Riverside Wildlife Area Visitors' Guide
The original Riverside Tract is adjacent to the Malheur River near the former railroad community of Riverside. It was purchased from the Blaylock family in 1976 and has been administered by ODFW as Riverside Wildlife Area since that time. The purpose of this initial acquisition was to provide public fishing and hunting access to a previously privately held portion of the Malheur River canyon. In addition, this purchase provided the opportunity for the department to emphasize fish and wildlife habitat management in the river canyon. Additional acres were added to this tract in 1977.
In 1972, the department purchased a second tract, the Malheur River Tract, D.W. Williams. Similar to the Riverside Tract, the objective of this purchase was to provide public fishing and hunting access to formerly privately held sections of the Malheur River south of Highway 20. Currently the wildlife area’s total acreage is 3,798.
Best time to visit: Year-round for wildlife viewing. High summer temperatures usually limit mid-day wildlife movement. The Riverside Management Area is very remote, with no cell phone reception. Visitors should be prepared for inclement and adverse weather conditions.
Visiting hours: always open
Riverside Wildlife Area Map (pdf)
What to see and do: Mule deer, elk, bighorn sheep, California quail, chukar, osprey, and bald and golden eagles are just a few of the viewable wildlife species.
- Wildlife: bighorn sheep, pronghorn, Rocky Mountain elk, waterfowl, mule deer, chukar, mourning dove, California quail, and sage-grouse.
- Facilities: fishing, hunting, trails, small boats
- Nearby: The Malheur River is floatable near the management area from mid-spring through mid-summer. The float is approximately 12 river miles to the nearest take-out, which is located on Bureau of Land Management property. Private and other public land is intermingled around wildlife area boundaries, so boaters should refer to the BLM Vale District Recreation map for locations. The fishery on the river is good for rainbow trout. Beavers and river otters occasionally can be seen building dams or fishing.
Directions: From Burns, travel 52 miles east on Hwy. 20 to Juntura. Approximately 1/8 mile before the town of Juntura, turn right on Riverside Road and travel 16 miles south. Once past the BLM camp site, travel 3/4 mile to the first two-track road on the left. Follow that road for 1.5 miles. An orange gate marks the entrance to the wildlife area. Signs on the management area guide visitors to the access sites.
Address and Phone:
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
237 S. Hines Boulevard
Hines, Oregon 97738
(541)573-6582
Additional resources:
Find a Rec Report
Current conditions and opportunities to fish, hunt and see wildlife. Updated weekly by fish and wildlife biologists throughout the state.