Owyhee Uplands Back Country Byway or ...Mud Flat

Steelhead and I decided to tackle the Owyhee Upland Back Country Byway, forthwith referred to as the OUBCB, in order to collect three challenge sites instead of heading for the cool mountains to the North as we had previously planned.  Idaho's "chief meteorologist" had predicted Boise temps of 100-102ºF but I knew the mid section of the Byway was near 6,000' and that the elevation should help moderate the long hot dry day.Ol' steelhead was at my driveway right at 8 am. and we headed out taking all the usual shortcuts through Kuna and Melba with the stop at Walter's Ferry boat launch to de-coffee.  If you turn on Rabbit Creek Road right before Murphy you can take a left on the Old Stage Road that will intersect the Silver City Road near the end of the pavement.  The Old Stage Road is a lot of fun and is a good warmup for things to come.  The challenge of missing or squashing the millions of mormon crickets littering the road was soon forgotten as the novelty wore off.              Another 2010 Challenge site bites the dust and lots of it.                                                                          The Silver City Road is in good condition this time of year and the only obstacles are the open range cattle that look at you like you are blood sucking aliens from the planet X.  We made good time and only lingered in Silver City long enough to make our challenge site photos then rode west on the Delamar and Trout Creek Roads arriving in Jordan Valley, Oregon in time for early microwave cheeseburger lunch and tank topper.  Returning east we turned onto the Juniper Mountain Road that becomes the OUBCB and booked it for the Three Forks Road turn off.                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Thirteen miles of straight (boring) 60 + mph road connect the OUBCB with Three Forks canyon rim and then you drop down into an incredible oasis.   Only a few yards from the Owyhee River the land is parched and lifeless but the lush riparian area adjacent to the river(s) is eye-popping.  Yes, that is a one ton Ford pickup with a 9' Lance camper decending the road, big cajones!    Li'l Kawkroach  and steelhead with Tippy  posin' in front of the Owyhee River half dome at Three Forks.We got our site photos out of the way then we rode up the North Fork Owyhee river, crossed the "million dollar bridge", and got our bonus challenge site of the water crossing!   Not a huge crossing but the water was axle deep and the bottom soft. steelhead studyin' rock formation above the North Fork bridge.   After climbing out of the canyon and heading north to reconnect with the OUBCB we headed southeast toward Cliffs, elev. 4990, and then to North Fork (Owyhee) campground.  North Fork C.G. is a nicely "improved" campground with toilets, table and campsites but no potable water or power that  sits in a bowl of black lava rock that makes a great overnight camp but not in early August.  We crossed a second "million dollar bridge" over the North Fork Owyhee and began climbing eventually to over 6,000 feet. As Idaho's "chief meteorologist" had predicted the sky began to fill with clouds, the cloud cover a welcome relief from the opressivie heat with the approach of threatening thunder storms.  We got only a "sprinkle" near Mud Flat Spring.  As you leave the Juniper covered black lava outcrops of the mid section of the OUBCB and approach the eastern side the terrain changes to a high savannah with low scrub trees that reminded us of views of Africa we'd seen on the Discovery channel (now that would be a challenge site!). We could see a range fire on the horizon.    Thanks to deansplc for the scoop on the road to Battle Creek Ranch.  Great directions and information on where to turn and who to talk to.  The turn off to Battle Creek is 3.5 miles from the Big Springs Ranch sign on the OUBCB and like deansplc says in his challenge report you cross the cattle guard and follow the 2 track, can't get lost, for 12.4 miles from OUBCB.  The mule deer and antelope are thick, we saw coyotes, jackrabbits, cottontail rabbits, a badger and too many raptors to count. Battle Creek Ranch 2 track.     You'll know you're on the right track when you pass the bullet ridden '56 (?) Plymouth 2 door post.  I'm sure it was used in a hold-up and was ditched out here to avoid detection by the authorities (too many "B" movies). Good chrome!    Huge engine! (is that a Hemi?)    Anyway, as you pass a stone cabin you'll be sure you're lost when you top a rise and there is the blue house!  As we approached we were waved in by 2 young men, Trevor (L) and Timothy (R) Jewett of Mountain Home, who spend the summer out there with dad/grandpa Steve, the man that lives in the blue house and manges the ranch(es). Nice shirt Trevor!  After a short visit with Steve and his boys we got our challenge photos and began the climb back to the OUBCB.      The OUBCB decended quickly as it became Mud Flat Road and as it passed Poison Creek Recreation Site the canyon opened onto the badlands of the Chalk Hills and Twentymile flat.  Where the pavement began the signpost pointed the way to the Oreana Cutoff Road that shortens the distance to Murphy by 10-15 miles. By this time we were out of drinking water and were feeling the desert heat.  The fields around Oreana were a short cool-off but soon we were back on Highway 78 asphalting our way to Murphy.  We did not stop in Murphy, the General Store was closed so no services (water & gas) were available.  We stopped instead at the Dan's Ferry Service Phillips 66 at Walter's Ferry for water and fuel and then on to home arriving 9 pm..  KLR tripmeter read 328 miles and GPS read 319, riding time was 8 hrs. 37 mins.  Between Three Forks and Highway 78 we saw exactly 0, that's zero moving vehicles ...amazing. If you go take extra ice water, then double it and lots of high energy non-melting snacks.  It's not the end of the earth but you can see it from there.This ride did not suck!