Owyhee Canyonlands Wilderness and Wild and Scenic River Management Plan
The Omnibus Public Lands Management Act designated 517,000 acres of public lands in Owyhee County in southwestern Idaho as Wilderness and 325 miles of waterways as Wild and Scenic rivers. These areas are managed by BLM through the Owyhee Canyonlands Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Plan. This plan is designed to protect the unique values recognized in the Omnibus Act's designation in the context of the BLM’s multiple-use mission.
In 2013, BLM received 10,000 comments on the Draft Management Plan during the comment. These comments were used to develop this final plan.
A separate travel management plan is being developed for routes in Owyhee County outside of designated Wilderness. An exchange of lands that would allow the BLM to acquire State land within Wilderness boundaries is under consideration which would allow the BLM and the State of Idaho (Department of Lands) to manage and enhance their respective ownerships more efficiently.