There’s something sacred about leaving a warm sleeping bag before dawn to sit quietly in the high desert and witness one of nature’s oldest courtship rituals. For years I’ve wanted to get out there and see this spectacle for myself, and hopefully do some good for the Owyhee I love in the process.

Utah Senator Mike Lee recently removed controversial language from the federal budget that would have allowed for the sale of vast public lands. While some saw this as a victory, his reasoning revealed a concerning perspective: "I continue to believe that the federal government owns too much land, land it is mismanaging and, in many cases, ruining for the next generation." This statement reflects a worldview that fundamentally misunderstands the purpose and potential of publi

If you’ve spent any time on public land in eastern Oregon, especially in the Owyhee, you’ve likely felt the slow unraveling of care and capacity. It’s not because the people at the Bureau of Land Management don’t care. It’s because they’re being asked to manage more with less.

Hidden in Oregon’s remote and rugged Owyhee Canyonlands, the Painted Canyon area offers a jaw-dropping hiking experience for those...

A journey down the Owyhee River, that was truly unforgettable.

The Owyhee Recreation Club: Balancing Adventure and Stewardship- Recreation in the Owyhee is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it’s a major draw to this vast and rugged landscape, bringing people closer to nature and public lands. On the other, increased recreation can threaten the very ecosystem that makes the Owyhee so special. For those unfamiliar with the area, recreation is not just present—it’s one of the most significant pressures on the landscape’s ecological health.

It is odd that a gravel road should evoke such an emotional response in me, but there I was, nearly in tears as I approached a place in...

I grew up in the metropolis of Adrian, Oregon—if you can call it that. I spent my entire childhood in the same house, gazing out my...

Recently a group of Friends of the Owyhee ventured to Birch Creek Historic Ranch for a sun-drenched, quiet celebration of Public Lands...

Author: Denis Pijetlovic (Germany) | Trail-Name: Rooster On my thru-hike (May-July 2024) along the Oregon Desert Trail (ODT) in the...

Stewardship on our public lands.

In an age where we are all constantly going from task to task oftentimes with our eyes suctioned upon a screen for hours on end, it can...

Out on the Western front, when you grow up in the vastness of open spaces, rolling hills, and abundance of access to public lands; it is...

Supporting community, supporting health, and supporting responsible recreation! [Most of the] Friends of the Owyhee "team" for the Owyhee...

“Can you put together some outdoor activities for us? Things that are fun but also educational about the outdoors, about nature? About...

I’m not sure which month is the hottest here in eastern Oregon, July or August. In any case, the stifling heat of the summer months makes...

All photos below are by Steve Silva. All this year, I've enjoyed a great and regular routine of wandering around our local desert,...

Wow! What started out as a dry and nervous spring has turned into one wild and wooly early season to be remembered. I had given up on any...

Maybe it's just me, but when a colleague that has been working in the industry longer than I have tells me a piece of information, I...

A couple of weeks ago, we had our donor recognition celebration at our favorite Ontario hangout, Berts Growler Garage. While we had some...