Parker Trail/Big Jacks Creek Canyon Hike

Trail Map | Elevation Profile

This one-mile round-trip hike is short, steep and unmaintained, but rewards hikers with extraordinary scenery in a secluded, unspoiled setting. Visitors to this area often find that the Parker Trail Hike is a good introduction to the conditions that they will encounter in the Owyhee Canyonlands. Do not be deceived by this short and relatively accessible trail. It requires good map and route-finding skills and demands that travelers have the skills to safely negotiate steep, rocky terrain.

Directions: On Hwy 51 head south from Bruneau 25 miles to milepost 45 and continue 0.1 miles further south, head right/west on Wickahoney Road (unmarked).
From Grasmere head north on Hwy 51 11 miles to MP 44 and continue 0.9 miles north, head left/west onto Wickahoney Road (unmarked). Reset trip odometer immediately.

0.0 Wickahoney Road at Hwy 51.
4.8 Right/north onto two-track.
7.5 Left/west
8.0 Stop here if you do not have a high clearance vehicle.
8.2 Trailhead parking.

Navigating the trail: 0.5 miles, 460’ vertical from parking area to valley floor.

• Hike west down drainage, crossing fence ladder on left/south.
• At bottom of first pitch, head right/north following drainage.
• When drainage closes in and you must pick, take the intermittent trail on the right/north wall that contours around until canyon bottom is directly visible.
• If you can find it, follow intermittent trail down west-northwest to canyon floor.
• Various trails run downstream/right/north with frequent stream crossings.