The Honeycombs

The Honeycombs are one of the most obscure, most spectacular canyon areas in Oregon. Located northwest of Jordan Valley, along the Owyhee Reservoir, the area has been one of my backpacking meccas.  A somewhat gnarly 4WD road takes you within a couple miles of where this canyon country begins.  The road is clay, and is not to be trifled with in wet weather, as it turns slick and greasy. Rob Ostermann, a friend with a similar passion to explore, and I drove down there last week.  Twice we attempted to reach the drainage where the hike begins, and twice threatening weather turned us back.

I did get some alluring pictures from afar, and the goal remains to actually reach into this scenery close up another time. The Honeycombs road takes off from the Leslie Gulch road, so we camped there instead and enjoyed the scenery you can view in my Leslie Gulch post.

Leslie Gulch

A vast land of magical shapes, spires, and walls, Leslie Gulch lies in the Owyhee river country of the extreme southeast corner of Oregon. I am drawn there in the springtime, when wildflowers and bird songs fill the canyons formed by volcanic tuff--ash that has consolidated through heat and pressure in solid rock. Wind and water have sculpted these walls into an infinite number of patterns. Early evening and early morning intensify the colors.

Overarching the light and the colors of this canyon, is an incredible feeling of awe, wonder, tranquility, and timelessness that dwarfs our mere short term human experience.