Visit Wilderness

Search for a wilderness as the destination for your next outdoor adventure.

Bob Marshall Wilderness Area, Minnesota

Why Visit Wilderness?

While wilderness can be appreciated from afar—through online content, television, or books—nothing compares to experiencing it firsthand. Activities like camping, hiking, or hunting allow you to fully enjoy the recreational, ecological, spiritual, and health benefits that wilderness areas offer. These areas provide “outstanding opportunities for solitude or a primitive and unconfined type of recreation,” chances to observe wildlife, moments to renew and refresh, and the physical benefits of outdoor exercise. In many wilderness areas, you can even bring your well-behaved dog.

Learn more about the diverse ways in which we benefit from wilderness and threats wilderness areas face today.

General Trip Planning Information

The Jarbidge-Bruneau Rivers Wilderness offers remote and challenging floating opportunities on both rivers.

Boating on the Jarbidge River Directions: From Rogerson, Idaho, take Jarbidge Road ("Three Creek Road") to Murphy Hot Springs. The launch site is several miles downstream from the town of Murphy Hot Springs.

Put In: Confluence of the West and East Forks of Jarbidge Rivers, two miles north of Murphy Hot Springs

Take Out: Indian Hot Springs (If you choose to run the 40-mile Bruneau River from this location, you can take out on private land one mile downstream of Hot Creek, on the east side of the Bruneau River.)

Additional Info: Difficulty: Class III, IV and V rapids; Experienced river floaters only due to difficult portages; Kayaks are recommended, but rafts are also possible; Float Season: Spring; Ideal flows: 500-2500 cfs; Mandatory registration; Maximum group size: 15 people; Primitive camping available; Wildlife/scenic viewing ; A waterproof river guide may be purchased for $10 from BLM at the Idaho State Office, located at 1387 South Vinnell Way, Boise or call (208) 373-4007 to order.

Boating on the Buneau River Directions: South of Mountain Home; Take Highway 51 to Bruneau. The preferred route can be accessed by the Clover Creek Road. See the Bruneau-Jarbidge-Owyhee Boater Guide for more detailed information.

Put-in: Indian Hot Springs

Take-out: Bruneau River take-out

These rivers provide challenging whitewater, but also significant danger due to dramatic variations in flows, severe weather, log jams and portages. Be cautious!

Additional Info: Rough roads; Four-wheel drive with high clearance required; Mandatory registration, portable toilets and firepans; Maximum group size-15 people; Class III-IV rapids expected; Float season: Approximately April 1 to June 15; Trip length: Approximately 40 miles; Ideal flow: Between 500 and 2500 cfs (rafts: over 1,000 cfs); not recommended above 2500 or below 500 cfs. A waterproof river guide may be purchased for $10 from BLM at the Idaho State Office, located at 1387 South Vinnell Way, Boise or call (208) 373-4007 to order.