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Owyhee County
The author feels he is not really an expert on Owyhee County...a
jack of this trade, and not a master. He is proud to have "discovered"
a few really good Owyhee hikes, like the Meanders, Mary's Creek,
and Little Blue Table--hikes that have become really popular.
However, he knows only too well that there are many more equally
good hikes out there, hikes waiting to be enjoyed by future generations
of hikers. He urges you to suggest additional outings that people
could enjoy. Please!
Thus, this section merely hints at Owyhee County's incredible
recreation potential. There are many more table hikes like Little
Blue and Nickle Creek, many more canyon hikes like Jarbidge Forks
and South Fork Owyhee, many more plateau hikes like Owyhee Meanders
and Marys Creek.
The tragedy of Owyhee County is that if the BLM simply
recognized the area's potential, and diverted a small amount
of resources from grazing to recreation and wildlife, the returns
would be tremendous. This was recognized in the pivotal 1982
Bruneau-Kuna Grazing EIS, which said that de-emphasizing grazing
would create more jobs in the area. The BLM's rejection
of that course left a vacuum of interest in Owyhee County that
the Air Force has filled with its expanded training areas.
There is still time to save some of Owyhee, at least
the flanks of South and Juniper Mountains, and the canyons that
drain them. The potential remains to create core natural areas,
with no grazing and no motorized access. These could have supporting
trailhead campgrounds. Such cow-free areas have seen visitor
days go up radically in Oregon and Nevada; why not in Idaho?
Cattlemen could have grazing rights bought out or relocated.
This small investment would see quick returns and point the way
to a sustainable economy in Owyhee County.
The author hopes that your experience is not impacted
by the Air Force. Where once the author could spend a solid week
in Owyhee County and see one or two planes, now he has seen five
or six pairs in an afternoon--and they will soon be flying lower
and faster than ever. What a tragedy... |
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