Roberson Trail East

Hikes: D.
Total Distance, D: 3 miles.
Difficulty: Level II.
Season: April 1-July 1.
USGS Map: Crowbar Gulch.
BLM 100K Maps: Glenns Ferry.
Dirt Road Miles: 10 1/2 gravel, 3 good dirt, 3 fair dirt.
PLSS Location: Section 30, T9S R7E.

Introduction: For reasons he can't remember, the author discovered this hike when doing his first book, Hiking Trails of Southern Idaho. He recently revisited it, and found it still very enjoyable after twenty years: a pleasant climb of about 550 feet down to the Bruneau. When a fishing-fanatic companion saw the river here, he wished he had his fly rod.
  This is the eastern side of the Roberson Trail: the Trail fords the river here, and then climbs up the western side of the Bruneau. That western branch is described in Margaret Fuller's Western Idaho Hiking Trails.
The hike is Level II because of some loose rock on the descent.

The Hike: Start by descending into a small drainage on the increasingly-obvious trail. Be careful: the steepest, roughest parts of the trail are right here at the top. Soon you'll veer toward the right, but then begin a fairly level traverse to the left, where you'll probably find shade, cooler temperatures, and patches of excellent condition native vegetation.
  At last, you reach a point just above the river. At this last moment the trail heads left toward a healthy poison ivy stand; it's best to cut right and descend through rocks to a point next to a large juniper.
  Now that you're at the river, here's the bad news: don't move. At least, in spring and summer, you are likely to see, hear, step on, and/or levitate over rattlesnakes. My recent revisit was in November, and it was nice to know it was too cold for rattlers. Also, the low river level exposed a campsite on a sandbar below the juniper. If you do move, check out the ford just downstream.

Access: Drive to the "One Stop" cafe at the junction on the north edge of Bruneau town, on ID-51. Turn left (east) on the paved road, and follow it for 7 3/4 miles. When the pavement ends (where you turn right for the Indian Bathtubs hike), continue straight, climbing the good gravel Bruneau-Three Creek Road onto the Owyhee Plateau.
  After 8 miles of gravel, turn right at the signed road to the Bruneau Canyon Overlook (W1). Drive there, get out, and look at the river. Then drive back toward the Three Creek Road for 3/4 mile, and turn right on a good dirt road (W2). After 2 3/4 miles on that road, after passing some water troughs, turn right on a not-so-good dirt road which has some rutted stretches (W3).
  That rutted road passes a dammed-up playa which is in the drainage of Big Flat Creek (which you'll note if you drive to the Clover Creek hike), and soon after bears left (W4). It then continues west until it leaves the crested wheatgrass seeding and enters sagebrush, becoming rocky. At last it reaches a turnaround near the rim: the trailhead.