We were chatting with some locals in Jordan Valley, and one of them said we’d enjoy a little spot called Leslie Gulch. Never heard of it, but we’ve learned that local advice is often some of the best we ever get. We’d seen some of the terrain south of US95, and this was up to the north. So off we went.

[NOTE: As with all my recent posts, all the photos can be clicked for a full-size (HD) view.]

We turned off US95 on a pretty decent road, but with some frequent, deep washboard, which took us about 25 miles deep into the back country. Not a difficult road except for parts falling off of Ralph, dental fillings coming out of our teeth, the usual washboard reactions.

It was a nice enough road (not counting washboard), and it wound back into the hills west of US95, which runs N-S after passing through Jordan Valley. There are few signs of habitation, no fences, and not much indication that anyone lives out here. Imagine, then, our surprise at this notice of an enterprising business, the “Wish Wash Car Wash” with a ‘gaurunted’ 30-minute turnaround. Honestly, we thought about it, but it was a bit late in the day and we journeyed onward.

After 20+ miles or so, a placard announces we are at the Gulch. And shortly thereafter, the Gulch starts to announce itself.

It was well worth the drive. Not on the order of Bryce Canyon or Grand Canyon of course, but then we weren’t sharing it with 4,000 other people either. The colors were deep, almost glowing, and I hope my photos are doing the place justice. As much as the forms and structures, the colors of Leslie Gulch are chief among its charms.

As with many weathered structures, the worn-away volcanic ash shows some occasionally remarkable, even comical, results – – like this face-off between two combatants.

Throughout the Gulch, any presence of water contrasts beautifully with the ancient rock.

At times, it seemed like the dry summer grass and the golden-orange rocks had called each other that morning, and said, “I don’t know, what are YOU going to wear today?”

Several side canyons offer additional scenes and hikes of their own.

We hiked back up into a tributary gulch for a little ways. More beauty on both sides.

A pair of ravens was working the sheer walls, looking for an evening meal.

Back on the road, there’s a spectacular vertical wall that looks like it was carved by a meat cleaver in one blow.

Even in the plainer stretches of the road, there’s always some outcropping that gets attention.

Near the end of the Gulch, a hunter’s camp filled a road-side pullout with urban clutter. Not messy, very tidy in fact – – just a bit too much of a contrast with the local natural beauty.

The Gulch finally opens up on the Owyhee Reservoir, which in this drought year is but a vague wisp of its usual self.

As we reversed our route and headed back out to US95, we were again treated to the vast, open beauty of this region.

We passed by a gorgeous camp site. Maybe one for us on a future trip? We’ll see.

Driving through Jordan Valley, headed back to camp, we saw again the evening browsers – – local deer (the does anyway) that come right into town and graze the plush grass of the fenced pastures. It’s a nice sunset sight, and we never got tired of it. I’m sure the locals got a chuckle out of the tourists taking deer-pictures all the time. No matter.