Where Rivers and History Converge:

A journey to a place where three rivers meet, where your auditory senses are awakened by a variety of bird species, and the air is filled with the aroma of juniper, sagebrush, and willows. Through the ages, history has marked this place from sacred pools deemed by Native American tribes to military battles where relics still stand on the land. This place is nothing short of magic.

Three Forks earned its name due to the North Fork Owyhee River, Middle Fork Owyhee River & the main Owyhee River joining. This meeting of currents and swirling of different water temperatures creates a habitat for various fish species. The clear water flowing below the towering pillars of stone is breathtaking to witness.

Photo: Andrea Bonadiman

There are many locations within the Owyhee Canyonlands that are new to me. As a woman who grew up in Ontario, OR, and had working parents along with busy schedules, sometimes vacations only came around in the summer. While the Owyhee is beautiful in the summer, it wasn’t a place my parents knew a lot about. Which resulted in our family vacations taking place in the Sawtooth Mountains or the Elkhorn Mountains. However, discovering my love for the high desert has been a trek that has overtaken my heart.

I had heard stories from fellow FOTO crew and my boyfriend of how amazing and gorgeous Three Forks is, but had never visited the location… yet. Reading the story of the Battle of Three Forks, where a howitzer was lost in the river in May of 1866, had been circling in my mind for some time. This engagement was part of the Snake War (1864-1868), a conflict between the U.S. military and various Native American tribes, primarily the Northern Paiute, Bannock, and Western Shoshone, in the high desert regions of present-day Oregon, Idaho, and Nevada. Stories of the hot springs, fishing, and wildlife, all of which are paired with rich history, ignite my soul. 

Photo: Andrea Bonadiman

Finally, the predicted weather was ideal, and we both had the weekend available to venture out to Three Forks. It might seem like quite a long drive to some, but to me, the road trip and scenery are worth it. I was so excited to witness this elusive place at last.

As we dropped in, the scenery immediately captured me. Met with juniper trees, sagebrush and grasses. The road from the top down to the campground is good, but certainly requires some decent tires and a vehicle that has a bit of clearance. (Certainly, not a road for a minivan or Honda Accord). To our discovery we had the whole entire campground to ourselves! Tim Mazac and I pulled into a great spot and made camp for the evening.

After our camp was settled in, we set out in the ‘side-by-side’ to visit the infamous Three Forks Hot Springs. Like most things you’d like to keep a secret, it seems the secret is out on this location. However, we were lucky enough to have the hot springs to ourselves. As you travel from the campground to the hot springs, your eyes are able to feast upon this glorious canyon where the three rivers meet, below towering walls. The beauty of the waterfalls are almost too much to bear. To clarify, yes these are called hot springs, however it is quite important to know they are actually more of a ‘warm springs’. As you immerse your body into the water, you can feel your soul cleansed by the current. It becomes quite obvious why this was held as a sacred place by the Native American tribes. While soaking in the warm springs, you can still see remnants of the battles that occurred here. The start of a bridge, and across the river, you can see a road built by rocks against the hillside.

Photo: Andrea Bonadiman

The temperature dropped to a brrr… 41 degrees. This is a perfect example to pack for all elements when present in the high desert. The weather was warm and delightful during the day, but at 3 am, the temperatures had dropped dramatically. Through the crisp, dewy morning, we were met with the glory of the Milky Way above. We cuddled up tight and fell back asleep until sunup. When Tim Mazac woke me up from being buried in the sleeping bag with earplugs in, he had said.. “Take out your earplugs and check out these birds”! I plucked out the earplugs, and my ears were met with a literal auditory explosion! This is what birders dream of! Songs from all along the river banks could be heard. Tim Mazac pulled out his phone to record via the Merlin app so we could identify them. As the Yellow-Breasted Chat flew overhead, you could see the Spotted Sand Pipers & Kill Deer below at the river's edge. The list in the Merlin app that was revealed was shocking! Yellow Warbler, Lazuli Bunting, Lesser Goldfinch, American Avocet, California Quail, Ash-Throated Flycatcher, just to name a few. Then, in all its glory, we saw a bird that I adore, the Belted Kingfisher! His name was on the list supplied by Merlin, then, looking into the trees on the bank across the river, we saw a flash of blue, and there he was!

After listening to the birds and having a cup of coffee, we geared up to cast a line. As a woman who has fished her whole life, I still consider myself an amateur at fly fishing. I’ve owned my Reddington Crosswater Rod for around 5 years now. Mostly, it’s been used to catch Brown Trout in the lower Owyhee River below the dam. However, I love bass fishing and have been wanting to try out this rod for bass. The action on this rod is amazing, and I knew that to catch a bass on it would be a blast. Wading along in the river, I was able to reel in plenty! The lines were tight, the sun was shining, and the water was spectacular!

Photo: Andrea Bonadiman

We made it to the warm springs for one more soak before heading out for the day. On the way, we encountered a rattlesnake sunning on the dirt road. Tim Mazac made sure to stop and shoo him into the sagebrush carefully. As we traveled on, there were hundreds of Mormon crickets clumsily attempting to jump out of our path. Upon arrival at the warm springs, we saw a young couple enjoying themselves. To be polite, we waited and fished a bit while they soaked in the springs. When they were getting ready to leave, we ventured up and asked where they had come in from. After a small conversation, they set out on their hike back to their vehicle.

When we were on our way back to camp to finish packing the last bits and head out back home, we saw the couple again. We asked if they needed water and spoke for a bit. The young woman stated where they had bushwhacked through some pretty thick areas along the river. I asked if they had followed a trail provided by the app AllTrails? She stated they did, and I advised to use OnX from this point forward as AllTrails is notorious for getting people in some sticky situations. At the time they seemed in rather high spirits, just tired and carried on. However, as we packed up camp and they headed up the road to the top entrance from the campground, things would take a bit of a turn.

I drove the side by side up the hillside, to save the strain on the truck. I wasn’t too far up the hill, when I saw the couple again. This time the young woman was using a trekking pole on one side, and was limping. I pulled over and offered a ride, as they both looked exhausted from the heat and hike. They obliged this time and hopped in. She stated that she had been bitten by a snake somewhere while they were near the river. Her foot was starting to swell and she did say she was in pain. While asking the usual questions of if she saw the snake, or heard a possible rattle, etc., I drove them up, saving them a good mile of hiking. While I didn’t exchange contact information, I do hope the young couple sought some kind of medical help/advice regarding her snake bite, as it was a visible scratch and penetration of a fang.

Photo: Andrea Bonadiman

This incident is a good reminder for all! Stay on the trail, don’t go bushwhacking. While it is not confirmed if it was a rattlesnake or not that bit her, in riparian areas, rattlesnake’s buttons on their tail can get wet and result in the rattle not making the sound we’re all aware of. I was glad to be of some help to them and hope for the best. Perhaps their adventure didn’t end the best but may certainly be a learning lesson for future adventures on the land. Be prepared, research where you’re going, let family and friends know your departure date and arrival, bring a compass, and physical map of the area, and always use your better judgement. As a whole experience, Three Forks was euphoric. A time that will be etched in my mind forever. A place I can’t wait to go back too. There is something about these places in the Owyhee. The high desert has a certain allure, and seduction that takes grab of your heart and never lets go. We were fortunate enough to see some Pronghorn Antelope on the way out, two Does with their fawns. This place that holds habitat to a collection of species and history requires us to be stewards of the land. After generations have passed through its veins of sagebrush, we must ensure that it stays that way for the future generations to come.