Road grader improving the South Fork John Day River Back Country Byway along the South Fork John Day Wild and Scenic River, June 6, 2017, by Greg Shine, BLM.

Protected as part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, the South Fork of the John Day River flows from south to north through central Oregon, providing unparalleled recreational opportunities including fishing, swimming, hiking, camping, and birdwatching.

It's your river. Make your splash!

Originating in the Ochoco and Aldrich Mountains, the South Fork meets the main stem of the John Day River at the town of Dayville, Oregon. The river is nationally known for smallmouth bass and steelhead and is an excellent destination for many outdoor activities. The South Fork John Day River Back Country Byway runs alongside the river and also connects visitors to adjacent areas such as the Black Canyon Wilderness.

Forty-seven miles of the South Fork – from the Malheur National Forest boundary to the confluence with Smoky Creek – were designated as wild and scenic on October 28, 1988, and classified as recreational river areas. This classification includes rivers or sections of rivers that are readily accessible by road or railroad, that may have some development along their shoreline and that may have undergone some impoundment or diversion in the past.

As a national wild and scenic river, the South Fork possesses several resource values considered “outstandingly remarkable,” including botanic, fisheries, geologic, paleontologic, recreational, scenic, and wildlife.

Botanic The South Fork of the John Day River corridor contains a number of relatively pristine plant communities and two significant species, the Washington monkeyflower and threatened south John Day milk vetch. The diversity of plant communities provides important wildlife habitat, interpretive opportunities and aesthetic values to the area. Vegetation has been impacted by humans via fire control, road construction, unmanaged livestock grazing. A coordinated multi-agency program is in place to restore the quality of the vegetative communities.

Fisheries The John Day River hosts one of the few remaining wild fish runs in the Pacific Northwest. The summer steelhead and spring Chinook salmon returning for spawning contribute to the largest entirely wild run in the mid and upper Columbia River Basin; spawning and rearing takes place below Izee Falls. Resident redband trout populations are augmented with hatchery stock, and whitefish are also present and popular.

Geologic & Paleontologic A complicated geologic history in the area has resulted in a diverse assemblage of rocks that include masses of oceanic crust, marine sediments, a wide variety of volcanic rocks, ancient river and lake sediments, and recent landslide deposits. North of Izee Falls, the Mascall Formation features marine invertebrates, fossiliferous outcrops and fissure dikes. South of the falls, features include ammonites, bivalves and rhyconellid brachiopods.

Recreational This river corridor provides a wide variety of recreation opportunities, including camping, boating, hunting and fishing. The river is nationally known for smallmouth bass and steelhead, and popular for floating and swimming, hunting, hiking and camping. Visitors travel here to see the rugged geologic formations of the canyon and internationally significant fossil beds.

Scenic The views here are colorful, striking and unique. Basalt outcrops, Ponderosa pine and Douglas and white fir intermix with juniper, sagebrush and native bunchgrasses to create a distinct pattern on the rugged canyon slopes. The river is petite but active, and it flows over 55-foot Izee Falls halfway to the mainstem.

Wildlife The South Fork is a key wildlife area due to the diversity and condition of the habitats in its corridor. Mature (never been cut) Ponderosa pine and fir forests have provided a stable environment for its diverse, balanced population. Grass and sagebrush hillsides provide forage for big game species and nesting for many migratory and resident bird species. Bald eagles visit in winter; golden eagles, redtail hawks and prairie falcons nest in the canyon. Lewis' and other woodpeckers, owls and quail nest and feed here. Mule deer and elk winter here, as well. Resident predators include mountain lions and bobcats. Minks, beavers, river otters, coyotes and rattlesnakes are common, as well.

For more information, contact our Prineville District Office: 3050 N.E. 3rd Street Prineville, OR 97754 Phone: 541-416-6700 Fax: 541-416-6798