Driving Tours

A variety of opportunities are available for viewing and exploring the scenic region of the Owyhee Field Office. For those visitors who would like to explore the area from the comfort of their cars, there are two driving tours available.

Owyhee Uplands Backcountry Byway - The Owyhee Uplands Backcountry Byway is 103 miles of gravel and paved roads which are suitable for passenger cars. This route provides access to one of the best remaining examples of the sagebrush-steppe ecosystem. Visitors will also enjoy seeing the habitat of more than 180 species of birds and mammals such as coyotes, bighorn sheep and badgers. Scenic geologic formations, composed of volcanic rock deposited 8-12 million years ago, are also present in this area. See the Byway Guide.

Designated wilderness is located on or near the Owyhee Uplands Backcountry Byway.  More than 517,000 acres of public lands in southwestern Idaho have been designated as wilderness.  Certain lands from 8 former Wilderness Study Areas (WSAs) in the Owyhee Field Office area now part of the BLM's National Landscape Conservation System (NLCS). 

Watchable Wildlife Loop - The scenic Owyhee Watchable Wildlife Loop provides excellent wildlife viewing opportunities. While traveling along this route, visitors are likely to encounter mule deer and coyotes along Jordan Creek, as well as a variety of birds, reptiles, and amphibians that rely on the riparian vegetation to survive.