campsite and walk to the pool rather than pulling boats in through the marsh.

We could not find a reliable published temperature for the pool. Expect a simple, natural soak shared with whoever else is camped on the bar. Whitewater Guidebook points out that Greeley and Ryegrass, the two hot spring camps on this stretch, are both large sites, so other groups may stop in for a quick dip as they float past.

The setting is the real draw. The Lower Owyhee runs through deep canyons cut into pale ancient lakebed ash and dark lava flows, with towers and domes like Lambert Dome and Pruitt’s Castle upstream and the Owyhee Breaks around the takeout. Much of the corridor is a Wilderness Study Area.

Getting there

There is no road to the spring. Greeley Bar is reached by floating the Owyhee from Rome, Oregon, on US-95 between Jordan Valley and Burns Junction.

• Put-in: The BLM Rome launch site sits just off US-95 at Rome. It has room for vehicles, trailers and rafts and first come, first served camping. There is a ranger station at the launch: (541) 586-2612.
• The float: Rome to Birch Creek is about 50 river miles of pool-and-drop water with Class II and III rapids, including Montgomery, Whistling Bird, Bulls Eye and Nuisance. Most groups take 4 to 6 days. Ryegrass hot springs comes up at about mile 23.75, and Upper Greeley Bar at about mile 44 to 45, on river left.
• Takeout: The BLM Birch Creek Historic Ranch, about mile 50. From US-95, about 8 miles north of Jordan Valley, turn west at the Jordan Craters sign onto Cow Creek Road and follow the BLM Owyhee River access signs about 28 miles. The BLM recommends high-clearance 4WD. The road is mostly single lane with creek crossings and one steep climb, and it can close when the soil is saturated. Long trailers are not recommended. Most groups hire a shuttle.
• Alternate takeout: Leslie Gulch, 19 miles below Birch Creek, avoids the Birch Creek road, but the last 10 to 12 miles are slack water on Owyhee Reservoir, often into a headwind.

Carry the BLM’s free Owyhee, Bruneau and Jarbidge Wild and Scenic Rivers Boating Guide. Its maps mark river miles, camps and the three Greeley campsites.

When to go

The Owyhee depends on snowmelt, and the main float season runs from March to early or mid-June. April and May are usually best. The BLM recommends flows between 800 and 10,000 cfs on the Rome gauge for the run below Rome. Under about 1,000 cfs the rapids become rocky and technical, and below 800 cfs you are looking at a canoe, kayak or packraft trip with some dragging, usually possible from early June to mid-July.

Spring weather here swings hard. The BLM warns of strong wind, rain and snow during the season, and flows can rise or fall sharply within days. Check the USGS Rome gauge before you commit.

Outside the float season, reaching Greeley Bar would mean working upstream from Birch Creek through the canyon without a maintained trail. We could not confirm a route and do not recommend it.

Rules and etiquette

The BLM sets clear rules for the Owyhee, and they apply on every trip:

• Register. Fill out the free registration form at the Rome launch. Put the top copy in the box and carry the bottom copy; BLM, state or county staff can ask to see it.
• One night only at Upper Greeley Bar. Ryegrass camp has the same one-night limit.
• Group size: Up to 20 people below the Rome launch.
• Do not alter the spring. Federal and state law bans digging, damming or otherwise changing the flow or appearance of hot springs in the Owyhee system.
• Moor at the campsite and stay out of the toad breeding wetland between the river and the pool.
• Pack out human waste in an approved, rigid, leak-proof portable toilet or approved waste bags. Urinate in the river, not around camp.
• Fire pans are required. In Malheur County you can be fined up to $500 for not carrying one on the Owyhee. Bring your own firewood (Oregon law below Rome), pack out the ash and follow seasonal fire restrictions. No fireworks.
• No motors, no drones. Motorized craft and aircraft landings, including drones, are prohibited.
• Pack out all trash. There is no trash service at Rome or Birch Creek.
• Soap: Keep it out of the pool. Use biodegradable soap for dishes and scatter strained wastewater 200 feet from the river and camp.

There is no posted clothing rule. On a remote river bar, expect a mix, and be considerate of other groups who stop by.

Where to stay nearby

You camp on the river. Upper Greeley is the hot spring camp, with Middle Greeley and Lower Greeley a short way downstream if you want to stay close but the upper camp is taken or you have already used your night.

At the end of the trip, Birch Creek Historic Ranch has a five-site BLM campground with a water source and restroom. The ranch was homesteaded by Basque sheepherders in the early 1900s, was bought by the BLM in 1988 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Caretakers live on site.

Before the trip, Rome has the launch site campground. Jordan Valley, on US-95 near the Idaho line, is the nearest town with fuel and basic services.

Safety notes

• Remoteness: There is little or no cell service anywhere below Rome. Carry a satellite messenger, a full repair kit and a first aid kit, and leave a trip plan with someone at home.
• Water levels: Spring storms can raise the river fast. Camp well above the waterline.
• Poison ivy: The BLM says it is common along parts of the Owyhee corridor. Learn to spot it (leaves in groups of three or five) before you go wandering around the bar.
• Rattlesnakes: Watch where you step and reach around camp and in the rocks.
• Hot spring water: Keep your head above the surface and do not drink it.
• Footing: Most river injuries happen within a few feet of shore. Wear shoes with grip on wet rock.