The Owyhee Canyonlands cover more than 5 million acres of rugged landscape in southern Idaho and eastern Oregon.
Few hikers and campers venture into this desert wilderness because there aren't many trail signs or information.
Steve Stuebner teamed up with photographer Mark Lisk to create a guidebook for the Canyonlands. Their new book, The Owyhee Canyonlands: An Outdoor Adventure Guide, details 55 hiking and biking trails.
Stuebner says one of his favorite hikes is the “Between the Creeks” Loop in the Jacks Creek Wilderness, not far from Grand View, Idaho.
The 8-mile, moderate-to-strenuous hike takes about five hours to traverse up and down 1,497 feet. Once you climb the ridge to the top of the plateau, Stuebner says “you kind of feel like you’re on top of the world.”
Stuebner says in May you'll see paintbrush, lupine and other wildflowers on top of the plateau. You can circle around the plateau to the other side and drop into another canyon known as the East Fork of Shoofly. The hike, Stuebner says, takes you to a creek and to an old homestead.
“Several people have been out there and said they took their kids and just had the greatest time,” Stuebner says.
"Between the Creeks" is one of dozens of hikes in the new book. Idaho outdoor authors Steve Stuebner and Mark Lisk will be at Idaho Mountain Touring on Thursday in Boise from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. for a book signing.
Copyright 2013 Boise State Public Radio
